Today, it is common knowledge that the number of active oil wells in Los Angeles County is diminishing due to several concerns. However, there are still thousands of active operations in California. If you feel you are at risk due to such oil extraction operations, let’s see how a catastrophic injury lawyer can help you figure out solutions. Before that, let’s look at some facts and figures.
Causes & Causalities.
Oil rigs or wells consist of special equipment designed to withstand extreme conditions and pressure. It is also imperative that companies/lessees follow guidelines and safety norms set by the respective authorities that oversee the activities of such enterprises.
However, history tells us that companies sometimes fail to follow industry-standard federal/state regulations and not train workers or enforce safety rules properly. Accidents also happen due to the usage of apparatuses that are not fit for the arduous task of oil extraction.
As we know, the largest marine environmental disaster was an oil rig explosion. The Deepwater Horizon Drilling Rig explosion caused the death of 11 workers and left 17 others seriously injured. All because the alarms that could have warned workers were turned off.
According to the research, incidents caused by such rigs in the U.S. are at a constant high. Major incidents are classified as oil rig collapses, explosions, and blowouts. A few of the severe injuries caused by such incidents that catastrophic injury lawyers listed are Head trauma, severe burns, spinal injuries, loss of limbs, etc. Other obvious cases like severe wounds caused by flying objects from an oil rig accident, internal organ damage, inhalation of smoke also qualify as catastrophic injuries.
How can a catastrophic injury lawyer help?
While energy from fuel shouldn’t be at the cost of human lives or a danger to the environment, it might be possible to spot discrepancies that could lead to a catastrophic oil well/rig accident. Consult an attorney and warn the respective company or authorities. Sometimes just a minor warning and scrutiny would be enough to avoid a potentially disastrous accident and save lives.
On the other hand, if you are affected by such an incident and suffer from catastrophic injuries or have any questions regarding the matter, you could seek assistance from a catastrophic injury lawyer to attain the best solution for the trouble caused.
Regarding slow damage, although it’s late for a change, we are glad and sure that you are happy too with the latest proceedings from Los Angeles City Council. Also, the County supervisors are working towards phasing out oil wells and rigs, at least within the city limits.
If you think you are affected in a way that isn’t a catastrophic injury or(and) have diagnosis reports pointing out the potential cause(s) in this direction, you might be able to file for compensation too. Regardless of being a nearby resident or a worker, you might have been a subject of long-term exposure to oil well fumes that could have led to or will lead to serious health risks. Probably signs you might be seeing now are only the beginning of a more serious health issue that could very likely be caused by exposure to toxic chemicals such as benzene emitted into the air from oil wells just a few feet away.
Although such cases might not qualify as catastrophic injuries, a lawyer or law firm specializing in the same area will be able to help you legally get settled for the damages caused by disregard from oil companies.
