Offshore worker safety has been a big concern for years, and as offshore oil drilling increases, those concerns have also grown. Those who are affected by accidents leading to injury or death may be able to pursue a Jones Act claim. Last November, a fatal accident that claimed the life of a 24-year-old man working on a dormant oil platform reignited many worries related to offshore worker safety. Three other workers suffered injuries in the deadly incident that took place while they were in the process of cleaning a heater treater.
This type of equipment is used to extract the oil from water that is produced on both gas and oil platforms. According to the website for the company that employed the men, it tries to limit the dangers to its workers by keeping the amount of cleaning in confined spaces to a minimum. However, it wasn’t immediately clear whether that was a factor that played into the November incident.
A statement released by the platform’s owner, Fieldwood Energy, claimed that an “isolated pressure event” happened inside the water treater, but there was not a subsequent fire on the platform. It further maintained that the deadly accident was not related in any way to drilling operations and led to no pollution or oil spills. While these are both pieces of good news, it likely does little to bring comfort to the surviving family members and friends of the 24-year-old man who died.
This is one reason that the Jones Act allows those who have been affected by offshore accidents the right to seek financial restitution in a civil court. Navigating a Jones Act claim may seem intimidating to individuals who know little about this piece of legislation. Fortunately, our St. Louis personal injury law firm is experienced in pursuing this type of civil lawsuit. Please consider calling us today at 1-888-586-7041 to find out more. We may be able to help file a lawsuit seeking justice on behalf of you or a loved one who has been injured or tragically died as a result of insufficient offshore worker safety.
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Source Article: http://www.wwltv.com/story/news/local/investigations/david-hammer/2014/11/21/offshore-fatality-reignites-safety-debate/19360821/