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A floater platform rig is a type of offshore oil rig platform. Some of the largest movable man-made structures in the world are these larger lake and sea-based oil platforms and oil rigs. A floater oil platform houses the workers and machinery needed to drill and then produce oil and natural gas extracted from beneath the ocean floor. These floating production systems are used in water depths from 600 to 6,000 feet. They are among the most common types of offshore rigs found in the Gulf of Mexico.
Life aboard a floater platform rig is very dangerous. The very nature of extracting volatile substances that are sometimes under extreme pressure in a hostile environment has risks. Accidents frequently happen and inevitably tragedies occur. Workers risk falling while working from dangerous heights in severe weather. They face being caught in or hit by moving machinery. Floater platform rig crew members work long stressful hours, which can contribute to fatigue and errors in judgment. In addition, working with oil and natural gas is inherently dangerous due to how highly combustible and volatile these compounds are. Since the wellheads of floater platform rigs are located on the sea floor rather than a surface platform, as on fixed-platform rigs, extra care must be taken by the rig operators to avoid leaks. Fires and explosions happen and poisonous gases can be released. The Bureau of Ocean Energy’s statistics show 1298 reported accidents with 30 deaths in 2006-2009 on rigs and platforms. In the first five months of 2009 The Minerals Management Service reported 39 fires. In such a hostile environment accidents will happen and workers can get hurt. Nobody will forget the devastation that occurred on the Deepwater Horizon when 11 men lost their lives. Additionally, negligent actions on the part of the floater platform rig owner, or crew members can also put lives in danger.
As any experienced floater platform rig accident lawyer will tell you, maritime injuries entitle a worker to “maintenance and cure” compensation. The amount received from maintenance (a daily stipend) and cure (for medical expenses) tends to be a rather small amount for day to day bills when compared to workman’s compensation, especially considering that some injuries can lead to expensive medical and rehabilitation bills. A serious injury may be debilitating and/or permanent, and even worse fatal. Although a floater platform rig lawyer recognizes that maintenance and cure may not be enough, he knows that an injured maritime worker still has the opportunity to bring a lawsuit. Talk to an experienced Houston floater platform rig attorney to understand what additional compensation you are entitled to, especially if the injury was the result of negligence. The Jones Act was established to protect maritime workers on American flagged vessels. The Jones Act also protects maritime workers on oil platforms. The Jones Act only applies when a maritime worker is harmed due to an incident of negligence. Using an experienced floater platform injury attorney knowledgeable with the intricacies of the Jones Act is important when trying to prove negligence.
If you have been injured, it is advisable to get the help of a floater platform rig injury accident lawyer rather than a regular injury attorney. Our attorneys are well versed in Jones Act cases as well as supply boat injuries, tugboat accidents, and dredge injuries. At Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP you will find a floater platform rig injury accident lawyer who is a specialist in Jones Act negligence cases. We have represented numerous maritime workers with tremendous success. We are representing families and survivors from the Deepwater Horizon explosion. We understand maintenance and cure is not enough to cover all bills and lost wages, let alone the possibility of being permanently disabled. If you have been injured as a result of negligence, a Houston maritime injury attorney from Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP will fight for you to receive your deserved compensation.