What Rights Do You Have After an Injury on an Oil Rig?

Oil rig accidents can change everything for you in a moment, and understanding your rights matters if you’re going to be made whole again. In these situations, many people begin their search with “personal injury attorney near me,” and this is a smart move if you want to learn what steps to take next to get compensation and help. 

Seaman Status and Your Protections

Your first key question after an injury involves whether maritime law classifies you as a seaman. This depends on your job duties, connection to a vessel, and what kind of vessel it is. Seamen get stronger protections than land-based workers because their jobs expose them to unique hazards. If you qualify, federal maritime rules open the doors to some specific benefits and claims that standard workers’ compensation often cannot match.

Maintenance and Cure Benefits You Can Claim

If you hold seaman status, your employer must provide Maintenance and Cure regardless of who was at fault. Maintenance covers your basic living expenses while you recover, including food and shelter costs, and Cure pays for necessary medical treatment until doctors determine you have reached maximum medical improvement. These payments continue even if the company disputes how the injury happened. You do not have to prove that your employer was negligent to receive these benefits.

Additional Claims Under the Jones Act

The Jones Act lets qualifying seamen file a negligence lawsuit against their employer, unlike regular workers’ compensation. You can seek damages for past and future medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering, and the courts apply the same rules that protect injured railroad workers, which means your employer is held responsible even if they were only a bit negligent, and even if that negligence only contributed to the accident (as opposed to being the primary cause).

Rights When You Do Not Qualify as a Seaman

Not every oil rig worker meets the seaman test. If you work on a fixed platform, for instance, or if you work in certain support roles, you may be covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act instead. These laws still guarantee that you get medical care and wage-loss benefits without having to prove fault, but they limit your ability to get compensation for non-economic damages. 

Oil Rig Accidents: When to Seek a Personal Injury Attorney Near Me

It’s important that you document everything early and get someone on your side quickly who can protect your rights and go to bat for you, particularly if you’re badly injured and need to heal. 

Your lawyer will make sure you’re getting the full amount of benefits you’re entitled to and will negotiate for you and bring a lawsuit if you’re covered by an Act that allows you to do so. All along the way, your lawyer will keep you in compliance with all deadlines and statutes of limitations and keep your claim moving. 

You have important rights after an injury on an oil rig. Talk to us today at the Almaraz Law Firm in McAllen, San Antonio, or Midland, TX for the support you need. 

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