Oil & Gas Injury Lawyers in Charleston

CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

Shaffer & Your Injury in the Oil Industry: Looking for Financial Relief in WV?

Working in the oil and gas industry is vital for the economy to function—and dangerous. If you’ve been hurt on the job, you may be entitled to more compensation than you realize.

The oil and gas industry brought prosperity to parts of West Virginia. But it also has risks. Across the country, more than 2,100 workers were seriously injured in the industry between 2015 and 2022, making it one of the riskiest occupations out there, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In West Virginia, workers’ compensation covers financial losses caused by a work-related injury—lost wages, medical expenses, rehabilitation, even retraining if your injury doesn’t allow you to return to your old job.

But workers’ comp law also significantly limits the amount you can recover and your right to sue your employer.

You may still have other options. If your employer’s actions were more than just negligent or careless—or if somebody else on the job site caused your injuries—you can pursue a personal injury case and potentially maximize the compensation you’re owed.

The best team to confront an oil and gas injury is Shaffer & You.

Shaffer & Shaffer attorneys handle the personal injury side of an injury on the job.

For more than a century, Shaffer & Shaffer injury lawyers have devoted themselves to helping West Virginians. Our experience in the oil and gas industry is well known in West Virginia.

We have Charleston and Madison attorneys with more than 200 years of combined experience representing West Virginians.

Since 1909, Clients, Community, Commitment.

Call Shaffer & Shaffer oil and gas injury lawyers.

Common Causes and Injuries from Oil and Gas Accidents in West Virginia

You know drilling for oil and natural gas is a complex process. It takes highly skilled workers and a lot of coordination across a job site.

When an employer or property owner doesn’t take every precaution to keep people safe, or a third-party treats the work recklessly, the chances of serious injury go up.

Some common causes of oil and gas injuries include:

Fires and explosions. Flammable materials in wells and pipelines leak, causing potential blowouts. Hydraulic lines may fail or burst.
Toxic substances. Exposure to harmful chemicals happens regularly in the oil and gas industry. Solvents, crude oil, drilling fluids: all can be damaging to your health.
Rig collapses. Improper operation or excessive loads can cause a rig to collapse and seriously hurt the workers around it.
Falls. Slipping and falling from high places on job sites can cause serious injuries.
Struck by objects. Along with heavy machinery comes heavy objects that must be moved around: pipes, chains, drilling equipment. Workers are at risk of being struck or knocked onto a hard surface.
Getting trapped. Oil and gas drilling requires working in tight spaces, and workers can suffer crushing injuries when something goes wrong.
Truck accidents. Drilling sites are remote, and the roads getting there are rough, steep, winding, and require proper maintenance for safe travel. Truck drivers must exercise care on these narrow, rutted and muddy roads.

Oil and gas accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries, including burns, brain trauma, internal bleeding, paralysis, head and neck damage, lung damage, amputations, broken limbs and even wrongful death.

Workers’ comp may not be all your entitled to—especially if you can prove someone other than your employer caused your accident through negligence.

The experienced Charleston oil and gas injury attorneys at Shaffer & Shaffer can walk you through your options, and help you maximize your compensation.

Our first conversation is always free. In fact, you pay no attorney fees or expenses until you win.

Get a free consultation from Shaffer & Shaffer oil and gas injury lawyers in Charleston.

How an Oil & Gas Attorney in Charleston Can Help You

While workers’ comp is available after an oil and gas injury, you may have other options depending on exactly how you got hurt—and who was responsible.

An experienced oil and gas injury attorney in Charleston can help you identify these cases:

Third-Party Liability. Most oil and gas companies bring in subcontractors to handle specific jobs on site. When these parties act recklessly, and you’re hurt at the drilling site, you can file a lawsuit against them.

Deliberate Intent. These are special cases where your employer egregiously puts you in a dangerous situation, knowing the hazards and doing nothing to protect you. West Virginia law allows you to file a “deliberate intent” claim in such a case, but it’s hard to prove. You must have suffered serious bodily injury, and you must prove that your employer knew of the danger but still put you in that dangerous situation. In these cases, it is especially important to have an attorney experienced in this area of the law.

Product Liability. These lawsuits center on faulty equipment or machinery. When you’re hurt because tools, materials or devices didn’t work properly, you can pursue a product liability claim against the manufacturer, the supplier or the distributor of the defective product.

It’s important to know that a personal injury settlement may require you to pay back all or part of what you received from workers’ comp, but the total outcome may be better for you and your family. Attorneys experienced in these types of cases can see that the amount paid to you and your family is maximized.

It takes a skilled oil and gas accident attorney to help you sort through the facts and build a strong case to help you put your life back together after a workplace injury.

Shaffer & Shaffer has been helping West Virginians for more than 116 years. We know the oil and gas industry and we know what it takes to hold oil and gas operators accountable for your safety and well-being.

Let’s get you back on firm financial footing after an oil and gas accident.

Call Shaffer & Shaffer now.

Shaffer & You: Why Work with Us?

Everyday West Virginians can get legal help from one of the most established and respected law firms in the state: Shaffer & Shaffer. Our firm is over a century old and still going strong because we put the needs of our clients first—always.

Have a Question about Personal Injury Claims?

After a life-altering accident, you’re understandably upset, confused and full of questions. To help you get a sense of what’s next, we’ve prepared answers to common questions about personal injury claims and other legal cases.

Injury FAQs »