Undefeated Louisiana Oilfield Accident Lawyers

Louisiana Oilfield Injury Lawyers with Largest Wins in History

Louisiana’s critical role in energy production often brings to mind massive offshore drilling rigs and production platforms scattered across the Gulf of Mexico. But the fact is, the state’s onshore oilfields are every bit as vital to the state’s and the nation’s economy.

According to the American Petroleum Association, the Haynesville shale was dubbed the largest-producing natural gas play in 2011 and even today remains among the largest in the world. Its development alone has generated tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in state and local tax revenues for Louisiana, not to mention an abundant supply of natural gas for the nation.

But while the Loisiana’s oilfields have provided jobs for tens of thousands of people across the state, the work these men and women perform is not just physically demanding, it’s also inherently dangerous. From the constant threat of catastrophic fires and explosions to the hazards of working at great heights and the ever-present danger of exposure to toxic substances, oilfield Louisianas risk injury and death every single day they’re on the job. 

Unfortunately, when oil and gas workers are injured or tragically killed on the job, they and their loved ones are all too often left to deal with the aftermath on their own. While your employer might promise to take care of you and your family in the wake of an oilfield injury, in our experience, oil and gas companies ever take full responsibility when their workers are hurt or killed due to their negligence. Instead, they hire a team of lawyers and do whatever possible to avoid accountability and limit your financial recovery to worker’s compensation benefits, even if that means blaming you for your injuries and “losing” or misplacing critical evidence proving the company was at fault.

Injured in a Louisiana  Oilfield Accident? Contact Our Undefeated Oilfield Injury Lawyers for a Free Consult by Calling 1-888-603-3636 or by Clicking Here

If you or a loved one were injured while working on a Louisiana oilfield, it’s critical that you take steps to protect your future. The only way you’ll recover the compensation you and your family truly deserve is by hiring an experienced oilfield accident attorney to hold the companies accountable and make sure that you and your family never have to worry about your financial future again.

With Billions won and the largest oilfield accident recoveries in history, our Oilfield Accident Lawyers have the resources and knowledge to win against the nation’s largest energy companies and ensure our clients can access the best medical care available and provide for themselves and their families for the rest of their lives.

Call 1-888-603-3636, chat with us through our website, or Click Here to send us a confidential email through our “Contact Us” form.

All consultations are free, there’s no commitment involved, and you won’t owe us anything unless we win your case.

Oil and Natural Gas Drilling in Louisiana

Louisiana’s deep ties with the energy sector began in the early 20th century, with the Jennings discovery in 1902  and the drilling of the state’s first conventional oil well in the community of Evangeline. However, with significant technological advances related to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling in the latter half of the 20th century, much of Louisiana’s upstream oil and gas industry now revolves around shale production, particularly in the Hayneville shale.   

Formed during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and situated in the heart of northwest Louisiana and across southwestern Arkansas and eastern Texas, the Haynesville play holds vast reservoirs of natural gas. However, drilling there was long considered too costly until rising energy costs and advancements in fracking and horizontal drilling led to a rush of energy exploration in 2008. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, natural gas production in the Haynesville shale hit new highs in March 2023, averaging 14.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), 10% more than the 2022 annual average of 13.1 Bcf/d. The Haynesville now ranks third-largest shale gas-producing play in the United States, behind the Marcellus play in the Appalachian Basin and the Permian play in Texas and New Mexico.

Today, Louisiana ranks third among all states in natural gas production and fifth in proved natural gas reserves among the states. The state also accounts for about 10% of the United States” total marketed natural gas production and holds about 7% of the nation’s natural gas reserves.

Overall, the Louisiana oil and gas industry directly and indirectly supported 346,710 total jobs (91,720 direct and 254,990 indirect) or 13.1 percent of the state’s total employment as of 2021. Those jobs provided the state’s residents with $25.8 billion in income and contributed more than $54 billion to Louisianas’s GDP. 

Common Causes of Oilfield Accidents and Explosions

Working in the oil and gas industry ranks among the nation’s most dangerous occupations in the United States.

In fact, according to the Center for Public Integrity, 1,566 employees died while extracting oil and gas in the United States between 2012 and 2022.

This is 7 times higher than the fatality rate for all U.S. workers combined.

The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IAOG), recently reported that the rate of U.S. oilfield worker fatalities was actually 36% higher in 2021 compared to 2020. The overall total recordable injury rate (fatalities, lost workday cases, restricted workday cases, and medical treatment cases) also increased by 10% in 2021 compared to the prior year.

Additional data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that 6 Louisiana workers died in the oil and gas extraction industry in 2021.

The majority of oilfield deaths and injuries result from.

Oil Well Blowouts

A blowout is the uncontrolled release of oil or gas from a well.  There are several different types of blowouts:

• Surface Blowouts: a surface blowout occurs when failure of pressure control results in the ejection of the drill string entirely out of the well, causing oil, sand, mud, rocks, natural gas, and other materials to escape the well. The force of a surface blowout can cause serious and fatal injuries to anyone in the vicinity, and even the smallest spark can ignite vapors leaking from the well, triggering an explosion.
• Subsea Blowouts: blowouts that occur on the seafloor are particularly dangerous, as the remoteness of many offshore drilling platforms can significantly delay rescue efforts and medical treatment for injured workers. One of the most notorious subsea blowouts occurred in April 2010, when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the Louisiana coast, killing 11 offshore workers and injuring dozens of others.
• Underground Blowouts: underground blowouts occur when fluids from zones of higher pressure flow uncontrolled to zones with lower pressures. These types of well blowouts are relatively infrequent. When they do occur, oil and gas might never reach the surface

Oilfield Explosions and Fires

Even the smallest spark can ignite the highly volatile gases and vapors present on an oilfield.  Well blowouts, swabbing, tripping, welding, and failure to maintain the proper hydrostatic overbalance in the well frequently cause oilfield explosions and fires.

Oilfield Truck Crashes and Transportation Accidents

Driver fatigue is the leading cause of oilfield truck accidents, reflecting the long hours demanded of workers in this industry.

A severe shortage of experienced truck drivers only adds to the risk, as oil companies are forced to rely on novice drivers who lack the skill and experience to safely operate their rigs along narrow, rural roads typical of Louisiana’s energy-producing regions.

The danger is not limited to oil and gas workers, as innocent motorists are frequently injured or killed due to oilfield truck accidents.

Hydrogen Sulfide Poisoning

Oilfield workers face a significant risk from hydrogen sulfide or “sour gas,” a colorless, highly toxic, and explosive gas naturally produced by the decomposition of organic materials, including oil and gas. Although most people exposed to low levels of hydrogen sulfide will notice a “rotten-egg” odor, continuous low-level exposure or higher concentrations will rob a person of their ability to smell the gas.

Symptoms associated with long-term exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide include headache, skin complications, respiratory and mucous membrane irritation, respiratory soft tissue damage and degeneration, confusion, impairment of verbal recall, memory loss, and prolonged reaction time. Inhaling high concentrations can cause unconsciousness and death.

Contact with Equipment

Moving vehicles, heavy equipment, high-pressure hoses and lines, overhead cranes, and cables all contribute to oilfield injuries and fatalities. In fact, according to the U.S. Occupational Health & Safety Administration, three out of five on-site fatalities in the oil and gas industry involve motor vehicles and equipment on the worksite.

What to Do After an Oilfield Injury

If you or a loved one were severely burned or suffered any other oilfield injury as a result of an accident, fire or explosion, the action you take in the immediate aftermath, as well as the coming days, weeks and months will determine whether you receive full compensation for all of your injuries and losses or nothing more than the limited workers’ compensation payments you’re entitled to:

• Seek Immediate Medical Attention: Obtain medical attention promptly after any oilfield accident, explosion or fire. Not all injuries are immediately apparent, and seeking prompt attention ensures they’re diagnosed right away. The records from your medical provider will also serve as compelling evidence that your injuries actually resulted from the incident. 
• Notify Your Employer: Report the injury to your supervisor or the designated person on the oilfield. Timely reporting is essential for initiating the necessary investigations and ensuring that proper protocols are followed.
• Document the Incident: Write down or record all of the details you can remember, no matter how insignificant they might seem. This includes the time, location, and circumstances leading to the injury. If possible, gather contact information from any witnesses. If possible, take photos and videos of the scene.
• Follow Doctors’ Order: Follow the advice of your healthcare professionals, attend all scheduled medical appointments and rehabilitation sessions, and follow prescribed treatments. This not only ensures a smoother recovery but also prevents the oilfield company and its insurer from casting doubt upon your injuries. Make sure to maintain a record of your medical treatments, prescriptions, co-pays, and any communication related to the injury. 
• Don’t Talk to the Insurance Company: No matter how much they pressure you, you are under no obligation to speak with the insurance adjuster, sign anything they give you, or provide a recorded statement. In fact, doing so could very well jeopardize your ability to obtain the maximum compensation possible for all of your injuries and losses.
• Don’t Discuss Your Injury: The only people you should be talking to are your medical providers, your spouse, and your attorney. Anything you say to anyone else or post on social media could be used by the company and its adjuster to cast doubt on your claims and deny you full compensation.

Why It’s Important to Hire an Experienced Oilfield Accident Lawyer

Since oilfield workers are more likely to suffer catastrophic injuries and burns while on the job, verdicts and settlements in oilfield accident cases are often significantly larger as well.

Unfortunately, the potential for a record-setting recovery might motivate the companies responsible for your injuries and losses to do whatever it takes to avoid paying you and your family all that you’re owed, even if that means:

• Hiring investigators to follow, photograph, and videotape you and your family members
• “Losing” and destroying critical evidence that proves the company was at fault for your injuries and losses
• Blaming you for failing to “stop work” or perform a complete JSA or Hazard Analysis before starting the job
• Attempting to discredit you by obtaining conflicting statements from co-workers or “experts” hired by the company after the accident
• Downplaying the severity of your injuries by sending you to doctors hired and paid by your employer, its insurer, or the workers’ compensation provider
• Using anything you or your family members post on social media to claim that you’re exaggerating or lying about your injuries
• Pressuring you to give a recorded statement and then asking questions designed to raise doubt about the circumstances of the accident and the extent of your injuries
• Requiring that you sign away your rights to recover damages from the company before releasing your paychecks

What Sets Our Louisiana Oilfield Injury Lawyers Apart from Other Law Firms?

Our Louisiana Oilfield Injury Lawyers have been able to achieve this unprecedented success for our clients because (1) we have the knowledge, experience, and resources to take on the largest oil companies and legal teams in the country, (2) we know what evidence to look for and how to force the company to give it to us, and (3) we won’t hesitate to go to trial to ensure that our clients and their families are fully compensated for ALL of their injuries and losses.

Our dedication and commitment to our clients—and the record-setting results that we’ve achieved for them—have distinguished our Oilfield Accident lawyers as some of the best in the Country and confirmed that we don’t just win for our clients – we set records.

When you work with us, you can rest assured that:

• Your case will be handled by the best Oilfield Injury Lawyers in the country, who—in addition to being undefeated—have recovered the largest oilfield accident verdicts and settlements in history
• We’ll make sure that you receive the best medical care available and the maximum recovery possible.

But don’t just take our word for it. To see what other injured oilfield victims and past clients say about their experience with our Louisiana Oilfield Injury Lawyers, just visit our Client Testimonial page or our firm’s YouTube Channel.

Contact Our Undefeated Louisiana Oilfield Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation at 1-888-603-3636 or by Clicking Here.

If you or a loved one were injured, catastrophically burned, or tragically killed in an oilfield accident, don’t place your and your family’s future in your company’s hands.

With billions in settlements and verdicts, our Louisiana Oilfield Accident Lawyers have demonstrated time and again that we don’t just win for our clients — we set records.

• #1 Largest Oilfield Accident Settlement for an individual in US History
• #1 Largest Oilfield Burn Settlement for an individual in US History
• $100 million settlement on behalf of workers injured in an oilfield explosion
• $75 million settlement on behalf of workers injured in an oilfield blowout
• $52 million settlement on behalf of an injured oilfield worker

Our lawyers will answer your questions, explain your rights, and provide you with the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.

Contact our Undefeated Oilfield Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation at 1-888-603-3636, using the “Chat Now” button on our website, or Clicking Here to send us a confidential email through our Contact Us form.

There’s no commitment involved, all consultations are completely free and confidential, and you won’t pay us a cent unless we win your case.