New Orleans
Oil rig workers perform physically demanding jobs around drilling machinery, pressurized systems, cranes, heavy materials, and elevated work areas. The Voorhies Law Firm, our New Orleans oil rig accident lawyers represent workers injured during offshore drilling and oil and gas operations.
Our maritime injury attorneys investigate what caused the accident, determine which companies may be responsible, identify the laws that govern the claim, and explain the options available to you.
An oil rig accident claim involves an injury connected to drilling, production, maintenance, repair, transportation, or other work performed on or in support of an oil rig or offshore drilling operation.
These claims are a specific type of offshore accident and may also fall under federal maritime injury law.
The law that applies depends on more than the fact that the injury happened offshore. Some rig workers may qualify as Jones Act seamen because of their connection to a vessel.
Others may receive protections through the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. A worker may also have a separate claim against a contractor, vessel owner, equipment manufacturer, or another company that contributed to the accident.
Determining worker status early can affect who may be held liable, compensation, and the deadline for taking legal action.
Oil rig accidents can fall under different federal and state laws depending on where the work occurred and the injured worker’s role. We examine those facts before determining which claims and benefits may be available.
Qualifying seamen may bring negligence claims against their employers when they are injured in the course of their employment. They may also have separate maritime rights involving maintenance and cure or an unseaworthy vessel.
OCSLA may extend LHWCA benefits to workers who do not qualify as members of a vessel’s crew. The LHWCA can provide medical care and disability benefits to qualifying workers, including some employees covered through OCSLA.
Personal injury and wrongful death actions arising from maritime torts are generally subject to a three-year filing period, although another statute may provide a different deadline.
When Louisiana negligence law independently applies to an injury occurring on or after July 1, 2024, a delictual action is generally subject to a two-year prescriptive period. Federal maritime or offshore law may impose a different period.
Because oil rig claims may involve several possible legal frameworks, workers should not assume that one deadline applies simply because the injury occurred offshore.
STEP 1
Review your work and rig assignment:
We look at what you were doing when you were injured, the type of rig or platform involved and whether you had a meaningful connection to a vessel.
STEP 2
Determine the laws and benefits that may apply:
Based on those facts, we assess whether your claim may or a combination of legal remedies.
STEP 3
Document the accident and your injuries:
We review incident reports, medical records, photographs, witness information, safety documentation, and other available evidence.
STEP 4
Examine the rig operation and equipment involved:
Depending on the cause of the injury, we may investigate maintenance records, inspection histories, and other company safety policies.
STEP 5
Determine which companies may be responsible:
Oil rig operations commonly involve operators, drilling contractors, subcontractors, vessel companies, equipment suppliers, and maintenance providers. We evaluate the role each party played in creating or failing to correct the dangerous condition.
STEP 6
Pursue the appropriate claim and work toward resolution:
We document your medical losses, wage losses, future limitations, and other damages when negotiating a settlement. If the case cannot be resolved fairly, we prepare it for the appropriate court or proceeding.
Oil rigs contain numerous hazards that can cause severe injuries when equipment fails or safe procedures are not followed. The Voorhies Law Firm handles claims arising from circumstances such as:
If an oil rig accident results in a fatal injury, surviving relatives may have rights under maritime, offshore, or other applicable law. We can evaluate those claims together with the firm’s wrongful death practice.
The Voorhies Law Firm has recovered over $100 million for our clients, including a $5.5 million offshore injury settlement, a $4 million maritime accident settlement involving traumatic brain and serious spinal injuries, and a $1.65 million settlement for a maritime worker injured because of unsafe conditions and employer negligence.
Results may vary, and every oil rig case depends on the worker’s classification, the applicable law, and the specific facts involved.
Oil rig cases often require a close review of offshore operations, worker classification, multiple contractors, complex equipment, and federal maritime law. At The Voorhies Law Firm, we investigate both the immediate cause of the accident and the broader circumstances that may have contributed to it.
If an oil rig injury is keeping you from working or leaving you with questions about medical care, wages, or your employer’s responsibilities, The Voorhies Law Firm can review what happened and determine which laws and claims may apply. Early review can also help preserve evidence and identify filing or notice requirements before they expire.
Not necessarily. Jones Act coverage depends on whether your work gives you a substantial connection to a vessel or identifiable group of vessels. The type of rig and your actual duties matter more than your job title. Workers assigned to fixed offshore structures may instead fall under OCSLA or another federal compensation law.
Workers injured on fixed platforms on the Outer Continental Shelf may receive protection through OCSLA and the LHWCA rather than the Jones Act. Depending on how the accident happened, there may also be a negligence claim against a contractor, manufacturer, or another company involved in the operation.
Responsibility may extend beyond your direct employer. Oil rig operations often involve drilling companies, rig operators, vessel owners, contractors, maintenance providers, and equipment manufacturers. We investigate who controlled the work, supplied or maintained the equipment, and created or failed to correct the condition that caused the injury.
The deadline depends on the law governing the claim. Jones Act and many maritime tort claims generally have a three-year filing period, while LHWCA and OCSLA claims have separate notice and filing requirements. A Louisiana negligence claim may follow another prescriptive period. The applicable deadline should be identified based on the specific facts of the accident.
When venue is proper in New Orleans, a federal oil rig or maritime case may proceed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Certain claims may instead proceed in Louisiana state court, including the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. The appropriate forum depends on the parties, the type of claim, and the circumstances of the accident.
