Daspit Law Firm represents oil and gas workers and their families after explosions, well fires, blowouts, and equipment failures. Whether you were hurt at a Barnett Shale pad site inside Fort Worth, a rig in Wise or Parker County, or a job out in the Permian Basin, we can help you pursue compensation. Consultations are free, and there is no fee unless we win.
Fort Worth sits on top of the Barnett Shale, one of the first shale formations developed on a large scale with horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Unlike most oil fields, much of this activity happens inside a major city. Gas well pad sites operate near neighborhoods, schools, and highways, and gathering lines and compressor stations run across Tarrant, Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise counties.
Urban drilling creates hazards that rural fields do not. Crews work on tight pad sites next to traffic. Heavy trucks haul sand, water, and wastewater on city streets, Loop 820, and I-35W. Gas lines run under developed land, where a careless dig can cause a fire or explosion.
Many Fort Worth area workers also drive west to the Permian Basin for weeks at a time. Long shifts, remote locations, and the drive itself add to the risk.
Our article on common factors contributing to oil field accidents covers the patterns we see most often. The main categories are below.
Natural gas and condensate can ignite from a spark, a hot engine, or static electricity. Blowouts happen when well pressure is not controlled, often because blowout preventers or other well control equipment failed or were not maintained. Flash fires at tank batteries and during flowback are also common.
Workers are struck by pipe, tongs, chains, and high-pressure lines that break loose. Hands and arms get caught in rotating equipment and pulleys. Falls from derricks, catwalks, and tank ladders cause spinal cord and head injuries.
Hydrogen sulfide and hydrocarbon vapors inside tanks can overcome a worker in seconds. Federal safety researchers at NIOSH have identified motor vehicle crashes as a leading cause of death for oil and gas extraction workers. If a commercial truck hit you on the way to a lease, see our Fort Worth 18-wheeler accident lawyer page.
Oil and gas sites run on contractors. An operator may hold the lease, while a drilling contractor runs the rig, a pressure pumping company handles the frac, and dozens of service companies come and go. This structure often opens the door to claims beyond your own employer.
• The well operator or lease holder
• Drilling, fracturing, wireline, and well service contractors
• Pipeline and gathering line companies
• Makers of defective blowout preventers, valves, hoses, and tools
• Trucking companies hauling water, sand, and equipment
• Excavation contractors who struck a buried line
Many oilfield service companies carry workers' comp, but some do not. When your employer is a non-subscriber, Texas Labor Code §406.033 prevents it from arguing that you were contributorily negligent, assumed the risk, or were hurt by a co-worker's carelessness. If your employer has coverage, our Fort Worth workers' compensation lawyer page explains your benefit rights.
Operators and contractors usually sign master service agreements that shift risk between them. These contracts can decide which insurer pays, but they generally do not remove your right to sue a negligent third party. Texas also limits certain oilfield indemnity clauses under the Texas Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Act.
Most injury and wrongful death claims must be filed within two years under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003. Under Chapter 33, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you recover nothing if you are more than 50 percent responsible.
Depending on the facts, injured workers and families may recover:
• Medical bills, including burn care, surgery, and rehabilitation
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity, including overtime and per diem
• Pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, and physical impairment
• Wrongful death damages for spouses, children, and parents
• Exemplary damages when gross negligence is proven by clear and convincing evidence
Gas well incidents also affect people who never set foot on the site. If drilling or a line leak damaged your land, water well, or home, see our Fort Worth property contamination lawyer page. Workers at downstream gas processing plants and refineries can read about plant and refinery accident claims.
Our founding attorney, John Daspit, worked as an insurance defense lawyer before he began representing injured people, so he knows how energy companies and their insurers evaluate claims. He also worked on the litigation that followed the 2005 BP Texas City refinery explosion. We offer free consultations 24/7, home and hospital visits, a contingency fee with no fee unless we win, and service in English and Spanish.
Evidence at a well site disappears fast. Equipment is repaired, crews rotate, and data from the rig may be overwritten. We move quickly to send preservation letters, collect records, and talk to witnesses. The Railroad Commission of Texas regulates oil and gas operations and may have inspection records that help your case.
If you or a loved one was hurt at a well site, pipeline, or compressor station, call (888) 273-1045 or contact our team online. We will review your case for free and explain your options in plain language.
Yes. An urban location does not change your rights. You may have a workers' compensation claim, a non-subscriber negligence claim, or a third-party claim against the operator or another contractor. City ordinances and state rules that govern urban gas wells can also become evidence of how the site should have been run.
You can sue your employer directly for negligence. Under Texas Labor Code §406.033, a non-subscriber cannot argue that you were contributorily negligent, assumed the risk, or were hurt by a co-worker's negligence. You still must prove the company was negligent, but the company loses some of its strongest defenses.
In most cases, you can bring a third-party claim against the contractor whose crew or equipment caused the accident, even if you are also receiving workers' comp from your own employer. Master service agreements may decide which insurer ultimately pays, but they usually do not prevent you from pursuing the negligent company.
No. The Railroad Commission of Texas regulates oil and gas operations, issues permits, and inspects wells and pipelines, but it does not award compensation to injured workers. Its records, violation notices, and incident reports can be valuable evidence, and a lawyer can request them as part of your civil claim.
Most oil field injury and wrongful death lawsuits must be filed within two years under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003. Workers' comp claims require notice to your employer within 30 days and a filing within one year. Because evidence on a well site changes quickly, it is wise to call a lawyer early.
All too often, accident victims are steamrolled by insurance companies determined to minimize or deny their claims. Don't let this happen to you. Hire us to fight for the compensation you deserve.
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At The Daspit Law Firm, Our Team of Attorneys Handles the Full Range of Personal Injury Cases, Including Car and Truck Accidents, Industrial Accidents, Construction Accidents, Maritime & Offshore Accidents, and Much More.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
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