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Oklahoma City Oil Field Fires & Explosion Lawyers. The Oklahoma Law Firm You Can Trust.
Premier representation when death or catastrophic injuries occur
Gas and oil are flammable products. Just one spark can cause a part of a site, a service vehicle, or piece of machinery to ignite. Accidents can occur while highspeed drills are used, while trucks are transporting the energy products, while derricks are doing their work, or for many other reasons. Many victims die instantaneously. Survivors often suffer severe disfigurements and burns which can require multiple surgeries. For many victims, the emotional scars can be just as devastating as the physical pain.
Our Oklahoma City attorneys understand that energy work is a major lifeblood for the Oklahoma economy. Virtually all Oklahoma counties have multiple gas and oil wells. That why Cunningham & Mears fights so hard for oil field injury victims and their families. You do important work, and you deserve to be safe while you do it. We’re here to help you when your life and livelihood are in jeopardy.
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Typical oilfield fire and explosion injuries
The dangers of fire and explosions when working with energy are well-known. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict rules and regulations for drilling, excavating, and doing any type of oil field construction work. There are industry standards that site owners, contractors, repair crews, and others must meet to protect their workers. Common injuries from oil field fires and explosions include:
- Broken arms, legs, fingers, toes, and other broken bones
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns
- Traumatic brain injury due to being struck in the head by flying object
- Spinal cord damage and paralysis
- Loss of hearing
- Blindness
- Difficulty breathing and respiratory damage
- Severe bruises and cuts
- Amputations
- Exposure to chemical toxins
Most injuries, if the victim survives, are catastrophic or long-term. This means that victims often need multiple surgeries and never fully recover. Victims often:
- Require long-term psychiatric care
- Need to work with rehabilitation professionals such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech counselors, and other medical professionals
- Are never able to walk, eat, work, or perform normal routine tasks
- Are unable to care for others and must rely on family and professionals for constant help
- Live with terrible pain and suffering
Legal responsibility when explosions and fires occur
Most oil fires are difficult to extinguish and control. There’s the old saying that water and oil don’t mix which means fire crews simply can’t spray the site with water. The fire must be meticulously put out using industry standards.
Explosions offer follow the initial fire. Explosions during oil field work can also be due to chemical spills, drilling rig accidents, machinery failure, blowouts, and electrical failures.
The right to bring an accident claim against the site owners, engineers, contractors, and others for a fire or explosion depends on whether the victim survived the accident and if the victim was an employee, contractor, or innocent bystander. Our Oklahoma City lawyers are highly skilled in the following types of claims:
- Workers’ compensation. Employees who are injured in a workplace accident are entitled to payment for the medical surgeries, doctor visits, counseling costs, and for their medications and any medical devices. While temporarily disabled, they are entitled to 2/3 of their lost wages. If they are permanently disabled, our lawyers seek long-term payments and lump-sum settlements.
- Negligence. Companies that fail to follow OSHA or other safety protocols should he held accountable to non-employees for changing someone’s life and causing the excruciating pain that accompanies oilfield fires and explosions
- Wrongful death. We represent families who have lost a contractor or non-employee in an oil field fire or explosion. When someone dies to the failures of another, we seek payment for the family member’s loss of guidance, loss of support, and loss of income that the decedent would have given a spouse or relative– but for the accident. We always payment for any outstanding medical bills and the cost of the funeral.
- Product liability. If your injuries were due to a machine or tool that was defective, our experienced Oklahoma City attorneys understand the requirements for holding manufacturers and other companies strictly liable for your injuries. We work with oil field experts to show the product was improperly made or poorly made.
Speak with a dedicated Oklahoma City equipment failure lawyer as soon as possible
Not every construction company follows the OSHA safety regulations. Many fail to comply with local building laws. Even when companies comply with regulations, they can still be negligence because they failed to use common-sense safety steps. At Cunningham & Mears, our lawyers understand how deadly and catastrophic fires and explosions can be. We are experienced at determining what caused the fire and who is responsible. We bring the right claim in the right court. To speak with one our caring lawyers, please contact us or call 405-232-1212 to schedule an appointment.
