Workplace Accidents

What Happens if You Fall Off an Oil Rig?

Workers falling from oil rigs usually suffer severe injuries and even death.  Since workers often work on elevated rigs, the danger of falling into the ocean or onto the rig floor is real. While dangerous falls from oil rigs can usually be avoided if oil companies take necessary safety precautions, employers often neglect these duties until someone gets hurt. When a worker is injured or killed falling from an oil rig, negligent employers need to be held responsible for their actions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gCWBb1FMro On oil rigs, many accidents involve workers falling from heights or slipping and falling on other surfaces. For example, when working on platforms, overhead equipment and machinery can fall and strike a worker, pushing them off a platform. Other common platform hazards include missing safety harnesses, defective guardrails, poorly constructed structures, and accumulations of snow, ice, or water.  When working at ground level, workers can trip on exposed cables or slip on wet or slippery surfaces. Improper footwear, poor lighting, and debris and other tripping hazards can also cause workers to slip and fall off an oil rig.  Workers who are injured falling off an oil rig can pursue compensation for their injuries, as can the families of…

Raccoon Eyes Brain Injuries and When to Hire a Lawyer

Raccoon eyes brain injuries can result from many different types of accidents, including motor vehicle accidents, severe falls, sports injuries, and accidents at work. After a severe brain injury, you may lose consciousness for minutes, hours, or sometimes even months. Even if you do not lose consciousness, you will likely feel confused, disoriented, overwhelmed, and terrified. On top of all that, brain injuries are incredibly expensive to treat and can take a long time to heal. In this guide to raccoon eyes brain injuries, we'll explain how the injury works, what reimbursement you can receive, and when you need to hire a lawyer. What is a raccoon eyes brain injury? A raccoon eyes brain injury is a type of traumatic brain injury. “Raccoon eyes”, or “periorbital ecchymosis” in medical terminology, are dark purple or blue bruises that develop under your eyes and resemble the dark circles under a raccoon's eyes. Raccoon eyes are a symptom of a specific traumatic brain injury called basilar skull fracture and are caused by blood from the fracture seeping into the soft tissue that surrounds the eyes.  Basilar skull fractures, also referred to as a skull base fracture, are typically caused by substantial blunt force…

The Houston Guide to Construction Accidents

Houston construction accidents are more common than you might think. Construction is one of the largest industries in the United States, and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is also one of the most dangerous. In 2011, 781 people were killed in the construction industry, which is a higher fatality rate than any other industry in the U.S. Because of the type of work done in the construction industry, the occupational hazards and risks are often much higher than those faced in other industries. Have you been injured in a construction accident in Houston? Here's a guide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqYeRjbR9PI&feature=youtu.be What is a construction accident? A construction accident occurs when an employee who has been hired to perform construction site duties, such as building, repairing, demolishing, improving, cleaning, or generally constructing a specific facility, is hurt on the job. In these situations, the injury can be severe or even fatal. The four most dangerous types of construction accidents, as reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, are: Falls — (33.5% of construction fatalities in 2018)Workers struck by objects — (11.1%)Electrocutions — (8.5%)“Caught-in/between” accidents — 55 (5.5% The "caught-in/between" category includes all accidents where a construction worker is killed when…

The Ultimate Guide to Offshore Accidents

According to a study of offshore fatalities by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chance of being killed while working in the oil and gas extraction industry is seven times higher than for all workers in the United States.  We’ve put together a quick guide to offshore accidents and what you should do if you are injured in one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vd_HVPtPf4&feature=youtu.be What Is an Offshore Accident? The term “offshore” generally means the injured worker was working on navigable water.  It is also a term generally used to refer to the extraction of oil and gas from reservoirs found beneath the seafloor by oil and gas companies. These operations require laborers to work offshore on various types of rigs, barges, and platforms.  The perils of being at sea, severe weather conditions, the nature of working with oil and gas, and the size of offshore drilling vessels contribute to the frequency of offshore incidents, making offshore work incredibly risky. The kind of physical work required of maritime workers also creates hazards that can result in injury or death. Common types of injuries involved in offshore accidents include: BurnsHead traumaTwisted jointsSprained jointsBack injuriesSpinal cord injuriesNeck injuriesBruised, broken, or fractured bones DrowningTraumatic brain injuries…