I was injured on an offshore jack-up rig or oil platform - What are my legal rights to compensation?

Question:

I was injured offshore. I was working for an oil company on an offshore jack-up rig (or oil platform). What legal rights do I have to recover fair compensation for my injuries?

Answer:

We get these kinds of questions a lot probably because a lot of offshore oil workers call us to represent them.

With the increase in oil prices and the demand for more oil to feed our economy, the oil companies are doing more drilling and exploration for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and other deepwater sites.

Unfortunately, that means more men and women in the oil industry face the risk of serious injury, or even death.

So what are your legal rights if you are injured offshore working for an oil company on a jack-up rig or platform?

If you are on a jack-up rig, you are probably a Jones Act seaman entitled to legal protection under the Jones Act and general maritime law. However, this may not be true if your attachment to the jack-up rig was short in duration or substance.

You will need an experienced Jones Act attorney to look at the facts of your case and answer the question for you.

If you are hurt on a non-movable fixed platform, then you are probably not a Jones Act seaman. That means you could be a Longshoreman entitled to benefits under the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act, or you may be able to bring a case under general maritime law, or state worker's compensation laws, or maybe, maybe even the Jones Act

The legal analysis can get pretty tricky. You should probably hire a really competent and experienced Jones Act attorney to give you some answers to this question.

You can also visit our main website, http://www.vbattorneys.com/, or our dedicated maritime law website, www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com, for more answers to many common questions.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims?

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act? Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act? Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act? Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases? Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights? Click here to read What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement? Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first? Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case? Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore. Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.