Houston Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) Injury Lawyer
Offshore rig work is one of the most dangerous career paths in the country. Rig workers face daily dangers, from unstable and slick working accommodations to unpredictable weather and emissions from oil or gas reserves. Those working on mobile offshore drilling units (MODU) may be at more of a risk than those working on more stable, permanent rigs.
If you’ve been hurt in an offshore rig accident, the advice of a Houston mobile offshore drilling unit injury lawyer can be invaluable. They know what laws apply to your case and will help secure compensation for your medical care and other losses.
The Havens & Associates legal team is ready to fight for your rights, including holding negligent rig owners and operators accountable for failing to preserve your safety at work. Call us today at (713) 955-2215 for a free consultation with a Houston offshore accident attorney.
Havens & Associates has the skills and experience needed to win your case
Led by firm founder and chief attorney Jonny Havens, a seasoned and proven trial lawyer, our legal team focuses on helping injured workers and their families get justice. As an Army veteran, Jonny takes his missions seriously, including his mission to demand full and fair recovery for you. He prepares each case to present to a jury, focusing on winning in the courtroom or successfully settling your lawsuit out of court.
We offer big-firm knowledge and experience combined with boutique firm empathy. Our client-first approach means that our advice centers on your case, situation, and goals. We take your calls, listen to your worries, and aggressively pursue a full and fair recovery.
As local legal professionals, we know the circuit court judges and are familiar with the local courthouses—we know the lay of the land. We’re your friends and neighbors, active in our local communities, and want to help people like you. Our attorneys are licensed to practice in both Texas and federal courts.
Don’t just take our word for it – Here’s what our clients have to say about our approach
As dedicated personal injury attorneys, we’ve recovered millions of dollars for our clients in out-of-court settlements and jury awards. We know how insurance companies operate because we used to work for them. We understand the tricks they try to pull to avoid paying a large settlement and how to combat them.
| “Jonny Havens is a tough, aggressive lawyer who was instrumental in working through some complicated legal matters for my organization. He was able to relieve a lot of the stress and fear I had about using a lawyer for the first time and I couldn’t be happier with the results. I wouldn’t recommend any one else over Jonny and his team.” – Kevin Doffing |
| We recently recovered $600,000 in an oilfield injury case, fighting for maximum recovery. |
Free initial consultation
You may not know if you have a case or not—injuries sustained on MODUs and in the Gulf may be covered by state law, federal law, workers’ compensation, or a combination of these. Your journey with Havens & Associates starts with a free case review with a Houston mobile offshore drilling unit injury lawyer.
We review the information surrounding the injury, including incident reports or a police report, photos or a video of the incident, and any eyewitness accounts. Then, we consider the extent of your injuries and their impact on your life (can you work and care for yourself independently?).
With years of experience, we can properly value your claim, including consideration for pain and suffering.
Resources to fully investigate the accident
Evidence in an offshore rig accident can quickly disappear. Our team swiftly gets to work, gathering evidence of negligence on the part of the rig owner, operator, or another party. We also talk to witnesses, like your coworkers, and get a feel for the working conditions on the rig.
Our firm has extensive resources to investigate your case, including private investigators and expert witnesses who can evaluate the effectiveness of safety mechanisms in the rig or explain to the jury how the accident happened.
Thorough knowledge of Texas Gulf injury laws
Unlike most other states in the country, Texas does not require employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This may complicate workplace injury cases since the only other avenue is to file a lawsuit against your employer.
However, other laws, including federal maritime laws, may also apply in your case. Many offshore rig workers may be covered by The Jones Act, Maintenance and Cure, Death on the High Seas, or other federal laws.
We know which laws apply in your case and the right legal avenues to give you the best possible outcome after your injury.
Vigorous pursuit of your interests
As plaintiffs’ attorneys, we represent people, not big insurance companies or oil rig owners. We know that this claim may be your only option for getting justice and securing the money you need to pay your medical bills, support your family, and have the means to improve your quality of life post-injury.
We fight for you and the best possible outcome for your claim, even if it means litigating your case in court.
Havens & Associates has experience handling all types of MODU injury cases
Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) are initial exploratory wells dug after seismic surveys indicate that oil or natural gas is located at particular coordinates offshore.
A MODU isn’t intended to be as large or sturdy as a drilling rig. These structures may be semi-submersible, a jack-up, or ship—or barge-shaped. Accidents can happen at any point during the erecting process, from initial placement through equipping it or during use.
Our firm takes all sorts of MODU injury cases, including:
- Oil rig or MODU explosions often cause serious burn injuries and smoke inhalation injuries from fires. Multiple catastrophic injuries may happen in an explosion.
- Burns, which can happen through welding accidents, malfunctioning safety equipment, or combustible fumes. Burn injuries may cause permanent disability and chronic pain.
- Equipment failure may cause someone to fall from heights or cause equipment to come loose and hit a worker. Faulty equipment or malfunctioning safety gear may injure multiple people.
- Deck accidents. MODU working platforms and walkways are small, crowded, and often full of slip or trip hazards. Soft tissue injuries, like sprains and strains, broken bones, and neck and spine injuries, are common after a deck accident.
- Catastrophic injuries, in which the victim requires intensive and long-term medical care. You may not be able to work again, so we may need to calculate future damages, possibly decades into the future.
- Third-party injury cases, in which the negligence or oversight of another party caused the accident.
If you don’t see the cause of your MODU injury, we can still take your case. A Houston offshore injury lawyer can evaluate your injury’s cause and your legal compensation options.
Our skilled Houston injury lawyers know the ins and outs of MODU cases
People injured in most MODU accidents are covered by the Jones Act, a U.S. maritime law that permits injured seamen and offshore workers to sue their employer should they suffer injury on the job.
Offshore rig workers, including those who work on MODUs, like engineers, pilots, and rig assemblymen, may not be covered by workers’ compensation Insurance. Instead, per the Jones Act, they can file a lawsuit for compensatory damages against their employer and any other liable party to cover material losses. That may include medical bills, lost wages, and intangible losses like pain and suffering and a diminished quality of life.
If you’ve been hurt in a MODU accident, it’s important to work fast. The statute of limitations for filing your case depends on which law covers you. If the Jones Act applies in your case, you have three years from the accident date to file your claim; otherwise, your case will likely be dismissed.
If you lose someone you love, you and your surviving family members may be able to file a claim under the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA), which provides many of the same benefits as the Jones Act. The statute of limitations for a DOHSA claim is also three years from the date of your loved one’s death.
Work with our top-rated Houston MODU injury lawyer today
Have you or someone you love been injured on a MODU? The Havens & Associates legal team is here to help you get the compensation you deserve by helping you file a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
Contact us today at (713) 955-2215 for a free consultation with an experienced Houston mobile offshore accident lawyer.
We answer common questions about MODU accidents
Sometimes. It depends on whether your employer carries workers’ compensation coverage (not all Texas employers are required to) and whether the Jones Act applies in your case.
Any settlement offer initially offered by the insurance company will likely be much lower than your case is worth. A lawyer can properly value your claim and may be able to negotiate a higher settlement than the initial offer.
Each situation is different. The more seriously someone is injured, especially if they are temporarily or permanently disabled, the higher their settlement will be. The money is intended to cover their medical care, and catastrophic injuries can be expensive.
Retaliation, or firing an employee for talking to a lawyer after a workplace accident, is illegal. If your employer attempts illegal action, talk to your attorney. You may have additional legal options if you’re a victim of retaliation.