Oilfield Truck Accidents

Getting into an accident with an oilfield truck on Colorado's roads is dangerous for everyone. These heavy trucks can carry heavy tools or flammable oil and gas, which can cause catastrophic injuries ranging from burns to traumatic brain injuries and more, when they're involved in crashes. Victims may succumb to fatal injuries or may never be the same again because of the injuries they suffered.

There are many oilfield services companies in Colorado. For example, if you were hurt in a car accident with a company like Naill Services, Heat Waves Hot Oil Service, Advanced Oilfield Service, Reliance Oilfield Services, or another Colorado oilfield services company, oilfield truck accident lawyers in Colorado from Cook, Bradford, and Levy, LLC, can help you. Our team will review your legal options, so you’ll know what awards are available to you. If we take your case, you won’t pay any attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Oilfield workers face dangers in their jobs daily, but they are most vulnerable, and potentially dangerous, when they are on the road, data show. After working long, overnight shifts, many oilfield and well workers get behind the wheel feeling tired and drowsy. These conditions, coupled with operating a vehicle in the dark morning hours, can lead to deadly accidents.

Per the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), highway crashes are the leading cause of oil and gas extraction worker fatalities. "Roughly 4 of every 10 workers killed on the job in this industry are killed as a result of a highway vehicle incident," it states.

Accidents happen for various reasons, including distracted driving, fatigued driving, and driving under the influence. Even driving during certain times of day can lead to accidents if road conditions or weather make it hard to maneuver a large truck. If you have been in an accident with an oilfield truck, our legal team will find out why your accident happened and hold the liable parties accountable.

Personal injury lawsuits involving accidents with vehicles owned and operated by oil field companies and their employees are complex matters that our oilfield truck accident lawyers in Colorado can help you with.

When these accidents happen, victims do not always understand how challenging it can be to hold the right parties accountable. However, we are ready to represent you and deal with the complexities so that you can focus on recovering from the accident.

Oil Companies May Fight Claims to Avoid Paying Large Deductibles
Oilfield truck accident cases in Colorado can be difficult to fight without legal representation. They often are complex cases because they involve a commercial insurance policy and, in some instances, an individual's insurance policy. Commercial policies might have higher limits, and businesses might challenge these cases to avoid covering the high deductible before the insurance pays damages.

Working with an attorney ensures you have someone with knowledge of how insurance companies work who will protect your interests and rights when going up against large corporations that have the time and money to defend against victims' insurance claims.

Multiple Liable Parties Common in Large Truck Accidents
Generally, truck accidents often involve multiple parties, which only adds to their complexity. Truck accident victims know that the driver hit them, but they may not always be aware of other liable parties that could owe them damages. These include:

• The company that owns the truck
• The driver who hired the driver
• The crew responsible for repair and maintenance
• Truck parts manufacturer
• Truck manufacturer
• Cargo loading company
• The municipality responsible for the site where the crash occurred

Our legal team will determine the parties that owe you compensation and request it from them via their insurance company. It is common for multiple parties to pin fault for the accident on one another, so we are prepared for that possibility.

We urge you to take legal action as soon as you know that is the next step for you. You generally have three years to sue for damages from an oilfield tanker truck accident in Colorado, per CO Rev Stat § 13-80-101. If you are filing a wrongful death action, you have two years to do so under CO Rev Stat §13-80-102.

We can advise you on whether any exceptions apply, but these deadlines are generally strict. If you miss the deadline, you likely will not be able to move forward with your case. We will protect your right to sue if we have enough time to act. The earlier you start, the sooner we can build your compensation case. If we must file it with the civil court, we will have the time we need to do it.

Colorado is home to many oil and gas companies such as High Sierra Water Service, Eastern Colorado Well Service, and Beauprez Enterprises among many others. While we recognize the positive economic impact these companies have on our communities, we also realize that accidents on these oilfields can cause serious injuries. When harm occurs, victims have the right to seek compensation for the injuries and losses they suffer because of another party's negligence.

Many injured victims want to know what compensation they can recover after a traffic accident. This is understandable since medical bills, property damage, and other losses are likely on their minds as they consider how to recover from the crash. Several factors affect monetary compensation in these cases, including:

• How serious the injuries are
• The recovery time involved
• How the accident will impact victims' quality of life

While each case is different, many victims suffer damages that commonly fall into two categories: economic and non-economic damages. Our attorney team will review the accident and assess all damages, including economic damages, such as:

• Medical expenses (past and ongoing)
• Lost or reduced income, benefits, bonuses, tips
• Lost or reduced earning capacity, including if the accident forced you to stop working
• Property damage, including if you have to repair or replace your vehicle and other damaged or destroyed property
• Other accident-related expenses

Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are the losses you suffered that do not have a dollar amount but are still important because of how they affect your life, health, and well-being.

• Physical and mental pain and suffering
• Disability and disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life if you can no longer do the activities you enjoy
• Loss of companionship

Devastating accidents can also lead to psychological disorders that may require mental health treatment and counseling. Victims can have anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more after an accident of this magnitude. If you or a loved one has experienced this hardship, we can seek damages for any therapy and counseling costs.

This partial list covers only a few damages. You can reach out to our team if you suffered damages not listed here. We will assess every loss and count it into your proposed settlement amount, which we will request on your behalf.

If you lost a loved one in an oilfield truck accident in Colorado, we are sorry for your loss. We understand that losing a loved one unexpectedly is hard and is often emotionally trying on a family. Survivors of victims who died in an accident caused by another's negligence could seek damages with a wrongful death action. If you feel this is a legal option you and your family want to pursue, our lawyers serving oil truck accident victims in Colorado can help you.

If you meet Colorado's eligibility requirements for a wrongful death lawsuit, you may be able to recover damages for your loved one's medical bills, lost financial support, funeral and burial expenses, and more.

Our personal injury attorneys at Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, have recovered tens of millions of dollars for our clients, including a $1.3 million settlement in a truck accident case we handled from Boulder County. We would like to recover compensation for you. We will sit down and talk with you to learn about what happened in the accident. Once we bring you on as our client, we will manage your entire case. You can leave all legal matters to us while we:

• Fully investigate the tanker accident to determine what happened
• Gather and review evidence that supports your account of events (e.g., police reports, medical records, traffic dashcam, photos of your injuries, and the crash scene)
• Speak with witnesses who saw the accident and expert witnesses
• Consult expert witnesses who can give a professional opinion about the accident and injuries based on their expertise
• Identify all liable parties in the accident and their insurers
• Handle all communications with all parties, including insurers
• Negotiate for a settlement that meets your needs
• Prepare and file a lawsuit if we cannot reach a settlement
• Seek financial awards for you at trial

If you were injured in an oilfield truck accident in Colorado, call Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, at (303) 543-1000 for a free consultation. We are ready to learn how we can help you take the next steps to hold the liable parties responsible for compensation that can help you put your life back together.

We charge no fees for the consultation or to start work on your case. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we can start working for you.