Why are there frequent helicopter crashes involved in transport to oil rigs in Louisiana?

Louisiana – January 2, 2023

Three oil rig workers and a pilot were on board when a Bell 407 helicopter crashed as it was departing an oil platform. Raising the aircraft and recovering the fatally injured men has been a process but they have been brought to shore. This crash was the Louisiana-based aircraft company’s third of 2022 with a recent crash on December 15, when a Rotorcraft helicopter downed near Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, leaving three passengers stranded. The U.S. Coast Guard eventually rescued those passengers. The first crash of the 2022 year was on January 14, when a Rotorcraft helicopter crashed into the marsh near Lafourche Parish, killing a pilot and a passenger.  Surviving loved ones and family should contact a wrongful death attorney in Louisiana for guidance after an oil rig accident causes the loss of a loved one.

Worker’s compensation laws.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission has a specific process to be undertaken when a person becomes injured on the job, contracts an illness that is job-related, or dies on the job, necessitating a workers’ compensation claim for monetary damages. Environmental attorneys at Stag Liuzza can collaborate with victims of toxic exposures that result in death or leave workers with permanent disability. Wrongful death legal actions may also be initiated in some cases.

Dangerous occupation. 

Oil Industry workers are more likely to suffer injury, or death as an occupational hazard as demonstrated by the Centers for Disease Controls, Fatalities in the Oil and Gas Extraction Industry (FOG).  Accidents often occur because of an employer’s lack of enforcement of safety measures and protocols, inadequate Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training, and/or employer negligence.  Negligence will need to be proven by a personal injury attorney.

The most common causes of oil rig injury and death.

• Physical demands of the oil rigging industry involve strength, balance, steady hands, and acute coordination because without those attributes, individuals may fall from higher decks and platforms onto lower levels, or the sea. If equipment and objects become loose, employees can trip and fall.  Fall protection must be in place and proper cleaning of slicked areas should be undertaken with frequency.
• Fire hazards and blowouts which may be caused by leaks, environmental conditions, or employee negligence.
• Heavy machinery and falling object accidents occurring because of the size and strength of oil extractors, other large machinery and technical requirements needed to properly operate the heavy equipment, and the movement of large objects on a maritime vessel.
• Transportation to and from rigs often involves the use of helicopters and water transport to reach rig locations. Transportation accidents are the primary cause of death and injury in the oil industry due to mechanical problems and weather conditions.
• Toxic substance and chemical exposures of drilled oil, fluids used for drilling and other toxic chemicals may result in burns, rashes, respiratory problems, organic failure, allergic reactions, and asphyxiation.

Skilled attorneys can address injuries utilizing maritime law protections including The Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act to recover comprehensive damages after an injury, or job-related fatality.

Seek legal counsel.

Legal counsel can answer questions regarding the choice between seeking the recovery of damages through workers’ compensation claims, or through civil litigation when accident victims have been harmed in a workplace setting.  Experienced attorneys at Stag Liuzza understand how important it is to seek comprehensive financial awards of damages after an oil rig worker’s death to maintain stability for surviving loved ones.

STAG LIUZZA, LLC

One Canal Place
365 Canal Street
Suite 2850
New Orleans, LA 70130

Ph: 504-593-9600
Fax: 504-593-9601

 Sources.

1. Helicopter, remains of four men now on shore 5 days after oil rig crash (fox8live.com)
2. 3 people on life raft after helicopter crash off Louisiana coast, USCG says (wlox.com)
3. Pilot, passenger presumed dead in Louisiana helicopter crash (wlox.com)
4. http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=814789
5. https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=110567
6. http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109387
7. http://www.laworks.net/WorkersComp/OWC_MainMenu.asp
8. http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109371