Weslaco Oilfield Accident Lawyer for Oilfield Injuries and Oil Field Injury Claims

Nothing up front. Oilfield accident attorneys at our personal injury law firm work on a contingency fee. We advance the case costs and we collect a percentage of the recovery only if we win. If we recover nothing you owe nothing and you are never billed for our time or our expenses.

Ask about the exact percentage during your free consultation. We put it in writing before you sign anything.

Sometimes yes. If your employer opted out of workers compensation and became a non subscriber you can file a personal injury lawsuit against that employer directly. Texas Labor Code Section 406.033 strips away the defenses that normally protect employers. If your employer does subscribe you generally cannot sue it but you can still sue other companies on location.

The first thing our office does is find out which category your employer falls into.

That usually helps your case. A non subscribing employer cannot argue you were careless or that you assumed the risk or that a coworker caused the accident. You still have to prove the employer was negligent. But once you do the recovery includes pain and suffering and mental anguish which workers comp never pays.

Texas remains the only state that allows private employers to opt out this way.

Two years from the date of the accident under Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. Wrongful death claims run two years from the date of death. Offshore claims under the Jones Act get three years. Claims against a government body can require written notice in as little as ninety days.

Do not wait for the deadline. Evidence disappears in weeks.

There is no chart. Value depends on how badly you were hurt and how clear the fault is and how much insurance coverage sits behind each defendant. Catastrophic injuries with lifetime care needs and multiple negligent companies produce the largest settlements in texas. Minor soft tissue claims resolve for far less.

Anyone quoting you a figure before reviewing your medical records is guessing.

No. Not until you have a lawyer. The insurance adjuster records you specifically so your words can be used later when the full extent of your injuries is known and your answers no longer fit. Adjusters ask questions designed to draw out an admission of fault or a statement that you feel better than you do.

Politely decline and refer them to your attorney.

You can still recover. Texas follows modified comparative fault under the proportionate responsibility law in Section 33.001. If you are 50 percent or less at fault you recover damages reduced by your percentage. At 51 percent you recover nothing. Against a non subscribing employer your own carelessness cannot be raised at all.

Never assume you have no case because someone at work blamed you.

Often several companies. The well operator and the drilling contractor and the service company and the equipment manufacturer and the trucking company all show up on a typical location. Each one carries its own insurance policy. Each one owed you a duty of reasonable care while you worked on that site.

More responsible parties usually means more available coverage for your losses.

Most resolve in one to two years. Straightforward files with clear liability and completed medical treatment can settle in six to twelve months. Catastrophic cases take longer because your future care has to be mapped before anyone can value the claim honestly. Cases that go to trial in Hidalgo County can run two to three years.

We do not rush you into a cheap settlement to close a file.

Usually yes and often a stronger one. Independent contractors are not covered by an employer workers compensation policy at all. That leaves you free to sue any company whose carelessness contributed to your injuries including the company that hired you. Courts look at actual control over your work and not at what your paperwork calls you.

Bring your contract to the consultation.

You may bring a wrongful death claim under Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71. A surviving spouse and children and parents have standing to sue. The estate may also bring a survival action for the pain your loved one endured before death. Recoverable losses include funeral costs and lost financial support and lost companionship.

We handle these cases for accident victims and their families with the care they deserve.

It applies if you qualify as a seaman meaning you spend a substantial part of your work aboard a vessel in navigation. Offshore platform hands and boat crews often qualify. Jones Act claims carry a three year deadline and a lower burden of proof than an ordinary negligence case in Texas.

Land based workers stay under Texas law. The distinction matters a great deal.

Texas law prohibits firing a worker in retaliation for pursuing a legitimate workers compensation claim. Protection for non subscriber personal injury claims is narrower and depends on the facts. Many workers stay employed throughout their case without any trouble. If retaliation does happen it becomes a separate legal claim.

Tell your lawyer immediately if your hours or your assignments change after you report.

Yes. Our entire process runs in Spanish when that is what your family prefers. Intake and client meetings and document review and depositions and medical appointments are all handled bilingually. You will never be asked to sign a legal document you cannot read comfortably.

Hablamos español. Llámenos a cualquier hora.