New Mexico Oilfield Accident Attorneys

Why Do Oilfield Accidents Happen in New Mexico?

Oil and gas companies make billions every year. These corporations are notorious for pushing for more production and more profit, sometimes at the expense of their workers. They may cut corners, waiting to replace aging equipment or failing to properly implement safety standards, just to keep production as high as possible. This increases the likelihood of an accident that can injure numerous workers or claim innocent lives.

Our New Mexico oilfield injury attorneys help after accidents such as:

At Arnold & Itkin, we’re passionate about protecting oil and gas workers’ rights, and our case results reflect this. Our attorneys secured a $14.9 million settlement on behalf of two oilfield workers in Lea County, New Mexico. The defendants disputed the venue, challenged discovery, and initially offered just $600,000 to make up for the workers' life-changing injuries. We persisted and persevered, securing this settlement just three days after the trial began.

Some of our other notable oilfield injury recoveries include:

• $209 million verdict for the family of an oilfield worker who died from exposure to Hantavirus.
• $139 million settlement for survivors of a catastrophic oilfield incident, one week before trial.
• $72 million settlement for an oilfield worker who lost his arm and suffered other catastrophic injuries.
• $36.5 million settlement for an oilfield worker who was wrongfully blamed for his injuries.

These recoveries have changed our clients’ lives, helping to secure their care and support for the rest of their lives. These and all the oilfield injury cases we have successfully handled have also put pressure on oil and gas companies to improve safety and place more importance on their workers’ lives.

Types of Oilfield Accidents in New Mexico

Oil and gas extraction ranks among the most dangerous jobs a person can have in America. Every day, you’re handling heavy machinery and hazardous chemicals while managing the near-constant risk of fires and explosions. It’s a company’s job to mitigate these risks. After all, oil and gas extraction needs to happen, so someone has to do it. But that doesn’t excuse the dozens of companies every year whose bad policies and corner-cutting lead to catastrophic injuries.

That’s why workers call our Albuquerque oilfield accident lawyers.

Our firm helps families after oilfield accidents across the nation, including at sea and on land:

• Land Rig Explosions: Land-based oil rigs are packed with flammable fuels, pressurized equipment, and ignition sources. When companies fail to enforce proper safety checks or skimp on maintenance, these rigs can explode with devastating force—killing or maiming numerous crew members in seconds.
• Blowouts: A blowout occurs when uncontrolled pressure forces oil, gas, or drilling mud out of a wellbore. Without proper blowout preventers (BOPs) or safety protocols in place, blowouts can trigger deadly fires, explosions, or chemical exposure, placing workers in danger of suffering life-changing trauma.
• Drilling Rig Accidents: Drilling rigs are high-risk worksites. Workers may be injured by rotating equipment, falling tools, or poorly maintained derricks. However, these risks can be minimized or even eliminated. Many accidents happen because of mechanical failures, lack of training, or companies ignoring fatigue-related safety risks.
• Gas Truck Accidents: Tanker trucks transporting oilfield chemicals or fuel often travel long distances on rural highways not meant to handle heavy traffic. Driver fatigue, speeding, or improperly secured loads can lead to rollovers, fires, and multi-vehicle crashes, especially near oilfields in southeastern New Mexico.
• Pipeline Explosions: A single leak in an underground pipeline at a New Mexico oilfield or even in residential neighborhoods can ignite and cause massive damage in seconds. When companies fail to detect corrosion, overpressure events, or illegal tapping, pipeline failures become fatal for both workers and nearby communities.
• Well Servicing Accidents: Well servicing and maintenance operations are just as dangerous as initial drilling. New Mexico oilfield workers performing hot work, pressure tests, or equipment swaps face risks of chemical burns, crush injuries, or sudden equipment failure if safety and training are not put first.
• Fracking-Related Injuries: Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) involves high-pressure pumps, sand, and dangerous fluids to extract valuable resources. When fracking equipment malfunctions or operators skip proper pressure checks, it can result in chemical spills, line bursts, or flash fires that severely injure nearby crew.
• Equipment Failures: Faulty pumps, winches, hoists, or hydraulic systems can cause catastrophic injuries at oilfield sites in New Mexico. Defective design, poor maintenance, or improper use often lead to traumatic amputations, crush injuries, or deaths—particularly when safety overrides are disabled or ignored.
• Caught-In/Between Accidents: Oilfield workers regularly operate in tight quarters with moving machinery and heavy loads. Without safeguards, workers can become pinned between vehicles, crushed by rig components, or pulled into rotating shafts. The nature of these injuries is horrific and often life-threatening.
• Toxic Exposure & Inhalation: Inhalation of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or fracking chemicals can cause respiratory failure, brain damage, or death. Many workers suffer lifelong health issues from repeated exposure to toxins at oilfields and related worksites, including plants and refineries.
• Falls From Height: Working on elevated platforms, derricks, or scaffolding without proper fall protection can lead to serious injuries or fatalities at New Mexico's oilfields. These falls often occur because of missing guardrails, faulty harnesses, or poor training procedures. Fall protection is typically required at any working height of 6+ feet.
• Fires Caused by Static Discharge or Leaks: Even a small spark can ignite leaking vapors or fuel. Static electricity, exposed wires, and poorly grounded equipment can all cause deadly fires or explosions at New Mexico oilfield sites—especially during tank cleaning or fluid transfers—if operators do not take proper preventative measures.

If you or someone you love has suffered because of an oilfield accident, our firm has the experience and proven results to help you recover what you’ve lost. We’ve gotten our clients over $20 billion in verdicts and settlements because we go above and beyond to get the results that people need—no matter what.

What the New Mexico Anti-Indemnity Oilfield Act Means for Injured Workers

When oilfield workers are seriously injured, determining who’s responsible isn’t always straightforward. That’s especially true in the complex web of subcontractors, operators, and equipment providers that make up a modern drilling operation. For decades, large oil companies tried to escape liability by forcing contractors and vendors to sign “indemnity agreements”—contracts that unfairly shifted legal responsibility away from those truly at fault.

New Mexico passed the Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Act (NMSA § 56-7-2) to put a stop to that.

This law makes it illegal to enforce indemnity clauses that require one party to cover another’s negligence in oilfield contracts involving operations like drilling, maintenance, and service work. In plain terms: if a company’s negligence causes an accident, they can’t pass the blame—or the bill—onto someone else through a contract.

For injured workers and their families, this is crucial. It means the true at-fault party—whether it's a well operator, equipment supplier, or site manager—can and should be held accountable in court. At Arnold & Itkin, we cut through contract defenses and make sure the right parties pay for the harm they’ve caused. No finger-pointing. No escaping responsibility. Just answers, justice, and full compensation for the people who need it most.

Top-Rated New Mexico Oilfield Accident Law Firm: (888) 493-1629

Southeast New Mexico, particularly Eddy County, Lea County, and Chaves County, which sit in the oil-rich Permian Basin, is currently in the midst of the oil and gas equivalent to a gold rush. New Mexicans and workers from across the U.S. are working at the state’s many oilfields, where they have the opportunity to earn good money—but at what cost? 

If you were injured at an oilfield in New Mexico, you deserve the chance to recoup your losses.

We help workers and families in all of New Mexico, including those in:

As an oilfield worker or any employee, contractor, or subcontractor in New Mexico, you have the right to expect a reasonably safe workplace. If you were injured in a land rig fire, explosion, or any oilfield accident, you may be entitled to a significant amount of compensation for your medical care, ongoing treatment, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and more. Our Albuquerque oilfield accident law firm can help you explore your options and get the recovery you deserve.

Find out what rights you have as an oilfield worker and how you can recover the compensation you need. Call (888) 493-1629 today for your free, private consultation.