Update: 2 Men Injured in Oklahoma Oil Field Explosion

April 3, 2018 – A pair of oilfield workers in Wewoka, Oklahoma, were injured on Monday when an oil and gas pumping unit exploded near U.S. 270 and State Highway 56. The pumping unit was being installed at about 4pm when the oil rig explosion occurred, said Kevin Greene, Fire Chief of Wewoka.

What’s the Problem?

Oil and gas production is currently one of the biggest industries in the U.S., and it’s also one of the most dangerous to workers. Oil field accidents occur frequently and can be catastrophic, resulting in injuries such as severe burns, broken bones, and brain damage.

Oil Field Injuries

Some of the most common injuries that occur in oilfield accidents include:

  • Head injuries including brain injury
  • Neck and back injuries including spinal cord injury
  • Broken bones
  • Severe burns
  • Electrocution

Oil Field Accidents

Below is a brief list of the more common types of oil field accidents:

  • Falls from rigs and equipment
  • Equipment failures and/or defective products
  • Frac tank mishaps
  • Well blowouts
  • Explosions and fires
  • Toxic chemical spills
  • Toxic gas inhalation

Please note: Neither of the above is a comprehensive list, and your injury may have occurred under circumstances not described here. That doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you’ve been injured. Contact our lawyers now to learn more about your legal rights and whether you qualify to file a claim.

Occupational Injuries Widely Underreported: Labor Department

The U.S. Department of Labor has long known the number of injuries in the oil and gas mining industries is significantly higher than it reports each year. Former OSHA chief David Michaels has put the undercount at between 30% and 60%, possibly higher. Michaels has said “there’s a culture” in the oil field of not reporting injuries.

Why You Need Representation if You’ve Been Injured

Negligence can be a deadly thing when it comes to oil and gas drilling. The workplace involves heavy equipment, explosive gases, and an ever-changing dynamic environment. Just one mistake can result in devastating injury or death.

Our lawyers understand the challenges you face after a devastating accident at work. While workers’ compensation pays benefits regardless of who was at fault, those benefits are limited and will not cover all damages. You may be entitled to additional compensation if a third party (someone other than your employer) was at fault for your injury. Examples of 3rd parties include contractors, suppliers and equipment manufacturers.

Why Our Firm is Opposed to a Class Action in the Oil Field Accident Litigation

After much consideration, our law firm has decided against the filing of a class action lawsuit involving injuries or death alleged from oilfield accidents. With certain types of claims, class actions may offer some advantages, as they aggregate a large number of individualized claims into one representational suit. This can help to streamline the litigation, but in the end many class members are often forced into a blanket “low ball settlement” and higher attorney fees.

At Schmidt & Clark, LLP we understand that our clients are suffering emotionally and economically due to loss of wages and/or high medical bills and we plan to maximize each client’s recovery by filing individual oil field injury lawsuits on their behalf.

Do I Have an Oil Field Accident Lawsuit?

The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in oil field accident lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new injury and death cases in all 50 states.

Free Case Evaluation: Again, if you are or were an oil field worker who was seriously injured on the job, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit and we can help.

FREE Confidential Case Evaluation

To contact us for a free review of your potential case, please fill out the form below or call us toll free 24 hrs/day by dialing: (866) 223-3784.

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