Texas Offshore Rig Death Lawyer
The Texas offshore rig death lawyer group at Trey Barton Law helps those who have lost a loved one understand their legal rights for filing fatal offshore rig accident claims. Our fatal oil rig accident attorneys have extensive experience handling wrongful death claims involving rig explosions, equipment failures, and other consequences of companies not providing safe work environments offshore. Trey Barton Law provides skilled representation and navigates the complexities of filing wrongful death claims and holding contractors or oil and gas companies accountable for fatal offshore oil rig accidents.
If a family member was killed in an offshore accident, our Texas oil rig wrongful death lawyers can help file wrongful death claims to seek compensation you deserve for lost wages, earning capacity, prior medical treatment, and other losses stemming from the preventable but fatal injuries of oil and gas workers.
Our law firm handles offshore oil rig explosion cases and other wrongful death claims on a contingency fee basis. This means clients don’t owe any upfront legal fees unless we secure a fair settlement or jury award on their behalf.
Call 832-916-2526 or fill out the contact form to schedule a free case evaluation with our experienced oil rig wrongful death lawyers.
Applicable Maritime Laws for Families of Fatally Injured Oil Rig Workers
Our Texas offshore rig wrongful death lawyers have a deep understanding of maritime laws governing offshore accidents. The knowledgeable staff at our firm works tirelessly to hold all parties responsible for fatal injuries accountable.
Jones Act Claims for Wrongful Death
The Jones Act allows family members of seamen killed during employment on or servicing vessels in navigable waters. Jones Act claims cover fatal offshore accidents resulting from:
- employer fault,
- vessel unseaworthiness, and
- including oil rig injuries that later result in loss of life.
This offers benefits for lost wages and benefits, loss of companionship, funeral and burial costs, and in some cases, punitive damages. These cases are pursued directly against the employer. In addition, claimants can combine Jones Act claims with unseaworthiness claims. This allows victims to recover damages even when employers aren’t found liable.
If a loved one was killed in a fatal oil rig accident attorney can assist in filing a Jones Act claim in Texas.
Death on the High Seas Act (DOSHA Claims)
The Death on the High Seas Act (DOSHA) only applies to those killed three nautical miles offshore, not offshore oil rig injuries. Surviving family members have the legal right to recovery for offshore accidents. The most common causes include:
- offshore collisions,
- fires,
- capsizing or sinking, and
- offshore rig explosions.
Loved ones can recover only damages for economic losses, such as lost income and funeral expenses, etc. There is no recovery for pain and suffering, except in limited cases where federal courts interpret maritime law.
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act For Fatal Oil Rig Injuries
The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act treats wrongful death claims under federal maritime law. It applies to fatally injured workers located on the OCS (both maritime and non-maritime). These cases typically include:
- heavy machinery accidents
- offshore oil rig explosions
- transportation accidents to or from the OCS (helicopters, supply boats, etc.), and
- platform collapses, cave-ins, or other hazardous conditions.
Family members can only recover economic losses from negligent companies, contractors, and boat or rig owners who didn’t follow proper safety procedures.
Longshore Act For Workers Killed Offshore
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act covers non-seamen. This includes those working on docks, shipyards, terminals, piers, wharves, and adjoining areas. However, the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act doesn’t apply to “Jones Act seamen” or land-only staff. Here, family members do not need to prove fault to secure weekly benefits based on prior average weekly income and burial expenses. The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act is a purely benefits-based system, not a lawsuit, so recovery is capped.
Texas Oil Rig Fatal Accident Lawyers Represent Families of Workers Killed Transitioning Offshore
Our Texas oil rig fatal accident lawyers have extensive experience handling a range of offshore accidents within the oil and gas industry. If you’ve lost a loved one in a fatal oil rig accident, our accident lawyers have the knowledge, resources, and skill to navigate these legal processes and hold negligent contractors or companies accountable.
Contact a fatal oil rig accident lawyer to discuss filing an offshore oil rig wrongful death lawsuit.
Haynesville Shale
Haynesville Shale staff are often killed in transportation accidents between offshore locations and Port Arthur or Sabine Pass. Our Texas offshore oil rig wrongful death lawyers also commonly represent wrongful death cases involving those struck by heavy machinery, crushed by pipe handling, tongs, and catwalk systems, and fatalities from derrick, mast failures, and rig explosions. Whether you lost a loved one from H2S exposure, trench collapses, electrocution, or other hazardous conditions, we offer dedicated assistance for Haynesville Shale accident claims. Contact our law firm to discuss your legal options.
Eagle Ford Shale
Similarly, our oil workers are often involved in fatal transport accidents traveling through Corpus Christi to reach offshore locations. Eagle Ford Shale also heavily depends on helicopters to move between land drilling rigs and offshore oil rigs. Our Texas offshore wrongful death lawyer group also represents victims of catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths resulting from heavy machinery, toxic exposure, lack of proper training or protection during maintenance, electrocutions, and rig explosions. If you need to pursue Eagle Ford Shale accident claims. Our fatal oil rig accident lawyers understand that family members deserve compensation. We provide compassionate support to help you get the compensation you deserve for the loss of a loved one.
Austin Chalk
Austin Chalk crews often travel to platforms connected to offshore pipelines. Rotation accidents can lead to serious injuries before they even reach the drilling rig. Like other areas, our Texas offshore wrongful death lawyers deliver dedicated assistance to family members of the deceased. These cases often result from vehicle or equipment accidents, blowouts, gas releases, and trench collapses. If you need to file an Austin Chalk accident claim, we’ll review safety regulations, determine if co-workers had proper training, and fight to ensure the negligent oil or gas companies are held accountable for failing to safeguard employees.
Types of Platforms Our Texas Offshore Rig Death Attorneys Handle: MODU, FPS, AND Fixed Platforms
We represent clients in both wrongful death claims and provide offshore injury claims assistance in Texas for injured workers. For offshore wrongful death claims, we work with clients who have lost loved ones on all major types of platforms. We’re knowledgeable in navigating the complexities of cases involving deadly events on jack-up rigs, semi-submersible units, and drillships. Call our law firm to determine how we can assist with the complexities of Texas MODU accident claims.
Fatal Oil Rig Accidents Near Texas Ports
The Gulf of Mexico experienced 23 documented wrongful deaths out of almost 5,000 offshore accidents in the past decade or so. Our offshore rig wrongful death lawyers deliver dedicated assistance with the compassion we’d want for our own loved ones. If you lost a loved one in a fatal offshore oil rig accident, we can help you pursue a wrongful death claim to recover the compensation you deserve.
Corpus Christi Offshore Rig Death Law Firm
Local Corpus Christi oil workers support offshore platforms, including Port Aransas supply routes and Ingleside construction. Our offshore oil and gas wrongful death lawyers can help determine fault based on the circumstances surrounding the offshore accident. When safety regulations weren’t followed by oil companies, third parties, or contractors, we will assist in filing wrongful death claims to seek compensation that fully covers the losses suffered.
Port Arthur Offshore Rig Death Attorneys
Port Arthur hosts two of the largest refineries in North America, Motiva and Valero. There have been a number of documented wrongful death cases involving negligent companies that have not provided safe work environments in these areas. Those working near Port Arthur often face consistent hazards, including hose ruptures, fires, and chemical exposure events. If you’re suffering the loss of a loved one, our Texas offshore fatal accident lawyers can help victims seek maximum recovery.
Galveston Offshore Death Attorneys
The Galveston Bay area has a history of serious refinery and oil rig accidents, including the historic Texas City explosion and the Freeport LNG incident of 2022. In addition to the hazards from volatile materials, those working near Galveston also face inherent risks during transport, including helicopter crashes. After fatal offshore accidents, we help clients seek maximum compensation and fight to make sure they have the support they need to move forward.
Houston Offshore Death Lawyer (Houston Ship Channel)
Our Houston offshore death lawyers have experience with cases involving employees throughout the Pasadena industrial zone. Recent events, such as the Baytown refinery explosion and Deer Park chemical release, have resulted in serious injuries and, in the latter case, wrongful deaths. In the aftermath of such events, justice starts with hiring a skilled Texas oil rig accident attorney. Having the knowledge to represent these complex wrongful death claims can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.
Matagorda Bay System Wrongful Death
In 2025, the Matagorda Ship Channel was under a temporary safety zone after a pipeline strike. In addition, the Matagorda Bay system is known for strong currents over 3 knots over 60% of the time. Those working in the oil and gas industry also face constant hazards along the Colorado River Channel or involving Palacios boats. If a loved one died in an offshore accident, we can help you understand your legal options and seek the justice and compensation you deserve.
Brownsville Offshore Rig Death Attorneys
The Brownsville port and the South Padre area are known for heavy ship channel activity and dredging hazards. The Brazos Santiago Pass creates submerged pipelines, floating hoses, barges, and construction boats that pose inherent risks. Legal matters are more complex when they involve emergencies in international waters or events near the Mexican border. For Brownsville offshore oil rig wrongful deaths, contact our law firm for experienced support.
How Many Oil Rig Deaths Per Year: Leading Causes of Workers Injured or Killed Working Offshore
The Center for Offshore Safety (COS) reported no fatal oil rig accidents in 2023. However, the U.S. oil and gas industry as a whole reported 113 that same year. According to statistics compiled by AFL, those working for mining, quarrying, and oil companies had a fatality rate of around 16.6–16.9 per 100,000 members in 2022, with fatal oil rig accidents being a leading cause for offshore workers. These statistics are significantly higher than those of ther industries, reporting around 3.5 per 100,000.
Helicopter Crashes AND Worker Transport Accident
Most helicopter accidents happen during approach or while landing on platforms in fog. Night flights to and from platforms have a fatality rate three times higher than daytime flights. Equipment failures and bad weather are the most common causes of transport-related oil rig accidents. An average of 4–6 offshore oil wrongful deaths per year occurred in Gulf helicopters. Transport-related oil rig injuries also happen from a lack of safeguarding on manlifts, personnel transfers, and basket transfers, where a single mistake can lead to severe injury or kill the person.
Offshore Fall Accidents
In 2024, 3% of oil and gas deaths were from falls. Those on derrick boards and elevated platforms often drop over 30 feet when there’s no safeguarding or necessary equipment. These offshore accidents often happen during assembling or disassembling drilling rigs. Offshore decks are often unstable, wet, and oily from drilling mud and sea spray. Our offshore oil rig wrongful death attorneys have also represented cases from unsecured platforms, ladders, and scaffolding.
Equipment Failure and Related Acidents
Texas oilfield equipment accidents are one of the leading causes of rig explosions and blowouts. These statistics are typically categorized under broader types, like fires and explosions, for example.
- Burns, Fires, and Explosions: 41%
- Struck By Objects / Dropped Objects: 13%
- Caught In, Under, or Between: 12.5%
- Lifting Equipment: 6%
Our offshore oil rig wrongful death law firm provides legal representation for BOP failure claims in Texas. Whether a family member died from an oil rig explosion or a fatal crush injury in Texas, we can help you seek compensation.
Offshore Worker Drownings (Man Overboard)
Drownings account for 10–12% of offshore deaths, often occurring during transfers between vessels and platforms, the highest-risk moments. Accidents can involve personnel baskets dropping workers into the sea or failures of safety equipment, such as life vests and immersion suits. Without flotation, survival in Gulf waters averages just 12 minutes, making rapid rescue and proper safety gear critical to preventing fatalities.
Oil Rig Explosion, Oil Rig Blowout, Blowdown, and Fire
Oil rig explosions and blowouts are some of the most dangerous events in the offshore oil industry. Rig explosions often result from well control loss during offshore drilling or gas kicks. Disasters like the Deepwater Horizon explosion demonstrate how quickly negligence in safety protocols can become deadly. Our fatal offshore accident law firm can assist clients in filing oil rig explosion claims in Texas.
Fatal Crane Accidents Offshore
Crane accidents cause approximately 5–8% of offshore deaths each year. Many incidents involve dropped loads or crane boom failures that strike workers on the drill floor. Personnel-basket accidents and supply-boat collisions during simultaneous operations also pose serious risks. These incidents highlight the dangers of heavy equipment offshore and the need for strict safety protocols during all lifting operations.
Fatal H2S Exposure and Confined Space Accidents
Hydrogen sulfide is one of the leading causes of workplace gas inhalation deaths and is a known hazard in environments where sour gas or contaminated pits and tanks are present. H2S, methane, and other dangerous substances account for over 50% of confined space deaths.
Offshore Vessel Collisions / Allisions
Vessel collisions and allisions are responsible for 3–5% of offshore deaths each year. Fatal offshore accidents often involve supply boats striking platforms, anchor handling mishaps, or dynamic positioning failures in congested fields. Loss of propulsion during severe weather also increases the risk of deadly incidents.
Oil Rig Collapse
While these disasters are uncommon, when offshore oil rigs do collapse, they are catastrophic. The last major event was the Deepwater Horizon explosion that led to a subsequent sinking, killing 11 people. These fatal offshore accident claims require a law firm capable of taking on major rig operators, companies, and contractors, like BP or Transocean, to gather and preserve evidence.
Offshore Electrocution
Offshore electrocution is a serious hazard often caused by electrical failures in classified areas. Failures can, in turn, trigger explosions. Saltwater intrusion into electrical systems, improper lockout/tagout procedures, and underwater welding or cutting accidents can also lead to electrocution. Families of fatally injured workers can seek representation through Trey Barton.
Family’s Legal Rights When an Oil Rig Worker is Killed in Texas
Individuals who perform offshore drilling, maintenance, or other labor are responsible for generating billions of dollars for their employers. When they’re hurt or killed on the job, workers and their families have a difficult time obtaining recovery from those who failed in their legal duty of care to operate reasonably safely. Victims deserve compensation, and our law firm fights to recover the money clients need for life-changing injuries or in the wake of a wrongful death.
When Employers Can Be Sued for Wrongful Death in Texas
Fatal offshore accident claims are generally governed by state or federal maritime laws. These all allow surviving family members to receive pay for employer fault, unsafe practices, inadequate training, equipment defects, or other types of liability. However, surviving family members can also sue employers for wrongful death if their fatal offshore accident lawyer can prove gross negligence. This allows for maximum recovery, including loss of companionship, and more fair settlements for loss of financial support.
Third-Party Wrongful Death Claims
Family members, including spouses and children (when applicable), can file third-party wrongful death lawsuits when a party other than the direct employer is responsible for the tragedy. Third parties often include:
- boat or platform owners,
- offshore drilling contractors or third-party rig operators,
- service companies,
- helicopter operators,
- equipment manufacturers, and
- other contractors.
Ensuring all responsible parties are held accountable is critical when employers are protected by state or federal rules because these defendants don’t receive such immunity. Spouses and children may receive maximum settlements for financial harm and non-economic losses, like pain and suffering.
Texas Oil Rig Wrongful Death Lawsuit For More Just Compensation
Surviving spouses and children are entitled to just compensation. This doesn’t mean that the party responsible will offer a fair settlement, though. In most cases, victims are pressured to settle for far less than they deserve. Filing a wrongful death lawsuit can cover medical expenses, funeral costs, lost income (and future support), loss of companionship, pain and suffering, and much more. Our experienced fatal offshore accident lawyers ensure clients understand their rights. If we can’t negotiate fair settlements, we’re prepared to take the case to trial to protect their right to pursue the maximum compensation possible under state law.
Contact Our Texas Oil Rig Death Law Firm For a Free Consultation
Losing a loved one in an offshore accident is devastating, and you do not have to face it alone. Our Texas oil rig death attorneys are committed to guiding clients through every step of the legal process, explaining their rights, and fighting for the justice family members need. If you have any questions, we offer free consultations to help you understand your options.
Call (832) 916-2526 or complete our online contact form to speak with an experienced attorney.
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