Oil rigs are an essential part of industry today, but they are also very dangerous. Taking the time to learn about what possible worker’s compensation claims you may have to make while working on an oil rig can certainly help prepare you. Knowing what to expect when working on an oil rig can keep you safe, it can help you make a claim if you need to, and it can also help you figure out what next steps to take if you are injured.
How Common Are Oil Rig Accidents?
The Gulf of Mexico alone has over 125 oil rigs in place. This means that there are tons of oil rigs and tons of oil rig workers that are on the rigs every day. These rigs are out in the middle of the ocean, they are away from land, and they are also completely contained. This means that these men and women that work the oil rigs are there 24 hours a day until they are done with their shift or their time, and then they go back to land.
Oil rigs are in the middle of the ocean, they are slippery, and they are dangerous. There are tons of safety measures that are put in place to keep people safe while on the rigs, but there are still good chances that someone is going to be injured while on a rig. If you do end up getting injured whilst working on an oil rig, one of the first things you should do is contact a Houston oil rig accident lawyer (or a similar legal expert in your area) as they will be able to tell you whether you will be entitled to compensation and can support you throughout the entire process, from gathering evidence to filing your claim.
Slips and Falls
There are a few different accidents that are common on oil rigs, the most common is, of course, slip and falls. Since these rigs are in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of the water, they do get slippery. The water sprays up on the deck, the oil might end up on the deck, and these occurrences can make for a slippery surface. These decks are also metal, which does get slippery faster than other materials like wood, but since oil rigs are located in the water, wood is not an option.
Of slip and fall accidents, 22% of them result in over 31 days off of work for those that were injured. You can get compensation for the time off of work that you have to take, the medical bills that you have associated with the accident, and so on.
Assault
Another possible cause of accidents on oil rigs are assaults. Since you are in close quarters with the same people for weeks at a time, tensions will rise. This means that you may end up in fights and altercations which can lead to injury.
Chemical Exposure
The last common cause of injury on oil rigs is chemical exposure. This is far less common, however, as these rigs are fully self-contained, and they are designed to be fully safe. This does not mean that accidents are not going to happen or that they are not able to happen. If you are dealing with chemical exposure that causes injury or illness, you do need to file some sort of worker’s comp claim to help pay your medical bills, to help pay for your time off work, and to get money management tips for your settlement.
No matter what the nature of your injury is, you do need to take the time to file a claim so that you can get the compensation that you need. This can be money for time off of work, medical costs for going to the emergency room or to the doctor, any continuing care, and so on. This is going to help you get the compensation that you need to focus your recovery efforts rather than worrying about how you are going to pay your bills or how you are going to handle your expenses while you are off work.