What Compensation Can Laredo Oilfield Workers Recover After an Injury?

At Anderson Alexander (A2X), we have fought for numerous individuals who were injured in oilfield accidents in Laredo and helped secure them substantial compensation covering medical care, lost income, rehabilitation, and the ongoing consequences of serious injury. We know how hard these jobs are. In Laredo and throughout Texas, oilfield workers often face dangerous conditions, and all too often, large companies minimize risks, ignore injuries, or fail to step up when a worker is hurt. That isn’t fair. A2X is here to fight for you, hold those responsible accountable, and make sure you get the help you need. The sooner you reach out for help, the better your chances. 

Common Oilfield Injuries in Laredo 

Oilfield work is among the most physically demanding and hazardous jobs in Texas. In Laredo, where the energy industry plays such a central role in the local economy, we’ve seen firsthand how quickly an ordinary day on the job can turn into a life-altering event. At A2X, we represent workers who have suffered catastrophic injuries, many of which change the course of their lives forever. These cases are never just about medical bills or lost paychecks. They’re about helping a person rebuild what’s been taken from them and holding the companies that caused it responsible. 

The most common oilfield injuries we see include severe burns from explosions or chemical exposure, crush injuries from heavy machinery, spinal cord and back injuries from rig collapses or falls, traumatic brain injuries from equipment impacts, amputations, fractures, and exposure-related illnesses caused by toxic substances. Each of these injuries carries not just immediate pain, but long-term consequences that affect your ability to work, care for your family, and enjoy the life you had before the accident. Compensation for these injuries varies based on their severity, permanence, and impact on your future. At A2X, we take the time to understand how your injury affects every part of your life, including your career, your relationships, and your plans, so we can pursue the full and fair compensation you deserve.   

Understanding Your Rights and the Types of Compensation 

If you are a worker in the oilfield in or around Laredo, Texas, and you’ve been injured on the job, you may be able to recover compensation in several different ways. At A2X, we guide injured workers through these paths, identify which applies, and fight to maximize their recovery. Below is an in-depth breakdown of the types of compensation that may be available to you. 

1. Workers’ Compensation Benefits 

Even in high-risk industries like oil and gas, Texas has a workers’ compensation system. Under the Texas Department of Insurance – Division of Workers’ Compensation, when an employer has chosen to subscribe to workers’ compensation, an injured employee is entitled to certain benefits regardless of fault. 

In practical terms, for an oilfield worker in Laredo, this means that if you are injured while performing your work duties and your employer has workers’ comp coverage, you may be eligible for coverage of your medical treatment, income benefits while you’re out of work, and, in some instances, disability benefits. The law provides specific guidelines, for example, requiring you to notify your employer within 30 days of the injury. Your employer or the insurer must give the healthcare that is “reasonably required” to treat the injury.   

It’s a no-fault system, meaning you don’t have to prove your employer did anything wrong, but in exchange, you give up the right to sue them for additional damages. Because of this, workers’ compensation benefits have limits. For example, the system doesn’t provide full compensation for non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering. Specifically, in the oilfield context, injured workers may receive: 

• Medical expenses: treatment, rehabilitation, surgeries, and medications required because of the injury. 
• Temporary income benefits (TIBs): if you’re off work for more than a week, you may receive a portion of your average weekly wage while you recover.   
• Impairment income benefits (IIBs): after you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) and receive an impairment rating, you may be eligible for benefits based on your impairment percentage. 
• Supplemental income benefits (SIBs): if you’re permanently impaired and can no longer earn at least 80% of your pre-injury wages, further compensation may be available.   
• Lifetime income benefits (LIBs): for catastrophic injuries (for example, double amputation, paralysis) that meet specific criteria, you may receive lifetime benefits.   

It is essential to point out that, as high-earning oilfield workers often are, the income benefits under workers’ compensation may fall far short of your actual wage and long-term financial losses. 

2. Non-Subscriber Employer Claims 

While many injured individuals in other states receive workers’ comp benefits, Texas is different. In Texas, employers are not required to carry workers’ compensation insurance (except in minimal circumstances). If your employer in Laredo is a “non-subscriber” (i.e., they do not carry workers’ comp coverage), and you are injured on the job, you may have the right to bring a personal injury claim against your employer under common law. That can open the door to much greater recovery.   

Under a non-subscriber scenario, you are not limited to the benefits available under workers’ comp. You may be able to recover full lost wages, future earnings losses, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages. These settlements are often much higher than what you would have received in a workers’ compensation claim. 

However, pursuing a claim against a non-subscriber employer often involves showing the employer was negligent, failed to provide a safe workplace, or breached duties owed to you. It becomes more complex than a standard workers’ compensation claim, which is no-fault. At A2X, we help analyze whether a non-subscriber claim is appropriate and fight to hold employers accountable when they’ve cut corners. 

3. Third-Party Injury Claims 

Even if your employer is covered under workers’ compensation, or even if you are getting workers’ comp benefits, there may be other parties responsible for your injury: contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, landowners, service companies, or others. In those cases, you may have a third-party personal injury claim. For oilfield workers in Laredo, this is especially relevant because the oil and gas industry often relies on multiple companies, subcontractors, heavy equipment, and high-risk operations. If someone other than your employer (or in addition to your employer) contributed to your injury, you may have the right to file a third-party claim. Such claims may allow you to pursue damages for: 

• The full cost of past and future medical care. 
• Lost wages and lost future earning capacity. 
• Pain and suffering, emotional distress, disability, or disfigurement. 
• In severe cases, loss of enjoyment of life or wrongful death if a loved one is lost.   

At A2X, we investigate each accident closely, identify all potential responsible parties, and pursue every avenue to maximize your compensation. 

How A2X Helps You Prove Liability & Maximize Your Compensation 

When you are injured in an oilfield accident around Laredo, you need a relentless advocate who understands the industry, the dangers, and the tactics that big companies and insurers use to limit your recovery. At A2X, we bring those skills, attention, and genuine care to every case. Here’s how we guide you through the process: 

1. Early action matters: We advise you not to speak with insurance adjusters without legal counsel. In our experience, insurers often try to minimize your claim, pressure you into quick settlements, or get you to say things that reduce your recovery. The safer path: let your attorney handle communication so your rights are protected.   
2. Investigation of the accident: We gather evidence, including accident reports, safety logs, incident investigations, equipment records, eyewitness statements, and expert analysis. In the oilfield context, proving negligence or unsafe conditions may require reconstruction of the accident, expert testimony, and thorough documentation.   
3. Determining all avenues of compensation: Once the facts are reviewed, we determine which path(s) apply: workers’ comp, non-subscriber employer claim, third-party claim, and sometimes it is more than one. We lay out your options in plain terms and help you choose the route that offers the most significant opportunity for compensation. 
4. Calculating full damages: Your recovery should reflect all your current and future losses, including the cost of medical care, rehabilitation, lost wages, future lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, lifestyle changes, emotional and mental health consequences, and other long-term impacts. Especially in oilfield injury cases, future care and long-term income loss often dominate the financial picture. 
5. Negotiation or trial readiness: We negotiate aggressively with insurers and other parties to secure the best settlement possible. If they won’t be fair, we are fully prepared to take your case to trial. Big companies often hope injured workers will settle quickly and quietly. At A2X, we’re ready to stand up to them. 
6. Ongoing communication and support: We don’t just handle the paperwork. We support you through your recovery, help you understand what’s happening, answer your questions, and always keep your best interests front and center. We know you’re more than a claim; you’re a person whose life has been turned upside down, and you deserve trusted advocates who care about your journey and your outcome. 

Why Time Is of the Essence in Laredo Oilfield Injury Claims 

In Laredo, Texas, and throughout the oil and gas industry, accidents happen fast, and the consequences can be severe. Whether you’ve suffered a crush injury, burn, fall from equipment, back or spine damage, or any other serious harm, you deserve help. But delays can hurt your recovery and your ability to hold others accountable. 

For example, under Texas law, you must provide notice to your employer of a work-related injury within thirty days. Failing to report may jeopardize your entitlements. Equally important, the longer you wait to investigate and preserve evidence, including the scene, equipment, and witness testimony, the harder it is to build a strong case. At A2X, we encourage you to reach out for a consultation as soon as reasonably possible so your rights are protected from the start. 

A2X’s Mission for Injured Oilfield Workers in Laredo 

We are driven by our mission to provide expert legal counsel, passionately advocate for your rights, and ultimately deliver the justice you deserve. We take that mission seriously because we see firsthand how oilfield workers, who often work long hours in demanding and hazardous conditions, are too often taken advantage of, especially when they’re hurt. 

You work hard to provide for your loved ones. You’ve taken on an industry that demands a lot from you. It frustrates and motivates us to see corporations turn on the very people who keep their operations running, disregard injured workers, or deny full responsibility when an incident happens. That is not acceptable. 

When you turn to A2X after an oilfield injury in Laredo, you will be backed by relentless advocates who care about you and your outcome. We will fight for you, hold those responsible to account, and work to secure the compensation you deserve. 

Ready To Take the Next Step? 

If you are an oilfield worker in Laredo who has been injured, no matter how serious or how complex your case may seem, you don’t have to face this alone. At A2X, we welcome you to reach out to request a consultation. We’ll review your situation, explain your options, and help you decide the best course of action to secure the compensation you’re owed. 

Remember: the clock starts ticking from the moment of injury. The sooner you act, the stronger your case can be. Don’t let large companies or insurers downplay your injury, deny your rights, or rush you into a settlement before you know your full future needs. Let A2X step in and fight for your rights. 

You deserve more than just “a settlement”; you deserve the justice, respect, and full recovery you have earned for the work you do and the risks you took. At Anderson Alexander (A2X), we will stand by your side, fight for your rights, and help you secure the future you and your loved ones deserve. 

When you’re ready, reach out. We’re here.