Midland-Odessa Oilfield Injury Lawyers Fighting for Permian Basin Workers

TL;DR (In short): Harper Law Firm provides aggressive representation for oilfield workers injured in the Midland-Odessa region of the Permian Basin, where severe oilfield injuries have increased 36% since 2022. We pursue third-party claims against oil and gas operators, equipment manufacturers, and negligent contractors to secure maximum compensation beyond workers’ compensation limitations.

The Most Dangerous Oilfield Region in America

The Permian Basin surrounding Midland and Odessa has become the most dangerous place in the country to work in oil and gas. While oilfield injuries have declined nationwide in recent years, this West Texas oil patch has seen a sharp 36 percent increase in serious injuries since 2022. According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration data, the Midland-Odessa region now accounts for nearly 30 percent of all severe oilfield injuries reported statewide and approximately 43 percent of all severe oil and gas injuries reported nationwide.

Harper Law Firm provides aggressive legal representation for oilfield workers injured on rigs, drilling sites, and well pads throughout the Permian Basin. We understand that when oil companies prioritize production over safety, hardworking men and women pay the price with life-altering injuries. Our attorneys fight to hold these companies accountable and secure maximum compensation for injured workers.

Permian Basin Oilfield Injury Statistics

The numbers paint a troubling picture of oilfield safety in the Midland-Odessa region. OSHA severe injury reports document at least 20 oilfield workers suffering serious injuries across the Midland-Odessa region in recent reporting periods, marking a 25 percent increase over prior years. The region accounts for 55 percent of all severe oil and gas injuries reported in Texas and more than half of all oilfield worker hospitalizations nationwide.

Since 2017, OSHA has reported more than 34 oilfield-related fatalities across Midland-Odessa and surrounding Permian Basin towns including Big Spring, Garden City, and Stanton. In 2024 alone, at least 15 oilfield workers suffered serious, life-altering injuries in the Midland-Odessa area, up from 12 in 2022 and 13 in 2023.

Why Injuries Continue Rising

The same preventable hazards continue to injure and kill workers year after year in the Permian Basin. Federal and state work injury statistics show that a small number of accident types account for the majority of serious injuries, and none of them are unavoidable. Equipment failures, inadequate safety protocols, rushed production schedules, and insufficient training all contribute to the region’s dangerous conditions.

The oil and gas industry operates around the clock in the Permian Basin, and the pressure to meet production targets often comes at the expense of worker safety. When oil companies choose profits over people and put workers’ lives at risk, they should be held fully accountable.

Common Oilfield Accidents in Midland-Odessa

Transportation and Trucking Accidents

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death among oilfield workers in the Permian Basin. The region’s oil rigs run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, requiring a constant flow of oilfield equipment, drilling materials, water, sand, and hazardous chemicals. This creates massive truck traffic on roads that were never designed to handle such volume.

Oilfield trucking accidents are typically driven by fatigued drivers working 15 to 20-hour shifts, unrealistic delivery schedules imposed by production pressure, overloaded vehicles carrying heavy equipment and materials, and inadequate training for drivers navigating hazardous conditions. In 2024 alone, Midland County recorded 12 fatal truck crashes resulting in 13 deaths, with several involving oilfield vehicles.

Struck-By and Caught-Between Accidents

Struck-by and caught-between accidents remain a leading cause of severe oilfield injuries in the Permian Basin. Workers are crushed between heavy equipment, struck by moving vehicles, or hit by unsecured loads during rig-up, rig-down, and maintenance operations. These accidents often occur when crews are rushed or understaffed due to production pressure.

One tragic example involved a worker performing oil and gas support work who was struck in the head by a boom and bucket, sustaining fatal lacerations and skull fractures. Another worker was killed when struck by a kill line that became dislodged from a blowout preventer, releasing high-pressure material.

Explosions, Blowouts, and Pressure Releases

Explosions, blowouts, flash fires, and other pressure-related incidents continue to cause some of the most catastrophic injuries in Midland-Odessa oilfield operations. Equipment failures, ignored warning signs, and inadequate safety controls can turn routine tasks into fatal events in seconds.

Recent incidents include fatal blowout preventer failures where workers were killed by high-pressure material releases and pressurized equipment ruptures during fracturing operations that killed one worker and seriously injured others. These incidents demonstrate how quickly routine operations can become catastrophic when companies cut corners or neglect safety protocols.

Electrocution and Electrical Accidents

Oilfield workers face significant electrocution risks from contact with overhead power lines, energized equipment, and improper electrical systems. In one recent case, a worker was electrocuted after coming into contact with a forklift that had struck overhead power lines.

Toxic Exposure and Chemical Hazards

The Permian Basin’s oil and gas operations involve numerous toxic substances that can cause serious injuries or death. Hydrogen sulfide gas exposure has killed multiple workers in the region, including cases where family members searching for missing workers were also fatally exposed to the invisible, deadly gas.

Holding Oil Companies Accountable

Major Operators in the Permian Basin

The Midland-Odessa region is home to some of the largest oil and gas companies in the world. Major operators with significant Permian Basin presence include Diamondback Energy, Pioneer Natural Resources, Occidental Petroleum, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Apache Corporation. Service companies providing drilling, completion, and support services include Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Schlumberger, and numerous smaller contractors.

These companies have a duty to maintain safe working conditions. Yet after a serious accident, they often use their subcontractors as shields to avoid responsibility, even though they ultimately control the pace, schedule, and safety culture of the job site.

Third-Party Liability Claims

Many oilfield accident victims have claims against parties other than their employers. These third-party claims are not limited by workers’ compensation restrictions and can include all categories of damages including pain and suffering, mental anguish, and full lost wages.

Potentially liable parties include oil and gas operators who control site safety and production schedules, general contractors responsible for overall safety coordination, equipment manufacturers if defective products contributed to the accident, trucking and logistics companies if driver negligence caused the accident, and property owners who failed to address known hazards.

Workers’ Compensation vs. Third-Party Claims

Texas is unique in that it does not require employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This significantly impacts oilfield accident claims. If an employer opts into workers’ compensation, injured workers receive medical coverage and partial wage replacement regardless of fault, but benefits are capped and workers generally cannot sue their employer for additional damages unless gross negligence is proven.

If an employer does not carry workers’ compensation, injured workers can file a personal injury lawsuit against their employer. In these non-subscriber cases, the employer cannot use certain defenses such as contributory negligence, making it easier to recover full damages.

OSHA Violations and Safety Enforcement

Federal Safety Standards

OSHA establishes comprehensive safety standards for oil and gas operations addressing fall protection, hazard communication, personal protective equipment, and process safety management. Violations of these standards provide strong evidence of negligence in civil lawsuits.

In 2024, OSHA issued more than 316 citations and over $1.4 million in penalties to oil and gas excavation companies. However, fines from OSHA are not justice for injured workers and their families. When oil companies choose profits over people, they should be held fully accountable through civil litigation.

Common OSHA Violations

Common OSHA violations in Permian Basin oilfield operations include failure to provide adequate fall protection, inadequate hazard communication programs, failure to properly maintain safety equipment, insufficient worker training, violations of process safety management requirements, and failure to provide required personal protective equipment.

Injuries Common in Oilfield Accidents

Oilfield accidents often result in catastrophic injuries due to the dangerous nature of the work and the heavy equipment involved. Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries from struck-by accidents and falls, spinal cord injuries potentially causing paralysis, severe burns from explosions, fires, and chemical exposure, multiple fractures requiring surgery and extended recovery, amputations from caught-between accidents and equipment malfunctions, internal organ damage from blunt force trauma, and hearing loss from explosions and loud equipment.

These severe injuries often require extensive medical treatment, lengthy rehabilitation, and may result in permanent disabilities that prevent workers from returning to their careers in the oilfield industry.

Local Medical Resources for Injured Workers

When oilfield accidents occur in the Midland-Odessa area, injured workers require immediate medical attention. Medical Center Hospital in Odessa serves as the only Level II Trauma Center in the Permian Basin, providing 24/7 emergency surgical care and rapid response for critically injured patients. The facility serves patients from 17 surrounding counties.

Midland Memorial Hospital provides comprehensive emergency and specialty care for injured workers. The region is also developing expanded healthcare resources, including the Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center to address mental health needs, which can be significant for workers recovering from traumatic accidents.

For severe injuries requiring air transport, Care Star Air Ambulance Service provides emergency medical transport throughout the Permian Basin region.

Acting Quickly After an Oilfield Accident

Time is critical in oilfield accident cases. Evidence at accident scenes changes rapidly as operations continue. Equipment may be moved, repaired, or replaced. Witnesses may leave the job site and become difficult to locate. Companies may attempt to conceal safety violations.

Contact Harper Law Firm immediately after an oilfield accident so we can begin investigating while evidence is available. We will work to preserve evidence, identify witnesses, obtain OSHA records, and document safety violations before they can be concealed.

Contact Midland-Odessa Oilfield Injury Lawyers Today

If you have been injured in an oilfield accident in Midland, Odessa, or anywhere in the Permian Basin, Harper Law Firm will fight aggressively to hold the responsible parties accountable. We understand the oil and gas industry and we know how to identify and pursue all potentially liable parties to secure maximum compensation.

Our attorneys are not intimidated by large oil companies and their legal teams. We prepare every case for trial because that approach produces better settlements and ensures we are ready when cases require litigation.

Contact Harper Law Firm today – Midland-Odessa oilfield injury lawyers fighting for Permian Basin workers.