Texas Injury Law Blog : Dallas Accident Lawyer & Attorney : Fears Nachawati Law Firm : Personal Injury, Wrongful Death : Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Texas

BP sent workers back to three offshore oil and gas platforms earlier today in response to a shift in Tropical Storm Dan’s trajectory to the south. In the last week, hundreds of workers were evacuated from platforms in anticipation of the violent storm and the injury that it was expected to cause. Hundreds of evacuees may sound like a lot, but actually only 11 of the 679 manned platforms in the Gulf were evacuated.

Drilling oil in the Gulf of Mexico is dangerous business, as last year’s Deepwater Horizon blowout vividly showed. The risk isn’t just for the environment, of course, but for workers as well. Every year, platform and oil field workers are injured and killed as a result of the dangers in oil and gas exploration.

Do you have a loved one who works in the oil fields, either on land or in the Gulf? They should know the risks they face and their legal right to a safe work environment. If they’re injured, they should fight back! The Fears | Nachawati occupational injury experts can fight for their safety and secure the justice they deserve. For a free consultation, just call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us help!

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Times are good for natural gas producers. Although high fuel costs hurt consumers, they’re good for suppliers. Traditionally, high natural gas prices have been particularly good news for Gulf Coast states like Texas and Louisiana and particularly bad news for the northeast. This time, however, things are a little different.

The recent discovery of the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania and West Virginia is good news for the east coast. The Marcellus Shale is rich in ethylene, a key ingredient in plastics, and close to markets like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Because of its proximity to plastics manufacturers, costs to consumer will be cheaper. Also, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and other “Shale states” will benefit from the additional tax revenue flowing from natural gas extraction. Local economies will boom, too, thanks to the estimated 10,000 new, “Shale jobs.”

There’s just one catch: natural gas production can be dangerous. Every year hundreds of workers and thousands of residents are injured as a result of natural gas leaks and explosions. If you or a loved one leave Texas to work the Marcellus Shale, you should know about the risks of natural gas – and, in particular, ethylene – cracking. Talk to the experts at Fears | Nachawati to learn everything you need to know about the law governing occupational injuries. Call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Last month, three workers were injured, one critically, when a pulling unit with a truck-mounted mast collapsed. One of the workers, Sergio Torres, was transported to a Lubbock hospital in critical condition. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the accident. In all likelihood, all three workers have not only workers’ compensation claims, but potential legal causes of action against their employer, TEC Well Services, and the owner of the well site, Benners 37 #1.

The energy industry is dangerous! Well accidents, refinery fires, and pipe malfunctions cause dozens of accidents every year. If you or a loved one are injured in an oil and gas industry accident, you should talk to the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. Let us help!

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 A natural gas plant operated by the Houston-based Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), a publicly traded company, erupted in an explosion last week, causing a fire that could be seen for more than a dozen miles away. While no injuries were reported or evacuations required, state highway 146 was shut down.

Natural gas plants and oil refineries are notoriously susceptible to explosions and fires. On many occasions, explosions and fires are the result of preventable risks. Too often, negligent companies fail to properly safeguard against their product’s combustibility. If you are injured during your work at a natural gas plant or oil refinery, call the injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. With years of experience, our expertise is courtroom tested! Give us a call at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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A worker was killed and seven others injured when a faulty gas pipeline exploded recently near the Johnson-Somervell county line. The explosion was caused when James Robert Neese, an employee of C&H Power Line Construction Co., used a high-pressure digger to drill a vertical hole and, in the process, pierced an underground pipeline with his auger. A report by the Texas Railroad Commission concluded that the explosion and ensuing damage resulted from the pipelines owner’s – Enterprise Products – failure to adequately mark the buried line in violation of the Texas Utilities Code.

Oil and natural gas pipelines cross much of Texas, including in heavily trafficked, urbanized areas. Unfortunately, accidents are all too common and, in many cases, cause serious injury and death. If you work in the oil and gas industry, you may be exposed to these dangers. If you’re injured in your work, workers compensation may not be enough. Talk to the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati today for full understanding of you case. For a free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. We’re ready to help you!

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Last week, the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling released its final report on the catastrophic spill. The Commission found that the Deepwater Horizon disaster was foreseeable and preventable. Specifically, errors by the responsible companies – BP, Halliburton, and Transocean – included inadequate safety procedures, failure to respond to repeatedly demonstrated problems, and ineffective response to the blowout once it began. 

Thousands of Texans work in the oil and gas industry. As the Commission’s findings suggest, the oil and gas companies who employ these hard-working Texans routinely dismiss safety concerns, putting their front-line employees at significant risk. Unfortunately, workers – like the men working the Deepwater Horizon – pay the price for this corporate neglect. 

To speak with an attorney specializing in occupational injuries and oil and gas industry negligence, contact Fears | Nachawati. For a free consultation, give us a call at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. We’re ready to help you!

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Five people were injured in a gas explosion in a Mexican restaurant in Gainesville, Texas.  Three women, a young girl and a toddler are being treated at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for burns.  One victim is in critical condition, while the other four are in serious condition.  The natural gas explosion occurred in the restaurant's kitchen.  Investigations continue. 

If you have been injured on business premises or on someone else's property, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and/or pain and suffering and other damage.  Call the experienced attorneys of Fears | Nachawati today at 1.866.705.7584 to discuss your case.

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