Those who work in the North Dakota oil fields know that the work can be quite lucrative, but it can also be quite dangerous.
In the last few years, the U.S. has become the world’s largest producer of crude oil and natural gas. With record volume and record profits come safety concerns that companies are letting standards lapse.
The question then becomes: what is the industry’s duty to their employees and how can these accidents be prevented? In most cases, it’s a matter of ensuring that the fast-paced quota-driven nature of the job does is not prioritized over employee safety.
When injuries or deaths do occur on the job, it is likely because the company’s priorities have shifted away from employee safety and corners were cut.
When corners are cut and someone is injured or killed on the job, the company may be held liable for negligence.
The oil field injury attorneys at Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway, P.C. help hold negligent companies liable for their failures. We ensure that future employees are protected from the serious lapses in safety standards that make work in oil fields in North Dakota so dangerous.
Why Work in Oild Fields in North Dakota is More Dangerous than it Should Be
There are three main reasons why there are so many on-the-job oil field accidents:
- Quotas have driven up the pressure and speed at which barrels of oil are produced;
- Workers are inadequately trained or lack the necessary experience to work with dangerous equipment;
- The equipment is not maintained properly and is prone to failure resulting in injuries to employees.
Indeed, any one of these can put very competent employees at risk for sustaining injury regardless of how well they abide by safety standards and proper procedure. Safeguards, proper maintenance, and adequate training of employees can reduce or eliminate the vast majority of these injuries.
Oil Field Work Injuries: Examining the Data
According to data gleaned from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), oil field workers have a higher rate of serious injury than any other form of work. This includes industrial construction workers. For that reason, a number of injured workers and family members of those who have been killed on the job have pursued lawsuits against prominent oil extraction companies in North Dakota.
WERE YOU INJURED IN AN OIL FIELD?
Discuss your legal options with one of our oil field injury attorneys during a free consultation.
Workers’ Compensation vs. Filing a Lawsuit
Typically, employers who purchase workers’ compensation coverage for their employees enjoy immunity from personal injury lawsuits.
Workers’ compensation will cover all expenses related to medical treatment and repay a portion of the employee’s lost wages.
North Dakota makes it very difficult to sue an employer who has paid into workers’ comp directly. Unless the injury was caused by a third party who is not the injured worker’s employer or an intentional act of malice, employees will be forced to go through the workers’ comp system.
Contact a North Dakota Oil Field Injury and Workers’ Compensation Attorney
The North Dakota oil field injury attorneys at Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway, P.C. have helped our clients recover damages when another’s negligence causes their injuries from working in North Dakota oil fields. In addition, we help injured workers ensure their workers’ comp claims are honored. Give us a call or contact us online for more information.
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