Burns and chemical injuries are among the most painful and life-altering consequences of oilfield accidents in Texas. Workers on drilling rigs, production sites, and processing facilities face daily exposure to flammable hydrocarbons, caustic chemicals, high-temperature equipment, and electrical systems that can cause severe thermal, chemical, and electrical burns in seconds. These injuries often require months of hospitalization, multiple surgeries including skin grafts and reconstructive procedures, and years of physical and psychological rehabilitation. McFarlane Law’s oilfield burn injury lawyers understand the devastating impact these injuries have on workers and their families, and we fight aggressively to secure the compensation needed to cover the extensive medical treatment and long-term care burn survivors require.
Causes of Oilfield Burns and Chemical Injuries
Thermal burns in oilfield settings most commonly result from flash fires, which occur when accumulated hydrocarbon vapors ignite suddenly. Flash fires can happen during well completions, flowback operations, tank gauging, or any time workers perform hot work near potential vapor sources. The instantaneous nature of flash fires means workers often cannot escape before sustaining serious burns, even when wearing flame-resistant clothing (FRC).
Chemical burns result from contact with the caustic and corrosive substances used throughout oil and gas operations. Hydrochloric acid used in well acidizing, caustic soda used in drilling mud systems, and various completion chemicals can cause deep chemical burns that continue to damage tissue until the chemical is fully neutralized and removed. Workers who handle these chemicals without adequate personal protective equipment or proper chemical handling training face serious injury risks.
Electrical burns from contact with energized equipment, overhead power lines, or improperly grounded electrical systems can cause devastating internal injuries that may not be immediately apparent on the skin surface. Arc flash events at production facility switchgear and control panels generate temperatures exceeding 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit, causing instant third-degree burns and potentially fatal injuries.
Severity of Oilfield Burn Injuries
Oilfield burn injuries are frequently classified as severe, involving large total body surface area (TBSA) burns that require specialized treatment at regional burn centers. Third-degree burns destroy the full thickness of the skin and underlying tissue, requiring surgical debridement and skin grafting. Fourth-degree burns extend into muscle, tendon, and bone, sometimes necessitating amputation. The healing process for severe burns is extraordinarily painful and lengthy, often involving months of wound care, multiple grafting surgeries, pressure garment therapy, and intensive physical rehabilitation to maintain range of motion.
Beyond the physical injuries, burn survivors frequently suffer from severe psychological impacts including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and body image disorders related to scarring and disfigurement. The emotional toll of permanent disfigurement, chronic pain, and the loss of physical capabilities profoundly affects every aspect of a burn survivor’s life.
Employer and Operator Responsibility
Oilfield employers and operators have clear obligations to protect workers from burn and chemical hazards through comprehensive safety programs. These include providing appropriate flame-resistant clothing (FRC) and chemical-resistant PPE, implementing hot work permit systems, maintaining gas detection and fire suppression equipment, training workers in chemical handling and emergency response, and enforcing procedures that minimize ignition sources near hydrocarbon vapors.
When companies fail to meet these obligations — by providing inadequate PPE, failing to maintain fire protection systems, or pressuring workers to bypass safety procedures to speed production — they bear direct responsibility for the burn injuries that result. McFarlane Law builds strong cases against negligent employers by documenting safety failures, regulatory violations, and the company’s knowledge of the hazards its workers faced.
Compensation for Oilfield Burn Victims
Given the severity of burn injuries and the extensive medical treatment required, compensation in oilfield burn cases is often substantial. Medical costs alone for major burn injuries can exceed one million dollars, including emergency treatment, burn center hospitalization, surgical procedures, rehabilitation, and ongoing wound care. Lost income, loss of earning capacity, and the need for life care plans addressing future medical needs significantly increase the total damages in these cases.
McFarlane Law works with burn injury specialists, life care planners, and economists to fully document the lifetime costs of our clients’ burn injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation about your oilfield burn injury case.
Related Practice Areas
- Texas Oilfield Accident Lawyer — Back to main oilfield injury page
- Texas Truck Accident Lawyer
- Texas Workplace Injury Lawyer
- Texas Wrongful Death Lawyer
- Texas Personal Injury Lawyer
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