There are several different ways by which an oil rig explosion could be caused. From fires breaking out on a drilling platform to a blowout resulting from pressure buildup in the well. Even negligence on the part of those running the oil rig may lead to an oil rig explosion. Another leading cause of oil rig explosions is equipment failure.
In the explosion on the Black Elk Energy rig, two workers were killed and several more were injured when a fire started on the platform. Located just off the coast of the Louisiana, the explosion began when workers used a torch to cut through an oil line. This is just one example of how devastating equipment problems can be.
With all the work being conducted on oil rigs, workers often rely heavily on specialty equipment and tools. When this equipment doesn’t perform as it should for whatever reason, it can lead to serious accidents and injuries—sometimes even oil rig explosions. Even brand new equipment can have defects or faulty aspects.
Some of the most common equipment issues that can cause explosions:
When an employer fails to schedule maintenance or repairs for equipment that is damaged or needs a tune-up, it could also lead to a major oil rig explosion. This could leave them liable for any subsequent injuries.
Even in the best of circumstances, oil rigs pose serious dangers. Offshore drilling can be a dangerous industry; it is important to uphold safety regulations in every aspect. Offshore drilling has its own particular types of challenges and dangers, even compared to other types of oil drilling.
Offshore drilling locations are also more remote and more difficult to access, so it is harder for help to come. Equipment failure can either lead to the cause of an explosion, or it could make the side effects more serious and difficult to get under control. For example, even though the Deepwater Horizon accident was caused by a blowout, the equipment put in place failed to bring the leak under control.
Our firm played a major role in helping many of the BP workers obtain the compensation they deserved following this devastating accident. We know maritime law and can use this past experience to help with your case.
If you were the victim of an oil rig accident that was caused by equipment failure, our team at Arnold & Itkin is ready to help protect you. Employers are responsible for ensuring the equipment on the oil rig is up-to-date and in good working order. If they failed to train employees on how to properly use the equipment or did not provide adequate safety gear, they could be held accountable for the damages that occurred.
We understand that those who have been injured in offshore accidents could be left with heavy medical expenses as well as lost income. For this reason, we are committed to securing our clients the highest amount of compensation possible following this type of accident. We have been able to secure our clients billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements and want to help them in any way we can after an oil rig explosion.
If you believe you have a case, please do not waste any time in getting in touch with an offshore injury attorney from Arnold & Itkin. We have a no recovery, no fee promise, which means we won’t charge you unless we win your case! We could help hold the guilty individual accountable for what they have done so that the same thing does not happen again. Do not hesitate to call to schedule an appointment to discuss your case.
If you were injured in an oil rig explosion, tell us about your case in a free evaluation today.
Arnold & Itkin represented nearly a third of the crewmembers injured in the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
Because maritime law is so complex and so complicated, it is crucial that you work with an attorney who has an in-depth understanding of how it works and who has proven themselves in similar cases before.
