Oil Platform Accident Lawyer in Houston

We’ve Fought the Biggest Oil Companies & Won.

When an explosion, fire, or structural failure happens on an offshore platform, the legal fight that follows is nothing like a land-based injury claim. Oil platform accidents trigger federal maritime law, pit injured workers against major oil and gas corporations, and involve technical evidence that most firms never encounter. At Arnold & Itkin, we’ve been inside that fight before. We represented workers after the Deepwater Horizon explosion and refused to let BP and Transocean shift blame onto the crew. That’s the standard we bring to every platform injury case.

We work from Houston, the operational center of the Gulf of Mexico energy industry, with additional offices in San Antonio and Baton Rouge. Our firm has recovered over $25 billion in verdicts and settlements for injured clients nationwide, including documented results for offshore workers and their families.

If you or someone you love was injured on an oil platform, call our Houston office at (888) 493-1629 for a free consultation. We work on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Fighting to Get the Best Results

Play Video

Why Oil Platforms Create Catastrophic Injury Risks

Fixed platforms, jack-up rigs, semi-submersibles, and drillships share one defining characteristic: they sit over navigable water, far from emergency services. When a blowout preventer fails, a crane collapses, or combustible drilling fluids ignite, the nearest trauma center may be hours away by helicopter. That delay alone can turn a serious injury into a permanent one.

The hazards are layered. Elevated work surfaces create fall risks with nothing below but water or steel decking. Pressurized systems and hydrocarbon gases make fire and explosion a constant threat. High-pressure production schedules can push supervisors to cut corners on safety, and fatigue compounds every risk. Injuries we see in these cases include severe burns, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, crush injuries, and amputations.

Federal Law & Oil Platform Accident Claims

Because platforms sit over navigable waters or on the outer continental shelf, standard state workers’ compensation almost never applies. The laws and processes governing your claim depend on the type of platform, your specific duties, and where the accident occurred.

  • Jones Act: Qualifying seamen can sue their employer for negligence and unseaworthiness of the vessel. Seaman status requires a substantial connection to a vessel in navigation; many fixed-platform workers don’t qualify.
  • Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA): OCSLA extends workers’ compensation remedies to workers injured on platforms on the outer continental shelf and may support additional claims against responsible third parties.
  • Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA): Covers certain maritime workers, such as longshoremen or harbor workers, who work on or near navigable waters but aren’t classified as seamen.
  • Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA): Covers families of workers killed more than three nautical miles from shore who seek damages. DOHSA claims carry a three-year filing deadline.
  • Maintenance and cure: Jones Act seamen are entitled to maintenance (a daily living allowance) and cure (medical expenses) regardless of fault while recovering from an injury sustained in service of the vessel.

Choosing the wrong legal theory can severely limit your recovery. Determining which framework applies requires detailed analysis of the platform type, your duties, and the accident’s location. That analysis is where we start with every case.

Our Record in Offshore Platform Cases

Oil and gas companies deploy defense teams immediately after an accident. Their goal is to limit liability before injured workers understand their rights. We counter that with deep preparation, aggressive discovery, and a genuine willingness to try these cases before a jury. We represented workers injured in platform explosions and fires, including the Deepwater Horizon, and we represented the family of crew aboard the El Faro when it sank in a hurricane and pursued accountability for their loss.

Offshore Results

Our offshore results include:

  • $68 million for a Texas offshore worker injured in a pipeline explosion.
  • $29 million in what is described as the largest known settlement for an offshore wrongful death.
  • $16.9 million jury verdict in Harris County for an injured Jones Act seaman.
  • $14 million for tugboat workers hurt in an explosion off the Texas coast.
  • $11.8 million for the family of a barge worker killed in an explosion off the Texas Gulf Coast.

Firm-Wide Record & Recognition

Our firm’s overall record includes verdicts of $8 billion, $2.25 billion, and $2.07 billion. Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin are members of the Inner Circle of Advocates, limited to 100 of the nation’s top plaintiff attorneys. We hold Tier 1 rankings from Best Law Firms by Best Lawyers in Houston for Personal Injury Litigation for Plaintiffs and Admiralty and Maritime Law. Both partners are also named to Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America.

Talk to an Oil Platform Accident Lawyer in Houston Today

If you were injured on an offshore platform, or if your family lost someone in a platform disaster, you don’t have to face the oil companies alone. Arnold & Itkin offers free consultations and works on a contingency basis. You won’t pay for any services or litigation expenses unless we recover compensation for you. We carry the financial risk of litigation because that’s what our commitment to clients looks like in practice.

Our team serves platform workers across the Gulf Coast from our Houston base, with offices in San Antonio and Baton Rouge. No matter who is on the other side, we don’t back down. Call (888) 493-1629 to speak with our team today.

Common Questions

  • What Laws Apply After an Oil Platform Accident?

    The laws that apply depend on the type of platform, your job duties, and where the accident occurred. Qualifying seamen may bring claims under the Jones Act for employer negligence and vessel unseaworthiness. Workers on platforms on the outer continental shelf may fall under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), while certain maritime workers near navigable waters may be covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). Because standard state workers' compensation almost never applies offshore, choosing the wrong legal framework can significantly limit your recovery. An experienced offshore injury attorney can determine which laws apply to your specific situation and pursue the claim that gives you the strongest path to compensation.

  • What Types of Accidents Happen on Oil Platforms?

    Oil platform accidents often involve blowout preventer failures, crane collapses, and explosions caused by combustible drilling fluids or pressurized systems. Elevated work surfaces create serious fall risks with nothing below but water or steel decking, while high-pressure production schedules and worker fatigue can compound safety hazards. Because platforms are far from emergency services, a helicopter evacuation to the nearest trauma center can take hours, turning survivable injuries into life-altering ones. Common injuries include severe burns, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, crush injuries, and amputations. If you were hurt in any of these circumstances, it's important to speak with an attorney who understands the technical evidence involved in offshore claims.

  • Can I Sue My Employer for an Oil Platform Injury?

    In many cases, yes. Unlike land-based jobs, offshore workers aren't limited to a no-fault workers' compensation system. Qualifying seamen can sue their employer directly under the Jones Act for negligence, and may also pursue claims for unseaworthiness of the vessel. Workers who don't meet seaman status but were injured on platforms on the outer continental shelf may have remedies under OCSLA, potentially including claims against third parties responsible for the accident. Because these legal theories carry different requirements and deadlines, it's critical to have your case evaluated by an offshore platform injury attorney who can identify every party that may be liable for your injuries.

  • What Compensation Can I Recover After an Offshore Platform Accident?

    Compensation in offshore platform cases can include medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and, in fatal cases, damages for the injured worker's family. Jones Act seamen are also entitled to maintenance and cure, a daily living allowance and coverage of medical expenses, regardless of fault while they recover from an injury sustained in service of the vessel. Families of workers killed more than three nautical miles from shore may pursue damages under the Death on the High Seas Act, though these claims carry a strict three-year filing deadline. The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injury, the parties responsible, and the laws that apply to your case.
Contact Us

Get Started with a Free Consultation

  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • This isn't a valid email address.
    Please enter your email address.
  • This isn't a valid phone number.
    Please enter your phone number.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please enter a message.