Grieving Widow Seeks Damages in Oklahoma Oil Rig Disaster
Everyday tens of thousands of workers across Houston and around Texas go to work in the oil and gas industry. The jobs pay well but there is also risk that goes along with working in the industry, including injury as a result of an oil rig accident. In Oklahoma, Dianna Waldridge is coping with that tragic reality today.
Five men taken from their families. Mrs. Waldridge is the wife of one of five rig workers who lost their lives on January 22, 2018, when an uncontrolled release of natural gas shot up the well hole of the Quinton gas rig and ignited into a massive inferno. The rig collapsed, drill pipe bent from the resulting heat, and it took a day for emergency responders to get the fire under control. When the oil field workers were eventually found, they could only be identified by dental records.
Tulsa’s News on 6 reports that Mrs. Waldridge has filed a wrongful death suit against multiple parties involved in the drilling operation, seeking financial compensation for the death of her husband, 60 year old Parker Waldridge, a father of four. The defendants in the case include Red Mountain Operating, Red Mountain Energy, Patterson-UTI Drilling and Patteron UTI-Energy.
The suit alleges that the companies were negligent in providing safety, supervision and training of their employees during the drilling work. Allegedly none of the “blow out preventers” were in the closed position when the release began. The fire that resulted was catastrophic, taking the lives of the five men and completely destroying the rig and nearby buildings.
The tangled, charred wreckage
The power of the explosion is readily apparent from this Associated Press footage. The “dog house”, a small office located on the floor of the drilling rig, can be vaguely made out at the base of the collapsed derrick, which is where most of the deceased men were found.
It’s complicated.
The current lawsuit names multiple parties as defendants, and it’s likely other aggrieved families will soon file suit as well.
Drilling rig operations are complex and often involve workers from different companies performing very different tasks at any given time on the job site. When a drilling rig accident happens, determining the cause or causes is complicated. Investigations will be conducted by one or more companies at the site and if there are significant injuries or fatalities, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration will also investigate. So when an injured oil field worker or his surviving family needs legal representation, it is essential to have a law firm on your side with the experience, knowledge, and skill to understand what happened and why so that all responsible parties are held accountable.
The Houston Rig Accident Attorneys You Need
At The Callahan Law Firm, we have a history of representing injured oil field workers and their families in injury and fatality cases. Our oil field accident attorneys have the experience, knowledge, skill, and resources to successfully represent injured oil field workers and their families in times of adversity.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation. Our firm handles oil field accident cases on a contingency fee basis – which means that we don’t get paid unless you make a recovery, whether through settlement or jury award.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation Today.
Michael S Callahan is an attorney and founder of The Callahan Law Firm. He focuses his practice on representing individuals and families in personal injury cases involving motor vehicle and truck accidents, workplace accidents and defective products. With over 25 years of experience, he is dedicated to fighting on behalf of people whose lives have been forever altered by the negligence and carelessness of corporations and individuals. Originally trained as a mechanical engineer, Michael has been practicing law and fighting for justice for those who need it most since 1994. He is board-certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and a member of various esteemed legal associations. Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending quality time with his family, outdoor activities, and continually striving to improve as a trial lawyer and human being.
