The number one reason that an injured worker does not file an offshore oil rig injury lawsuit is because they don't know when it is appropriate to seek the advice of an attorney. The accident itself was most likely traumatic and dramatic, and involved a lot of effort to get the injured party back to solid ground in order to get them the best treatment possible. A lot of precious blood, fluids, nerve cells, and other vital organ functions can be lost during that time. Many companies require a waiver to be signed upon hiring that they are not responsible for injury losses between the time of the accident and the time of arrival at the hospital.
In many cases these waivers are completely illegal under the Jones Act, not to mention other basic standards of employment. There really is only one answer to the question regarding when to call an offshore oil rig injury lawyer. As soon as humanly possible. While there are doctors and nurses and specialists who may be working on your behalf to save what they can and to return you to pre-injury status, there isn't anyone looking out for your rights.
There isn't anyone who is seeking to make sure the right paperwork is being filed and that whatever mutterings of liability you may be coerced into agreeing to while you are coming out of anesthesia are inadmissible as evidence. There isn't anyone who is covering your legal rights. The sooner you pick up the phone and call a lawyer, the sooner there will be someone looking after your legal wellbeing while everyone else is focusing on your physical wellbeing.
Family members, next of kin, powers of attorneys, and other important people in the life of an oil rig worker should absolutely be instructed to contact an offshore oil rig injury lawyer before leaving for offshore duty. In the event of a serious accident, workers really need someone to protect their rights in the event of serious burns, unconsciousness, or any type of near fatal injury. Sometimes just the event of having a lawyer on record means that an injured party received better, more prompt care.
This is highly unfair, but there is enough reflection of truth to the statement that it is completely worth having one on record. Hopefully there will never be cause to contact an attorney or to file an offshore oil rig injury lawsuit. It is a situation of preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. Filing a lawsuit is an exhaustive process that should only be considered when negotiations have failed.
It is difficult for injured parties to understand that their injury may entitle them to a large award, depending on the merits of their case. Most people who are seriously injured while on the job simply want to recover and to participate in life to the fullest. An offshore oil rig injury lawsuit doesn't seem like a means of getting there. Of course, whether to follow through on any particular case is completely up to the injured party, but the point of filing a lawsuit is to maintain as close to the quality of life the injured party had before the accident.
Sometimes the only compensation which can be offered is monetary. When an injury occurs that is detrimental to the mobility or wellbeing of the party, the only option we have in this country is to file lawsuits in hopes that at the very least, without financial strain, life can move forward with reasonable dignity. Offshore oil rig injury lawyers are here to help compensate the injured party for all they have lost through their tragic accident.
Author: Nick Johnson