Countless personal injury claims are filed each day in the United States. These claims stem largely from automobile accidents, slip and fall injuries and medical malpractice, but work related injuries also constitute a large portion of these claims. While there are a number of dangerous professions, offshore oil drilling could be considered the most hazardous by far. Those filing offshore accident claims need the assistance of an attorney who is well versed in offshore drilling issues and maritime law.
Oil rig workers operate in 12 hour shifts for 1 to 2 weeks straight. While performing their daily duties, they must constantly be wary of cranes swinging heavy items over their heads. Though extensive measures are taken to ensure these items are securely fastened and anchored to the cranes, there is an ever-present risk of broken linkage leading to the danger of serious injury or death.
Those on drilling ships are also exposed to perilous conditions. Depending on the ship’s position, collisions with unseen reefs, icebergs and other submersed threats lead to the risk of collisions. The possibility of navigation equipment failure only serves to compound these dangers. Anchor handling also provides its fair share of precariousness.
Aside from the aforementioned hazards is the obvious threat of fires and explosions. Constantly dealing with flammable substances leaves oil rig workers highly vulnerable to flames that can be near impossible to control and extinguish.
Though the Coast Guard is always on hand, reaching the scene of an offshore emergency is a slower and more dangerous process than in land bound situations. Unlike injuries occurring on the mainland, oil rig workers do not have the benefit having an ambulance mere minutes away.
In addition to the constant and serious hazards surrounding the oil drilling profession, the complexities of the Jones Act can lead to highly involved legal issues for those operating offshore. For anyone who has been injured on an oil rig or drilling ship, the assistance of an can prove invaluable.
The regulations surrounding the offshore oil industry and the laws that make up the Jones Act are a much different scenario than simple personal injury claims and common legal issues. An attorney practicing in these areas can help injured victims and their families receive compensation for injuries or wrongful death.
