Oil Rig Accidents

Over $1 Billion Recovered for Maritime Accident Victims. We are proud to have a reputation for aggressively fighting for the rights of injured workers.

Offshore Accident Information

Offshore oil rigs are a common sight off the Louisiana Gulf Coast. At any given time, there are hundreds of rigs operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Drilling rigs play an important role in supplying the oil and gas that keeps the American economy running.

There is always the possibility of an accident, injury, and even death while working on an offshore oil rig. Being an offshore oil rig worker involves using complicated, potentially dangerous heavy equipment and machinery to obtain an explosively flammable gas or fluid on a structure built in a hostile environment far from the nearest hospital emergency room. History has shown us that one simple human error or defective piece of equipment is all it takes to trigger a deadly disaster aboard an offshore oil rig.

Legal Obligations of Oil Rig Owners and Operators

Oil rig owners and operators have a legal obligation to maintain a safe working environment for their workers. This includes:

  • A workplace free of trip and fall hazards
  • Proper maintenance and repair of equipment
  • Proper employee training
  • Proper safety equipment and training

When they fail to do so, accidents can happen. Oil rig accidents can inflict serious, even fatal injuries on any worker aboard the rig.

Drilling Rig Accident Lawyers

Companies We’ve Fought Against

Lambert Zainey has obtained recoveries from a long list of maritime companies, including some of the biggest names in the industry.

Oil Rig Injury Attorneys Help Workers Obtain Compensation

If you’ve suffered an oil rig injury that resulted from the negligent actions of a co-worker or the rig’s owners, maritime law gives you the right to seek compensation for the damages caused by your injuries. Damages resulting from an offshore drilling rig accident may include:

  • Existing and continuing medical expenses
  • Loss of wages
  • Pain, suffering, and mental anguish

Obtaining full compensation for your injuries is often a challenge. The laws protecting the rights of injured oil rig workers are complicated and can be hard to navigate if you aren’t familiar with maritime law. An oil rig injury attorney at Lambert Zainey Smith & Soso can help.  We’ve been protecting the rights of offshore oil rig workers injured in accidents off the Gulf Coast and other locations since the 1970s. During that time we’ve obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements for our clients, including oil rig workers injured and killed in the ARCO explosion, the Drillship Seacrest capsizing, and the Penrod Modu collapse disasters.

Types of Offshore Oil Rig Accidents & The Injuries They Cause

A devastating accident can happen at any time aboard an offshore drilling rig. Some of the most common causes of oil rig injuries include:

  • Fires and explosions
  • Defective machinery and equipment
  • Slips and falls
  • Falling objects
  • Transportation accidents
  • Falling overboard
  • Chemical exposure 
  • Lack of proper safety training/equipment

Oil rig accidents can result in a wide range of serious, even fatal injuries:

  • Burns
  • Bone fractures
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Drowning
  • Hypothermia
  • Soft tissue and organ injuries/pressure wave injuries
  • Nerve damage
  • Disfigurement
  • Amputations
  • PTSD

In some instances, these injuries can be so severe that they require permanent medical care and treatment. The injured worker may be unable to return to their job, or even work again.

Offshore Drilling Rig Accidents And Maritime Laws

There are many maritime laws that protect the rights of injured offshore oil rig workers.It’s possible for one or more of these laws to apply in your case. These include:

Offshore Injury Attorneys Louisiana
 GENERAL MARITIME LAW

General maritime law gives workers the right to seek compensation for their work-related accident injuries, including maintenance and cure.

How Long Does It Take To Resolve An Offshore Injury Case?
 THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LANDS ACT (OCSLA)

OCSLA covers workers who are injured or die while working on the Outer Continental Shelf. It provides disability benefits, rehabilitation costs, and medical expenses for injured drilling rig workers.

Offshore Disasters Ignoring the Human Element Can Lead to Tragedy
 THE LONGSHORE AND HARBOR WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT (LHWCA)

The LHWCA provides benefits similar to worker’s compensation to qualifying harbor workers.

Jones Act Seaman Qualifications
 THE JONES ACT

The Jones Act gives seamen the right to seek compensation for injuries resulting from employer negligence.

 DEATH ON THE HIGH SEAS ACT (DOHSA)

DOHSA provides compensation for families of maritime or aviation workers who were killed by negligence or wrongful acts aboard a plane, vessel, or rig more than 12 nautical miles away from U.S. shores.

case results

Over $1 Billion Recovered for Maritime Accident Victims

see all case results
Murphy Oil Spill
$330 MILLION SETTLEMENT

Oil storage tank rupture at the Murphy Oil USA refinery in Chalmette, LA. The fastest class certification and resolution of a case of its type and magnitude to date.

ARCO Explosion
SETTLED IN ONLY 12 MONTHS

Arco cryogenic platform explosion caused by improper cold cut of Southern Natural Gas pipeline. Settlement for the injured and deceased in approximately twelve months.

Why Choose An Oil Rig Injury Lawyer At Lambert Zainey Smith & Soso?

Being entitled to compensation and actually collecting money for the damages caused by your work-related offshore oil rig injuries are two different things. Obtaining full compensation for your injuries can be difficult, if not impossible, if you’re not familiar with maritime law. You need professional legal representation from an experienced oil rig injury attorney.

The New Orleans-based oil rig injury attorney team at Lambert Zainey Smith & Soso has been protecting the rights of injured offshore oil rig workers for almost 50 years. We’re recognized as one of the leaders in the field of maritime accident and offshore accident claims. Our drilling rig accident lawyers have the experience, expertise, and resources to identify what maritime laws apply in your case, assemble the evidence needed to support your claim, help you assign an accurate value to your damages, and negotiate your claim with the oil rig owner’s insurance company. If we are unable to negotiate a fair settlement, we will fight aggressively on your behalf in court.

Lambert Zainey Smith & Soso is dedicated to protecting your rights. If you’ve been injured in an oil rig accident, contact 800-521-1750 today to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Louisiana drilling rig accident lawyer.


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