Tag: Oil and Gas accidents

Did you know… There’s “gold” in the Hills of West Virginia?

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Work Injuries, Wrongful Death1 Comment

Potential of Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) for Oil Extraction in West Virginia

Black gold, Texas tea, bubbling crude – since the 1700’s the Appalachian Basin has been a known source of crude oil trapped deep in layers of black shale. Energy prospectors are seeing new potential for oil drilling in the Appalachian Basin, particularly in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia.

Oil wells with pollutionNew developments in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) have made previously inaccessible pockets of oil and gas deposits in shale formations accessible and potentially profitable. As the industry expands, the number of workers needed to accomplish this extraction is expected to increase exponentially, creating new opportunities and new revenue for the communities in Central and Southern West Virginia.

As West Virginians know all too well, with this economic opportunity comes risk. Accidents happen in dangerous industries, but many could have been prevented if more training has been accomplished, greater safety measures had been in place and enforced, and if workers had not been worked hours past the point of exhaustion.

Since the severity and duration of workplace injuries which occur in the oil and gas industry are typically far worse than in other employment sectors, oil and gas drilling companies must be held accountable for doing everything within their power to prevent such accidents.

As this industry grows, these modern-day prospectors in the oil and gas industry would do well to remember “Safety First” not only for the benefit and safety of workers and the community at large but also for their own bottom line. Even in this changing economy, an ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure.

What you don’t know can hurt you.  If you have questions about injury claims in WV, click here to receive our report:  7 Facts you Need to Know about WV Injury Claims.

Submitted by the Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, a West Virginia Personal Injury Law Firm based in Morgantown, WV.  Jeff Robinette, the firm’s founder, is a National Board Certified Trial Attorney with over two decades of experience in successfully handling claims involving workplace injury claims including coal mining injuries, gas well explosions, construction site accidents, toxic exposure, industrial accidents, and construction vehicle and work truck accidents.  Visit our website for more information or call today:  304-594-1800.

Marcellus Shale Oil and Gas Drilling Injuries

On By Jeffery RobinetteIn Marcellus Shale2 Comments

Thanks to the development of the Marcellus Shale oil and gas drilling in West Virginia and the hard-working employees and contractors who have made this local explosion of industry possible, West Virginians can look forward to more opportunity and prosperity in the Morgantown, WV and Fairmont, WV area than ever before.

West Virginia workers have had a long-standing tradition of persevering and working hard in spite of dangerous and exhausting conditions.  Just as our coal miners have always faced the potential of industrial accidents, oil and gas drilling workers are also experiencing accidents resulting in serious permanent injuries and wrongful death.

Risk factors for oil and gas workers may include explosion, workplace injuries, truck accidents, serious and catastrophic injuries, exposure to hazardous chemicals, industrial accidents involving heavy tools and complex equipment, contaminated air and water, hazardous driving conditions, fires, burns, malfunctioning equipment, and safety violations.  Driving to and from the drilling site has become a major risk factor:  one-third of all serious accidents and fatalities linked to fracking occur from trucking accidents.

In most cases, a worker who is injured on the job will be able to receive some benefits from a Worker’s Compensation claim.  In West Virginia, if an employer is found to have intentionally placed their employee in harm’s way, resulting in serious injury or death, that employee may qualify to file a claim against the employer’s insurance company.

If you or your loved one has been injured due to negligence or willful violation of safety regulations in the workplace, it is important to act quickly to protect your claim.  Mr. Robinette has handled hundreds of cases involving serious injury and wrongful death and can provide the insight you need right now.  Call Jeff Robinette today for a free evaluation of your case at 304-594-1800.  https://www.robinettelaw.com