The Marcellus Shale rock formation is a key job site for gas and oil workers in Pennsylvania, among many other areas. Advanced technologies allowing horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracking created jobs, but oil and gas worker injuries continue to be a concern.
Types of Oil and Gas Worker Injuries
Common injuries in the oil and gas industry include:
- Crushing injuries
- Burns
- Amputations
- Fractures
- Brain injuries
These injuries happen as a result of vehicle and machinery accidents, blowouts, entrapment in enclosed areas, chemical exposure and fires, as well as other causes.
In addition to these injuries, workers at fracking sites may also develop illnesses due to benzene or fine sand exposure. If the sand enters the lungs, it can cause a chronic lung condition known as silicosis. Exposure to benzene has also been linked to certain cancers, including some forms of leukemia.
Seeking Oil and Gas Workers’ Compensation Benefits
If you have sustained an injury while drilling for oil, constructing a pipeline or while working in another capacity the gas or oil industry in Pennsylvania, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, including medical benefits and wage benefits.
If injured at work, there are specific steps you will want to take:
- Report the injury: In Pennsylvania, you have 120 days to report an injury from the time your injury takes place. In most cases, you will want to report the injury to your supervisor, manager or another leader at your place of employment sooner. Later reporting can delay your benefits and cause challenges in your claim.
- Talk to an attorney: Seek out an attorney with experience in oil and gas workers’ compensation in PA. An attorney, like the team at Frommer D’Amico, can represent you and work to prevent any stop in benefits. In the oil and gas industry, workers sometimes get misclassified as contractors or companies claim workers are seasonal or not entitled to benefits. Our attorneys can represent injured workers who may have gotten misclassified. If you have developed silicosis or cancer you think resulted from your fracking work, it is vital to consult with an attorney to investigate the potential link between your job and your illness.
- Keep documentation: After a pipeline construction or oil and gas accident, your lawyer will need to gather evidence of your injuries and medical costs. You can help by keeping careful records. Write down as much as you can, including dates, times and details of doctor’s appointments. Keep copies of your medical tests and prescriptions too. Take photos of your injuries and maintain detailed records of your medical care expenses and incidental costs.
Seek Help for Workers’ Compensation Cases From Frommer D’Amico
If you are a gas or oil worker who has been injured in Pennsylvania and need help receiving your workers’ compensation, contact Frommer D’Amico for a consultation — you can also reach our team at 717-400-1000. The certified workers’ compensation experts at Frommer D’Amico represent only workers’ compensation claimants and will travel to your area to make the process easier for you and your family.