Rhome Oil Rig & Drilling Injury Attorney

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Oil rig and drilling work in and around Rhome, Texas is one of the most physically demanding and dangerous jobs a person can take on. Rhome sits in Wise County, a county with active gas leases and drilling operations tied to the Barnett Shale formation, where workers face serious hazards every single shift. If you or a family member suffered an injury at a drilling site near Rhome, you have legal rights, and the team at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys in Denton, Texas is ready to help you understand them. Call us today at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.

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Why Rhome and Wise County Workers Face Serious Drilling Injury Risks

Rhome is a small city in Wise County, located along U.S. Highway 287 between Decatur and Fort Worth. The area sits above portions of the Barnett Shale, one of the most actively drilled natural gas formations in Texas. Active operators near Rhome include Bedrock Production, LLC and BKV Barnett, LLC, with multiple producing gas leases recorded in the area. That level of activity means a steady presence of drilling crews, service workers, roustabouts, and equipment operators working in conditions that carry real physical risk.

Worker fatalities in the oil and gas extraction industry are largely concentrated in Texas, which is the top oil and gas producing state with the majority of active rotary rigs and workers in the sector. Wise County is no exception to that pattern. Workers commuting from Rhome to job sites along FM 407, near Lake Bridgeport, or across the county’s rural roads face the same hazards as workers anywhere else in the Texas oil patch.

The dangers are not abstract. Blowouts, equipment failures, pressure releases, falls from elevated platforms, and struck-by incidents happen at land-based drilling sites just as they do at offshore rigs. During a recent six-year study period, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) identified 470 oil and gas extraction worker fatalities nationwide. Texas accounted for a disproportionate share of those deaths. Workers near Rhome deserve to know that a serious injury at a drilling site is not something they must simply absorb on their own.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys serves injured workers and their families throughout the Denton area, including those who live and work in Wise County communities like Rhome. If you were hurt on a drilling site, do not wait to get legal guidance. The laws that protect you have deadlines, and missing them can cost you your right to recover.

Drilling injuries tend to be severe. The equipment is heavy, the pressures involved are extreme, and the pace of work on a rig site leaves little room for error. Understanding the most common injury types helps you recognize when negligence played a role in what happened to you.

Common oil rig accident injuries include bone fractures from being struck by objects, chemical or third-degree burns from well blowouts, fires, and explosions, head or brain injuries from falling pipes and equipment, paralysis from falls off derricks and platforms, and limb loss from being crushed by heavy machinery. Each of these injury categories can result in permanent disability, lost income, and a lifetime of medical expenses.

According to OSHA, three out of every five oilfield injuries are caused by a worker being crushed, struck by, or caught between an object. These are not freak accidents. They follow predictable patterns tied to poor equipment maintenance, inadequate training, and production pressure that pushes workers to move faster than is safe.

Traumatic brain injuries, severe burn injuries, and catastrophic spinal injuries are all outcomes that workers near Rhome have faced after drilling site incidents. These injuries change lives permanently. They affect not just the worker, but the entire family. Medical bills pile up quickly, and many injured workers find themselves unable to return to the same type of work, or any work at all.

The personal injury lawyers at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys understand the full weight of what a serious drilling injury means for a working family. We handle these cases with the seriousness they deserve, and we work to pursue every dollar of compensation available to you under Texas and federal law.

Federal and Texas Laws That Protect Rhome Oil and Gas Workers After an Injury

Several specific laws govern what rights you have after a drilling injury in Texas, and which legal path makes the most sense for your situation. Knowing which law applies to your claim is the first step toward protecting yourself.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide workers with a safe workplace free from recognized hazards. OSHA regulations under 29 C.F.R. Part 1910 and Part 1926 cover general industry and construction safety standards that apply to many drilling site operations. When an employer violates these standards and a worker gets hurt, that violation can serve as strong evidence of negligence in a civil claim.

Texas workers’ compensation law, administered by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC), adds another layer of complexity. Texas is the top oil and gas producing state, with the majority of active rotary rigs and OGE workers, meaning Texas law governs a significant share of all U.S. drilling injury claims. Critically, Texas is the only state that does not require most private employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. An employer without coverage is called a “non-subscriber” under Texas law.

When your employer is a non-subscriber, you can file a direct negligence lawsuit against them without the usual workers’ compensation restrictions. That means you can pursue full damages, including pain and suffering, which are not available under standard workers’ comp. If your employer does carry workers’ comp coverage, you may still have a third-party claim against a contractor, equipment manufacturer, or property owner whose negligence contributed to your injury.

For workers on vessels or navigable waterways connected to drilling operations, the Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 30104) provides additional protections. Under that statute, a seaman injured in the course of employment may bring a civil action at law against their employer, with the right to a jury trial. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), 33 U.S.C. § 905(b), also allows an injured worker covered under that act to bring a third-party action against a negligent vessel owner. These federal laws can apply in specific drilling contexts, particularly for workers on offshore platforms or vessels supporting drilling operations.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Drilling Injury Near Rhome, Texas

Liability in an oil rig or drilling injury case rarely falls on just one party. Multiple companies often share responsibility, and identifying all of them is critical to recovering full compensation.

The drilling contractor who operates the rig is often the most obvious responsible party. But the operator who leases the land and directs the overall work, the service companies hired to perform specific tasks like cementing or well testing, and the manufacturers of defective equipment can all bear legal responsibility for what happened to you.

Subcontractors hired to perform high-risk tasks like drilling, casing, trucking, and workovers may be responsible for accidents due to inadequate training or rushed work. Third-party equipment manufacturers may be held accountable if defective or poorly maintained machinery caused the incident. Site owners or leaseholders may also share legal responsibility when hazardous site conditions contribute to an accident.

In wrongful death cases, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.002 provides the legal basis for a claim. Under that statute, a person is liable for damages arising from an injury that causes an individual’s death if the injury was caused by the person’s or their agent’s wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, or unskillfulness. This statute applies directly to industrial plant operators and machinery owners, which covers most drilling site operators under Texas law.

Identifying every responsible party requires a thorough investigation. Evidence from the job site, OSHA inspection records, equipment maintenance logs, training records, and witness statements all play a role. The sooner an attorney gets involved after a drilling injury, the better the chance of preserving that evidence before it disappears. Call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 as soon as possible after an injury.

What Compensation You Can Recover After a Rhome Oil Rig Injury

Texas law allows injured drilling workers to pursue several categories of compensation, depending on the facts of their case and the legal theory that applies. The specific damages available to you depend on whether you are filing a workers’ comp claim, a negligence lawsuit against a non-subscriber employer, or a third-party claim against another responsible party.

In a direct negligence or third-party lawsuit, you can generally seek compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages and lost earning capacity, physical pain and mental anguish, physical impairment, and disfigurement. These categories are recognized under Texas personal injury law and can result in significant recovery when the injuries are serious and permanent.

If a loved one was killed in a drilling accident near Rhome, a wrongful death claim under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71 allows the surviving spouse, children, and parents of the deceased to seek damages for their own losses, including loss of companionship, loss of financial support, and mental anguish. A survival claim, brought on behalf of the deceased’s estate, can also recover for the pain and suffering the worker experienced before death.

There is no formula that guarantees a specific outcome in any case. Every drilling injury claim turns on its own facts, the strength of the evidence, and the parties involved. What we can tell you is that acting quickly protects your rights. Texas generally imposes a two-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, and missing that deadline ends your ability to recover. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handles drilling injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

FAQs About Rhome Oil Rig and Drilling Injury Claims

Can I sue my employer if I was injured on a drilling site near Rhome, Texas?

It depends on whether your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance. In Texas, private employers are not required to carry workers’ comp coverage. If your employer is a non-subscriber, meaning they opted out of the Texas workers’ compensation system, you can file a direct negligence lawsuit against them and pursue full damages, including pain and suffering. If your employer does carry workers’ comp, your claim against them is generally limited to the workers’ comp system, but you may still have a separate third-party claim against contractors, equipment manufacturers, or other negligent parties.

What should I do immediately after a drilling injury near Rhome?

Seek medical attention right away, even if the injury seems minor at first. Report the incident to your supervisor in writing and keep a copy. Do not sign any documents from your employer or their insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Take photographs of the scene, your injuries, and any equipment involved if it is safe to do so. Contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 as soon as possible so we can help you preserve critical evidence and protect your legal rights from the start.

Does the Jones Act apply to land-based drilling workers near Rhome?

The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 30104) applies to workers classified as “seamen,” which generally means workers who spend a significant portion of their time working on a vessel in navigable waters. Most land-based drilling workers near Rhome would not qualify as seamen under that definition. However, if your work involves a vessel connected to a drilling operation on navigable waterways, Jones Act coverage may apply. An attorney can review your specific job duties and work history to determine which federal or state law governs your claim.

How long do I have to file a drilling injury claim in Texas?

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003 sets a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, including those arising from drilling site accidents. That two-year period generally begins on the date of the injury. Wrongful death claims under Chapter 71 of the same code also carry a two-year deadline, running from the date of death. Some exceptions exist, but they are narrow. Waiting too long to contact an attorney is one of the most common and most costly mistakes an injured worker can make.

What if multiple companies were involved in the drilling operation where I was hurt?

This is very common on drilling sites near Rhome and throughout Wise County. A single job site may involve the well operator, a drilling contractor, multiple service companies, and equipment manufacturers. Each of these parties can potentially share legal responsibility for your injury. Texas law allows you to bring claims against all responsible parties in a single lawsuit, and the jury can apportion fault among them. Identifying every liable party requires a thorough investigation, which is why contacting Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys early in the process gives you the best chance of recovering full compensation for your losses.

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