November 16, 2012 – On Friday, a Black Elk Energy oil platform located just 25 miles from the coast of Grand Isle in Louisiana, tragically exploded, killing 1 worker and leaving 4 others seriously injured. One additional worker remains unaccounted for.
All 4 of the injured workers were flown immediately to West Jefferson Medical Center and then driven to the Baton Rouge Burn Center by ambulance for emergency treatment of burns, ranging from first- to second- and even third-degree.
Coast Guard Investigation Update:
A Coast Guard spokesperson announced on Saturday that divers hired by Black Elk to search for the 2 missing workers had found a body in 30 feet of water near one of the platform’s legs, not far from where the explosion took place. The remains were later identified as one of the missing men, an employee of Grand Isle Shipyard. Black Elk has pledged to continue searching for the other missing worker.
Zehl & Associates: Taking Action
Our rig explosion attorneys are currently working with maritime accident investigators from around the world to determine what caused the explosion as well as how it could have been prevented from happening in the first place. Feel free to contact our firm with any questions you may have about our ongoing investigation. Once complete, the results will be posted on our website for use by the public.
Experience Matters: Our Rig Explosion Lawyers Successfully Represented 5 of the Workers Injured in the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster on April 20, 2010
For the past 5 years, our maritime lawyers have been successfully representing clients injured in some of the largest and most well-known offshore accidents to occur in recent memory.
For example, Zehl & Associates was among the first law firms in the nation to be retained by the workers who were hurt as a result of the BP/Transocean Deepwater Horizon tragedy on April 20, 2010. In under 18 months, our maritime lawyers were able to negotiate a very favorable and confidential settlement on behalf of the 5 workers that we represented.
We also successfully represented a number of the workers who were hurt in both the Chevron Endeavor explosion as well as the Vermillion 360 Platform explosion. Our maritime attorneys settled each of these cases in under 2 years for highly favorable settlement amounts.
The Black Elk Explosion: What Happened?
,p>While performing routine “shutdown platform work”, workers onboard the Black Elk platform were utilizing an acetylene torch to cut a 3-inch line when the flame suddenly ignited the product left inside, approximately 28 gallons of highly-flammable crude. The ensuing explosion tore through the platform causing widespread damage and serious injuries to at least half of the crew.
Rescue vessels and helicopters are continuing to search for the final missing worker.
Black Elk’s Safety Record:
Black Elk is no stranger to trouble and their safety record proves it. In September of 2010, Black Elk paid $307,500.00 in fines to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for numerous regulation violations. The company was also investigated in connection with an accident in which two workers fell more than 60 feet into the Gulf of Mexico in August. In a twist of irony, John Hoffman, the current CEO of the company, worked for BP Amoco before founding Black Elk Energy in 2007.
The rig’s owner, Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations, LLC, is a private oil and gas company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company holds stakes in over 854 wells and on 155 platforms near the coasts of Texas and Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico, in depths stretching from under 10 feet to more than 6,000 feet, according to the company’s official website.
Grand Isle Shipyard
Over half of the 25 employees onboard the platform at the time of the explosion were employed by Grand Isle Shipyard, according to company president Mark Pregeant, including both missing workers. While one body has been recovered, officials are continuing to search for the other missing worker.
Contact our Experienced Rig Explosion Lawyers at 1-800-594-2985
If you or a loved one were injured in the Black Elk Energy platform explosion, our lawyers are standing by to help. Consultations are free, confidential and require absolutely no commitment.
Our lawyers will answer your questions, update you on the status of our investigation, inform you of your options, and explain what you should and should not do when dealing with Black Elk Energy or its insurance adjusters.
It’s easy. Just call 1-800-594-2985 or fill out our form to send us an email.
What the Explosion Lawyers at Zehl & Associates can Do for You and Your Family?
Our law firm focuses on representing workers who were injured in workplace explosions. It’s what we do. In fact, are law firm is one of the only firms in the Gulf Coast that has represented hundreds of workers in connection with 4 of the largest workplace disasters in the past 5 years.
- Transocean Deepwater Horizon Explosion
- BP Texas City
- Imperial Sugar Refinery Explosion
- International Paper Refinery Explosion
Fill out the form to the right in order to receive a free copy of the 5 Things You Need To Know Now. This document will tell you exactly what you should and should not do in order to protect your rights and your family’s rights.
The list is free and you will have no commitment to our firm. We created it simply to inform the injured workers of the steps they need to take to protect their rights and recover the damages they are entitled to receive under the law
We want you to focus on your future, and not how you’re going to pay for it.
- Our firm understands that offshore workers make good money and are able to provide comfortable lives for their families. We also understand that your bills don’t stop piling up just because you or a loved one has been involved in a tragedy.
- That’s why we are always willing to assist our injured clients with medical expenses and any necessary costs of living expenses while your lawsuit is pending.
If you have Any Questions at All, Contact one of our Experienced Rig Explosion Lawyers at 1-800-594-2985.
We will answer your questions, explain your rights, and review any documents that you have been asked to sign. And if you would prefer to meet in person, we will fly one of our lawyers to you at no cost to you.
Whether you call us or another law firm, it is important that you consult with an experienced explosion lawyer to learn your rights before signing any documents that Transocean, BP, or Schuman tries to get you to sign.
