Why San Antonio Workers Choose Arnold & Itkin
We represented nearly a third of the surviving Deepwater Horizon crew, more than any other law firm in the country, after the worst oil rig accident in American history. That case put us directly against BP, Transocean, and Halliburton. We know how these companies defend explosion claims, and we know how to take them on.
Every case we take is prepared for trial. That preparation is what can force large oil and gas defendants to take responsibility. Companies that might otherwise stall or lowball a claim understand they're facing attorneys who will go the distance.
Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin are members of the Inner Circle of Advocates, a group limited to the 100 best plaintiff's lawyers in the nation. Our firm holds Tier 1 rankings from Best Law Firms® by Best Lawyers® in Houston in both Personal Injury Litigation for Plaintiffs and Admiralty and Maritime Law. These aren't honorary designations. They reflect the results we've achieved for clients in these kinds of cases.
Oil Rig & Oilfield Explosion Results
Our track record in explosion cases speaks directly to what we bring to your situation:
Beyond explosion cases specifically, our firm has won multi-billion-dollar verdicts of $8 billion, $2.25 billion, and $2.07 billion. We bring that same preparation and resolve to every case we accept.
What Causes Oil Rig Explosions in the Eagle Ford & Gulf
The causes differ between land rigs and offshore platforms, but both share a common thread: preventable safety failures. Investigations routinely trace explosions back to decisions or conditions that should never have existed.
Common causes our attorneys encounter include:
- Blowouts: An uncontrolled release of oil or gas from a well, which can ignite instantly if an ignition source is present. Blowout preventers are designed to stop this, but they can fail when improperly maintained or bypassed.
- Equipment failure: Degraded valves, corroded piping, and faulty pressure controls create conditions for catastrophic ignition.
- Pipeline ruptures: Especially relevant to Eagle Ford land operations, where gathering lines run near active rig sites.
- Inadequate safety training: Workers who aren’t properly trained on emergency shutdown procedures face greater risk when something goes wrong.
Your Legal Rights After a South Texas Oil Rig Explosion
The law governing your claim depends on where you were working and how your employment is classified. Land-rig workers and offshore platform workers have different rights, and understanding that distinction is critical to pursuing full compensation.
Offshore Workers
If you qualify as a seaman under the Jones Act, you can sue your employer directly for negligence. The Jones Act carries a three-year statute of limitations, though eligibility depends on your specific role and assignment. General maritime law also provides maintenance and cure benefits, which can require your employer to cover living expenses and medical care until you reach maximum medical improvement. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act covers maritime workers who don’t qualify as seamen. When a worker is killed more than three nautical miles offshore, the Death on the High Seas Act allows surviving family members to pursue damages for negligence.
Land-Based Oilfield Workers
Workers on Eagle Ford land rigs not covered by maritime law may pursue personal injury claims under Texas tort law. This is particularly significant when an employer is a nonsubscriber to Texas workers’ compensation, which removes certain defenses from the employer’s available arguments. Standard Texas personal injury claims generally must be filed within two years of the accident. Cases arising in Atascosa, Dimmit, Frio, Karnes, and nearby counties may be filed in the San Antonio Division of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Injuries & Compensation in San Antonio Oil Rig Explosion Cases
Oil rig explosions cause some of the most severe injuries in any industry. Catastrophic burn injuries require months of treatment, multiple surgeries, and long-term rehabilitation. Workers also suffer traumatic brain injuries, crush injuries, and amputations. Families who lose a worker face wrongful death claims that account for lost financial support and loss of companionship.
Compensation can include medical expenses, future care costs, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering. We work to recover every category of damages the facts support.
Fatal Explosions on Oil Rigs
Not every oil rig explosion leaves survivors. Blowouts on Eagle Ford wells, well fires at remote South Texas sites, and blast injuries on Gulf platforms can take a life instantly, or through injuries that don't allow for recovery. In the weeks after a fatal accident, families in South Texas are often approached by employer representatives, insurers, and investigators before they've had time to arrange a funeral, much less consider their legal position. What they sign or say in those early conversations can shape what's recoverable months later.
Texas wrongful death law gives the worker's surviving spouse, parents, and children the right to bring a claim against every party whose negligence contributed to the death. Recoverable damages include the financial support the family would have received, funeral and burial costs, loss of companionship and guidance, and mental anguish. For workers killed offshore, federal maritime law can replace or supplement the state remedy: seamen aboard vessels in navigation fall under the Jones Act, and deaths occurring more than three nautical miles from shore trigger the Death on the High Seas Act. Which set of laws applies is a threshold question that affects who can sue, what damages are recoverable, and how quickly a claim must be filed. Getting that analysis wrong early can foreclose recovery entirely.
Personal Attention Through Every Stage
Clients come to us during the hardest moments of their lives, and we don’t take that lightly. Our team helps clients access necessary medical care as part of our representation, not as an afterthought. We communicate directly, explain every development, and treat each person we represent with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Many clients tell us they came to know our team like family. That’s exactly how we want it.
Talk to an Oil Rig Explosion Lawyer Serving San Antonio
A consultation costs nothing. If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we win. We carry all litigation costs and expenses until we secure a verdict or settlement on your behalf. That’s not just a fee policy. It’s our commitment that we’re in this with you.
Call Arnold & Itkin at (888) 493-1629 to speak with an oil rig explosion lawyer serving San Antonio and South Texas. We’re ready to fight for you, no matter what.
