Energy industries, such as coal, oil, and gas, employ a large number of workers in West Virginia. You may be hard-pressed to find someone who does not have a family member that works in these industries. While oil and gas drilling may be a significant source of income, these companies also have a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their workers.
Drilling accidents do not occur every day, but those that do occur usually involve serious personal injury or even death. Sometimes, these accidents are not even investigated for liability by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. When you or a loved one have been injured in connection with a drilling accident as part of your job, you may be able to use the legal system to pursue justice and compensation for any associated damages.
What contributes to drilling accidents?
In many drilling accidents, negligence of an employer or a fellow employee is often at fault. By providing unusually dangerous conditions, the risks for accidents are increased.
The most common causes for these drilling accidents are:
- Unsafe working conditions
- Improper training for workers
- Defectively made equipment
- Lack of machine maintenance
- Overworked employees
- Rushing to meet deadlines
- Unfollowed safety measures
While drilling is considered a dangerous job, most of the common causes of drilling accidents are preventable with efficient worker training and the implementation of safety measures. Being injured in a drilling accident is not a risk you took simply by being employed at this job. When a careless employer or coworker has failed to adequately protect you from the dangers you may be exposed to on the job, they can be held liable for the result of your injury.
Have you been injured in a West Virginia drilling accident? The Fitzsimmons Law Firm has obtained some of the largest settlements in the state's history. Contact us today to beginning taking action against a negligent employer.