Auto Accidents
Representation for drivers and passengers injured in serious motor vehicle crashes caused by negligence.
Learn MoreTexas oilfield accident lawyers
Catastrophic injury and wrongful-death representation for roughnecks, contractors, and oilfield workers across the Permian, Eagle Ford, and Gulf Coast plays.
High pressure, high stakes
Oilfield work is among the most dangerous in America. Roughnecks, derrickhands, drivers, and contract specialists routinely face conditions that ordinary safety regulations were never designed to handle — high-pressure systems, combustible atmospheres, hydrogen sulfide exposure, and the constant pressure to keep production moving on a 24-hour cycle.
When something goes wrong on a Texas oilfield, the consequences are usually catastrophic. Our firm represents workers — and the families of workers killed — in cases involving operators, drilling contractors, well-service companies, and equipment manufacturers. Many oilfield employers are non-subscribers to Texas workers' comp, opening the door to direct lawsuits.
Cases we handle
Oilfield matters we accept include:
- Wellsite blowouts and uncontrolled releases
- Fires, flash fires, and explosions
- Falls from rigs, derricks, and tank batteries
- H2S and chemical-exposure injuries
- Crushing, struck-by, and pinch-point catastrophic injuries
- Oilfield trucking and frac-sand-hauling collisions
Operator vs. contractor
Oilfield jobsites typically involve a "company man" representing the operator, plus a tower of contractors and subcontractors performing specific functions — drilling, completion, wireline, frac, casing, mud, transportation. Sorting out who controlled what, who hired whom, and which Master Service Agreement governs is a defining feature of these cases. The wrong defendant analysis can leave a worker without recovery.
Compensation we pursue
Catastrophic oilfield burn, blast-injury, and crushing cases often involve enormous medical bills, multiple reconstructive surgeries, lifetime care plans, and significant lost earning capacity. We work with burn surgeons, life-care planners, vocational economists, and oilfield-safety experts to build the evidentiary record. Where company conduct rises to gross negligence — falsified inspections, ignored hazard reports, knowing exposure to H2S — exemplary damages may be available.
Why investigate immediately
Wellsite evidence — equipment readouts, mud logs, wellsite cameras, JSAs, lockout-tagout records, drill records — is controlled by the operator and contractors who, in turn, are usually represented by experienced defense counsel within hours. Without a prompt spoliation letter, key proof is routinely lost. Contact us as early as possible.
6×
Higher fatality rate in oil/gas extraction vs. all U.S. industries (BLS data)
24/7
Operating cycle on most Texas drilling rigs
2 yrs
General Texas statute of limitations for oilfield-injury claims
Frequently Asked
Common questions about oilfield accidents cases
If your question isn't answered here, contact our team — every case is different, and a quick conversation costs nothing.
What are the most common causes of oilfield accidents?
The most frequent causes include blowouts and uncontrolled pressure releases, fires and flash explosions, equipment failures (especially of high-pressure lines and connectors), falls from rigs and tank batteries, struck-by and caught-between events, H2S and chemical exposures, and oilfield-related transportation incidents. Many of these are preventable when proper safety procedures are followed.
Who can be sued after an oilfield injury besides my employer?
Frequently, multiple parties share responsibility on an oilfield jobsite: the well operator, the drilling contractor, well-service and specialty contractors, equipment manufacturers, and trucking companies hauling sand or product. Each may have its own insurance policies. A thorough investigation usually identifies more than one viable defendant — which can dramatically increase the available recovery.
What's the difference between an operator and a contractor in an oilfield case?
The operator owns the lease and the right to produce minerals. Contractors are hired to perform specific work — drilling, completing, fracturing, hauling, wireline. Master Service Agreements between operators and contractors typically allocate fault and indemnity. Whether the operator can be held responsible for a contractor's negligence often turns on the degree of control retained, the MSA terms, and the specific facts of the incident.
Are oilfield injuries covered by workers' comp in Texas?
Often, no — and that fact frequently helps the worker. Many oilfield employers in Texas are non-subscribers to workers' compensation, meaning they have opted out of the state system. Injured workers can sue these employers directly for negligence, and the employer cannot raise the defenses of contributory negligence, assumption of the risk, or the fellow-servant rule. See our workplace accidents page for more.
How long do I have to file an oilfield-injury lawsuit in Texas?
The general statute of limitations is two years from the date of injury under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003. Different deadlines apply to wrongful-death claims (two years from date of death), to claims involving governmental defendants, and to certain federal claims. Because evidence on a wellsite changes quickly, the practical deadline to begin investigation is far sooner.
What compensation can I recover for a serious oilfield burn injury?
Severe burn injuries typically generate millions of dollars in lifetime medical care, multiple reconstructive surgeries, scarring and disfigurement claims, lost earning capacity, and significant pain-and-mental-anguish damages. Where the conduct is grossly negligent — for example, knowing failure to follow lockout-tagout or H2S monitoring procedures — exemplary damages may be available subject to Texas's caps.
Can family members sue if a worker died in an oilfield accident?
Yes. The surviving spouse, children, and parents of an oilfield worker killed by another party's negligence may bring a Texas wrongful-death claim. The estate may also bring a survival action for the worker's pre-death pain and medical expenses. See our wrongful death page for an overview of who can file and what damages are recoverable.
Related practice areas
Many serious injury cases overlap multiple practice areas. Here are a few related matters our firm handles regularly.
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