Without a doubt, drilling rigs are among the most dangerous workplaces in the energy industry. Workers deal with heavy machinery, elevated platforms, hazardous chemicals, and more on a daily basis. Incidents can happen at any time and can have catastrophic results. When an incident occurs, injured workers may be left with many questions, one of which may include who can I sue for injuries on a drilling rig?

Ultimately, the answer depends on the details surrounding the incident. Under many circumstances, multiple parties/entities could share liability, meaning that they can be sued for the harm that occurred.

If you or a member of your family suffered injuries in a drilling rig incident, it is important that you understand the options available to you and who you can sue. The team here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group is ready to guide you every step of the way,

Suing Employers

In general, workers that are injured on the job are covered by workers compensation laws. Workers compensation laws prevent employees from suing their employers. Instead, they can apply for workers comp benefits, which can include coverage for medical expenses, lost income, disability pay, rehab costs, and retraining costs, for example.

Although these incidents can usually result in workers compensation claims, exceptions may be made and lawsuits could be filed against employers. These exceptions may apply when the employer intentionally caused the harm or acted reckless in any way leading to the incident/harm.

Suing Independent Contractors

Drill rig operations often involve multiple contractors working on the same site. In situations in which another contractor’s negligence caused the accident, then affected workers may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit against contractors. Contractor negligence can be apparent in the form of unsafe work practices, failure to follow safety procedures, poor site supervision, improper equipment operation, and more.

Suing Equipment Manufacturers

Without a doubt, drilling rig accidents can be caused by defective work equipment. If any drill rig machinery or equipment malfunctions because of a design defect or manufacturing defect, then the product manufacturer may be liable under product liability law.

Suing Property Owners or Site Operators

In general, property owners and operators could be responsible for incidents that occur at drill rig sites. This is because they have a duty to maintain a reasonably safe premises for workers and for any visitors. Examples of hazards that can be traced back to property owner or site operator liability can include poor maintenance, poor safety measures, dangerous work environment and failure to correct known risks, for instance.