Oil and natural gas are highly combustible chemicals, and mistakes during the extraction process can cause explosions with the potential to injure nearby workers and bystanders alike severely. But when those mistakes are the product of negligence on the part of an oil or gas company or its workers, those injured parties have the right to seek financial recovery and accountability for what they’ve suffered. This includes compensation for medical treatment, lost income, and property repairs.
Have you been hurt in an oilfield explosion in North Dakota? Then let the attorneys at Pringle & Herigstad, P.C., stand up on your behalf and demand the justice you deserve. Our team has over a century of experience representing North Dakota residents and securing them the money they need to rebuild their lives. Contact us today for a free consultation and find out what our North Dakota oilfield explosion lawyers can do for you.
Common Causes of Oilfield Explosions
Some of the most common causes of oilfield explosions include:
- Unextinguished fires
- Blowouts, or the uncontrolled release of oil or gas after failure of well pressure control systems
- Defective oil rig equipment
- Inadequate equipment maintenance
- Inadequate safety procedures or lack of worker safety training
- Motor vehicle accidents, including vehicles colliding into oil rig equipment
- Adverse weather conditions, including lightning strikes
- Exposed electrical wires or power lines
- Negligent storage of flammable materials or substances
- Operator error due to fatigue or lack of experience
Injuries Caused by Oilfield Explosions
Depending on their proximity to an oilfield explosion, a worker or nearby resident may suffer serious injuries like the following:
- Lacerations from flying debris or shattered windows
- Burns
- Degloving injuries
- Broken bones or dislocated joints
- Torn ligaments, tendons, or muscles
- Perforation injuries
- Nerve damage
- Spinal injuries, including spinal cord injuries, herniated discs, or paralysis
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding caused by the blast
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Hearing or vision loss
- Traumatic amputation or loss of limb
Oilfield explosions can also damage nearby properties, including setting fires, shattering windows, and damaging building frames or foundations.
Compensation Options for Oilfield Workers Hurt in Explosions
Oilfield workers hurt in on-the-job explosions may have a right to workers’ compensation benefits. According to North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI), these include the following:
- Medical benefits – Covers the cost of all reasonable and necessary medical treatment, rehabilitation, medications, and purchases of durable medical equipment for a work-related injury
- Personal expense reimbursement – Provides financial payments for transportation, meals, and other out-of-pocket costs to obtain medical care
- Wage-loss benefits – Provides partial reimbursement equal to two-thirds of a worker’s pre-injury average weekly wage for time they miss from work due to temporary or permanent total disability, or partial reimbursement for lost earnings while in a lower-paying role due to temporary partial disability
- Permanent partial impairment benefits – Provides financial payments to workers who suffer a permanent physical loss of a body part or function due to a work injury.
- Return-to-work services – Includes support services such as nurse case management, behavioral and financial health services, vocational case management, job retraining, work search assistance, and preferred worker programs.
- Death benefits – Provides compensation for funeral expenses and survivors’ benefits for surviving dependents of a worker who dies from a work-related accident.
Financial Recovery for Nearby Property Owners
While the workers’ compensation system is generally the sole remedy for injured employees, other parties may have grounds to pursue personal injury claims against the company responsible for causing the explosion. A personal injury claim allows victims to seek compensation for:
- The costs of medical treatment, including hospitalization, surgeries, pain management, and physical or occupational therapy
- The costs of long-term disability care, including home health services or house renovations to install disability accommodations
- Repair or replacement expenses for damaged property, such as shattered windows or structural damage to buildings
- Costs of future environmental monitoring and remediation if the explosion caused the spread of toxic chemicals
- Lost wages or income from missed work or reduced earnings in a modified-duty position during injury recovery
- Lost future earning capacity if the explosion causes permanent disability that prevents the victim from returning to work
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Reduced quality of life caused by disability or disfigurement
Steps You Should Take After Suffering Injuries in an Oilfield Explosion
If you are a victim of an oilfield explosion, taking the following steps can protect your legal rights and options:
- Report your injuries to your employer as soon as possible to pursue workers’ compensation benefits.
- Seek immediate medical attention to document your injuries and start treatment.
- Follow your treatment plan and recovery instructions, including medical restrictions on physical and work activities.
- Request copies of medical records documenting your treatment and rehabilitation.
- Keep bills, invoices, or receipts of expenses you incur during your recovery or to repair property damage.
Finally, contact an oilfield explosion lawyer from Pringle & Herigstad, P.C., as soon as possible to discuss your next steps.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim After an Oilfield Explosion?
Under North Dakota law, an oilfield worker must file a claim for benefits with the Department of Workforce Safety and Insurance within one year. Families of oilfield workers killed in an explosion have two years to file their claim.
Bystanders or property owners who suffer injuries and property damage from an oilfield explosion typically have six years under North Dakota law to file a lawsuit against a liable oil extraction company, oil field owner, or other at-fault party.
Contact Pringle & Herigstad, P.C., After an Oilfield Explosion in North Dakota
If you’ve suffered injuries or property damage from an oilfield explosion, you may be entitled to compensation for what you’ve suffered—but getting this compensation could prove challenging without experienced legal guidance. Contact Pringle & Herigstad, P.C., for a free, no-obligation consultation with our oilfield explosion attorneys to discuss your legal options for seeking financial relief and accountability for your harm and loss.
Pringle & Herigstad, P.C. is committed to supporting individuals in North Dakota, including Grand Forks, Minot, Fargo, Bismarck, Williston, Rugby, Devils Lake, Jamestown, and the surrounding areas. Our dedicated team is here to provide legal assistance and guidance to those facing the complex challenges that arise from these incidents.
