Fort Worth Oil & Gas Field Injury Attorney

Fort Worth Oil & Gas Field Injury Attorney

When you work in the oil or gas industry, you put your life on the line every day. If you get hurt, you deserve to be compensated.

An experienced Fort Worth oil & gas field injury attorney at Stephens Law Firm, PLLC can help you fight to get every last dollar you deserve from your employer, a workers’ compensation policy, and/or a negligent third party.

If you’ve been injured while extracting oil or gas in Fort Worth, Jason Stephens will work day and night to help make a difference in your life.

Contact our Fort Worth personal injury office today to schedule a time to sit down with Jason Stephens. Your first consultation is free, so don’t hesitate to call (817) 420-7000 now.

How Will a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me After an Oil or Gas Field Injury in Fort Worth?

How Will a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me After an Oil or Gas Field Injury in Fort Worth?

The oil and gas industries are booming in Texas. Hundreds of thousands of people in the state work in jobs directly or indirectly related to extracting oil and gas from the earth. Some estimate that the oil and gas industries account for about a third of all jobs in the Lone Star State.

However, the reality is that these industries are inherently dangerous. Sadly, a lot of the oil and gas accidents that occur in and around Fort Worth are avoidable.

Many of these accidents happen because employers try to find ways to cut corners and save costs. They ignore safety regulations, which, in turn, create situations that put workers in harm’s way.

There’s too much emphasis on profit and not enough on keeping oil and gas workers safe.

As a result, oilfield accidents and gas explosions are quite common. Workers are vulnerable to catastrophic, debilitating injuries. Many suffer injuries so severe that they don’t survive. If this has happened to you or a loved one, you may be entitled to a substantial monetary award.

Employers, at-fault parties, and insurance companies aren’t just going to cut you a check, though. You’re going to have to take a stand and demand the money you deserve. There’s simply too much at stake to do this on your own. Hiring an experienced Fort Worth personal injury lawyer who has experience navigating these challenging cases can make a massive difference at the end of the day.

For more than 25 years, Jason Stephens has been advocating for injured oil and gas workers in central Texas. He takes the time to get to know his clients and really understand how their injuries have affected their lives. Jason does this because knowledge is power. Armed with this knowledge, he’ll be able to be the very best advocate for you and level the playing field against companies who don’t care about you or your future.

As Jason navigates your oil and gas injury case, a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer will:

  • Investigate the Cause of Your Texas Oil and Gas Field Accident: Jason Stephens will put his vast resources to work as he carefully and thoroughly investigates your oilfield accident. He’ll work with state and federal law enforcement agencies, gather pertinent evidence, speak with witnesses, and do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of what happened. Figuring out what caused your accident will be critical as Jason pursues compensation on your behalf.
  • Turn to Experts: While Jason Stephens has developed a working knowledge and understanding of the oil and gas field industries over the last two-plus decades, Jason is not an expert on the matter. So, he’ll bring in professionals who are. These experts can help him identify the cause(s) of your accident and explain exactly how you got hurt. Their input will help him craft a strong foundation for your injury case.
  • Mitigate Claims You’re to Blame: Insurance companies will probably try to say that you got hurt because of your own actions. These tactics can really hamper your ability to recover compensation, or even prevent you from getting any money, at all. Jason Stephens won’t stand for that. He has gone toe-to-toe with scrupulous insurers and big businesses for more than two decades and knows how to make them take your case seriously. He’ll work hard to downplay your role (if any) in your accident and protect your ability to recover compensation. 
  • Take Your Case to Court, If Necessary: Jason Stephens has won some of the largest jury verdicts in state and national history. That’s the kind of pressure that will make insurance companies and at-fault parties take negotiations seriously. The last thing they’ll want is to go up against an accomplished attorney in court. However, if that’s what it takes to get you the money you deserve, he’ll do it in a heartbeat.

Want to learn more? Call Jason Stephen’s law office in Fort Worth, Texas today.

How Common Are Oilfield and Gas Accidents?

For decades, OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) only had data concerning catastrophic and fatal oil and gas field accidents. However, in 2015, things changed. Employers are now required to notify OSHA whenever there’s an accident that causes a worker to lose a body part or be hospitalized. The results of these reports indicate that oil and gas field accidents are very common.

In the year between 2015 and 2016, 234,403 laborers worked in “support activities for oil and gas operations.” This includes workers who drill, build, frack, and cement oil wells. That year, 349 of those workers sustained severe injuries, for a rate of 148.9 per 100,000 workers. No other industry reported a higher rate of worker injury.

That same year, 100,181 people had jobs related to “oil and gas pipeline and related structures construction.” Of those workers, 267 sustained severe injuries, for a rate of 94.8 per 100,000 workers.

Fatal Oilfield and Gas Industry Accidents

What about fatal oil and gas field accidents? How common are those? The CDC reports that onshore and offshore oil and gas industry workers are about 7 times more likely to die on the job than any other laborer in the United States. 

According to a report by the Texas Tribune, 1,566 workers died trying to extract oil and gas in the United States between 2008 and 2017. That’s roughly the same number of military servicemembers who were killed in Afghanistan during the same period of time.

These statistics represent accidents, injuries, and deaths across the nation. However, keep in mind that Texas is really the home of the oil and gas industries in the United States. So, many of these accidents are happening right here in the backyard.

Common Types of Oilfield and Gas Accidents in Fort Worth, TX

A lot can go wrong when you’re trying to extract oil and gas from beneath the earth in Fort Worth. Over the years, Jason Stephens has recognized that certain accidents tend to happen more frequently than others. 

The three most common types of accidents – or those that result in the most injuries and deaths – include transportation accidents (41 percent), impact or contact with equipment (25 percent), and fire/explosions (15 percent). 

Other commonly reported oilfield and gas extraction accidents include:

  • Well blowouts
  • Fracking accidents
  • Drilling accidents
  • Machinery malfunctions
  • Oil rig accidents
  • Exposure to hazardous chemicals
  • Confined in small places
  • Trucking accidents
  • Crushed by objects or machinery, and
  • Slip and fall accidents.

These accidents can happen when employers don’t follow safety regulations and provide laborers with a safe work environment. This is essential, especially when the work itself is so very dangerous. If you’ve been injured at work because of an oilfield or gas industry accident, you might be entitled to compensation. Call Stephens Law Firm, PLLC to discuss your legal rights and options today.

Jason Stephens Represents All Injured Gas and Oil Field Workers in Fort Worth

For more than two decades, personal injury attorney Jason Stephens has advocated on behalf of injured oil and gas workers in Fort Worth, Texas. He understands just how traumatic and devastating an unexpected workplace accident can be. He also knows how important money can be as you fight to get back on your feet. He’ll stand by your side and demand compensation for all of your oil and gas field injuries, including:

There’s too much at stake to entrust your case with just any personal injury law firm in Fort Worth. At Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, an oil and gas injury lawyer, has been navigating the complexities of these cases and standing up to large oil and gas companies for decades. You can trust that Jason will do the same for you. Call today to arrange a free initial case assessment and learn more.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim After a Fort Worth Oilfield Injury?

It depends. Many workers in Texas are covered by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy. If you get hurt on the job, you could qualify for benefits.

In that case, you’d waive your right to sue your employer but be entitled to money for your medical bills, temporary lost wages, and permanent disability benefits. To recover workers’ compensation, you’ll have to notify your employer that you’ve been injured within 30 days and then file a formal claim within one year.

You may also have the right to file a lawsuit against your employer (if they don’t have workers’ compensation) or a negligent third party (such as a product manufacturer or a property owner). If you decide to file a lawsuit, you’ll have up to two years from the date you’re injured. 

Do not hesitate or wait too long to assert your rights. You’ll be barred from recovering compensation if you allow the applicable statute of limitations to expire and do nothing.

Call A Oil and Gas Field Injury Lawyer For Help

Injuries sustained while extracting oil or gas from the earth can be devastating. Injured workers might not be able to go back to work right away, or ever again. This can create a precarious and stressful financial situation. You must demand the compensation you deserve if someone else is responsible for your tragic accident and pain and suffering.

Stephens Law Firm, PLLC will help you pursue a substantial monetary award. Jason Stephens knows what’s at stake and, better yet, he cares about getting you the results you need and deserve.

Jason Stephens wants to do whatever he can to help make a difference in your life – today and in the future. Just contact our Fort Worth law office to arrange a free consultation. Jason will walk you through your legal options and address any questions that you might have.

Our personal injury law firm in Fort Worth, TX also provides:

Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents
1300 S University Dr # 300
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 420-7000