HomePractice AreasEmployment LawOil Field Workers

Oil Field Workers Wage Disputes and Injury/Death Accidents

Fighting For Clients From All 50 States

Have you been paid overtime?  Many companies in the oilfield industry often improperly pay their employees salaries, day rate or per diem to avoid overtime pay. Some companies treat employees as Independent Contractors, even though they are legally employees. Just because you receive a salary or day rate does not disqualify you for entitlement to overtime. Some salaried workers are “misclassified” and should be paid overtime.

If you participate in work-related activities and are not paid, you may have legal rights to recover unpaid overtime. We represent oil field workers in unpaid overtime lawsuits. Oilfield workers who are required to attend pre-tour safety meetings, fire drills, company meetings, or other activities, either on land or offshore, before the start of their work shift may be entitled to overtime pay.

In most cases, employees have rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), whether classified as independent worker or paid a salary or day rate. The FLSA establishes a federal minimum wage and overtime pay requirements.

The FLSA requires that certain workers receive time and a half for all hours worked over 40 per week, even if the employer misclassify the employee as an independent contractor or pays him a salary or day rate. It also requires that workers be paid for all time spent on the job, including participation in safety meetings, fire drills, company meetings, putting on or taking off uniforms, putting away tools, and other work-related activities, either on land or offshore.

Some examples of commonly misclassified oil workers that are entitled to overtime are:

  • Solids control operator
  • Flowback operator
  • Gyroscope operator
  • Directional driller
  • Mud engineer, technician or hand
  • Drilling fluids engineer, operator or technician
  • Pressure control engineer, operator or technician
  • Closed loop operator
  • Crane operator
  • Wireline operator
  • Grease tool operator

Do you have an oil field worker claim? Contact us to arrange a free consultation with our experienced wage and hour lawyers. There is no fee unless we collect for you.

Offshore Accident Attorney

Bohrer Brady LLC extends our respect to those working in this dangerous field, our help to those injured, and our condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones.

The history of drilling rig accidents is terrifying. Explosions, fires and electrocution are common drilling rig accidents. There is little room to run on a platform in the middle of the sea. Equipment can fail or fall on workers. Dangerous chemicals are present. Falls are common. Rigs have even sunk.

We have handled offshore accident cases on drilling rigs in Louisiana, Texas, and other coastal states. We have won large jury verdicts and out-of-court settlements for victims and their families. If you were injured in a drilling rig accident, do not assume that you are covered by workers’ compensation. In fact, the Jones Act may apply.

Contact us immediately to learn more about your rights and your legal options.

Wrongful Death on Drilling Rigs

Sadly, a large percentage of drilling rig accident cases involve fatalities. If you lost a loved one due to the negligence or recklessness of a company or individual, a wrongful death case may be in order. Please contact us for more information about this type of lawsuit. Our attorneys have enjoyed considerable success in this rather complex area of the law.

Our firm has six decades of combined experience in personal injury law and can ably take your case to trial if a satisfactory settlement cannot be reached. We do not represent insurance companies or other commercial entities. Most of our new clients come to us through referrals from satisfied past clients