Who Can Be Liable for a Houston Oil Rig Explosion?

Holding those who caused you or your family member serious injuries in a Houston oil rig explosion accountable is essential. It protects your right to compensation but also helps you get justice. These are often complex cases where more than one party is to blame. Yet, they are also hard to prove cases. It is very common for insurance companies, oil companies, and others to try to deny responsibility.

The burden of proof is on the victim’s shoulders. For that reason, consider who can be liable for a Houston oil rig explosion with the help of a lawyer.

Potential Parties Liable for a Houston Oil Rig Explosion

The facts and evidence in your case determine who is at fault and who must pay for the losses you have incurred. Identifying all liable parties may allow you to seek compensation from multiple parties. The following are some examples of who might be responsible based on the cause of your accident.

• Your employer: If you are hurt as an employee at work, the company employing you could be at fault. Workers’ compensation covers some of these losses because employers must create safe work conditions, train you, and provide safety equipment. If they fail, that can mean workers’ compensation covers your losses.
• Contractors and subcontractors: Many accidents on oil rigs are caused by third-party contractors and subcontractors working on the rig. If these companies create unsafe conditions, and that causes you to suffer injuries from an oil rig explosion, the contractor or subcontractor may be found liable for your losses.
• Equipment manufacturers: Another major reason accidents like this happen is that the equipment meant to prevent them fails. Equipment manufacturers may be responsible if their equipment failed to operate or otherwise caused the accident.
• Third parties: Your attorney may help you identify third parties that may also be responsible for your injuries. This could include a supplier, a transportation company, or someone working at the site.

In these situations, all of the burden of proof is on the victim’s shoulders. You may not have a lot of information or evidence to substantiate your claims, either. For these reasons, it is often best to seek a legal team that can investigate your case for you and protect your right to file a lawsuit.

What It Takes to Be Liable

To be liable in a Houston oil rig explosion, you must demonstrate the following of each party:

• They owed you a duty of care. That means they should have taken steps to make sure you were safe.
• They breached the duty of care. This can happen in various ways.
• You suffered an accident. That breach caused an accident to happen.
• You were hurt in the accident. You suffered serious injuries in the accident.

If you believe that someone is responsible for your accident and injuries, seek the help of a local attorney. In Texas, personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the date of the explosion. Do not wait that long to get legal guidance.

Let Our Legal Team Fight for You

If you are hurt and suffering, let our Houston personal injury attorney at The Doan Law Firm start working on your behalf. Contact us now for a free consultation so we can dig into what happened in your case.