A team of 126 oil rig workers on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico were going about their day when a massive explosion occurred sinking the rig. As of this writing, 11 crewmembers are still missing and feared dead, according to keyc.com. In fact, relatives of the 11 missing workers were informed that their loved ones are assumed dead, according to peoplesworld.org.
The remaining 115 oil rig workers escaped by a life boat, but at least 17 of these workers are seriously injured with three workers in critical condition, according to the Associated Press. They are receiving treatment at hospitals in New Orleans, Louisiana (LA) and Mobile, Alabama (AL).
Here is a video of a news report on this oil rig accident…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj1kckYnspQ
This oil rig industrial accident is eerily similar to the recent coal mine explosion in West Virginia (WV) where a group of workers were trapped inside the decimated mine for days and were eventually found dead.
This is a terrible tragedy that puts a spotlight on how dangerous oil drilling and exploration can be for the employees who spend their days on these rigs. They work extremely long hours and are exposed to serious injury while working with dangerous equipment and the volatile weather conditions of the sea.
Offshore drilling is expected sometime in the future in Virginia (VA) and the same risks will be present for oil rig workers off the VA coast. The Washington Post recently wrote an article discussing the potential impact this industrial accident may have on the future of offshore drilling in VA. Fortunately, oil rig explosions and disasters on the magnitude of what occurred on the Gulf are not common, but when they do occur, the loss of life and serious injuries can be devastating.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices ) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers.
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Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
One Comment
Joshua
The environmental impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig sinking into the Gulf of Mexico will be felt for years to come. The financial impact is already being felt.
As it sunk, the rig began spilling tens of thousands of gallons of oil into the water per day. Nearly a half-million gallons have already spilled and the toll could be worse than that of the Valdez accident.
Fears are that oil from the well on the sea floor will begin making its way to the surface. Just 41 miles from the coast, the rig is situated so that this incident has brought a lot of business to a halt on the seas, and for those who depend on the Gulf along the shores. As the slick spreads across the Gulf, more and more business is impacted each day. This delay is likely to total in the millions of dollars until the site is cleaned.
And clearly, the impact of sea life in the Gulf is immediate and could be felt for years. Those waters serve as home to numerous fish species and shellfish like shrimp, mussels and oysters we find at markets. Not only is it next to impossible to farm these animals under such conditions, the water quality is sure to be jeopardized by the massive oil spill.
Please read this site for more information on the environmental and economic damages this explosion, fire and spill have caused: http://www.oil-rig-explosions.com/
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