Many people work on oil and gas pipelines off the coast of Louisiana. The work can be hazardous for many reasons, the least of which being the volatility of the oil or gas. Workers accept the combustible nature of the liquids and gases they are dealing with and often take precautions to protect themselves from an offshore injury.
Some companies are more diligent than others are when it comes to the safety of the men and women who are direct employees or contractors. However, even the most careful worker and safety-conscious company may still experience an accident. For instance, a contractor died recently and two other people suffered injuries in an accident that occurred on a platform for a natural gas pipeline owned by Chevron Midstream Pipeline LLC. Maintenance was being done at that gas-gathering point when something yet unknown went wrong.
Details of the accident have not yet been released since the investigation into its cause is in progress. However, there seems to be some controversy over whether gas was released at the pipeline or in the water. Whatever the cause of the accident, containment crews made their way to the site in order to deal with the now shut-in pipeline.
Regardless of the cause, one family is now left to find a way to move forward without a loved one. When it comes to the financial repercussions of this fatal offshore injury, the family may be entitled to benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Act. The act works as a workers’ compensation plan for those people who work off the shore of Louisiana, but not on a navigable vessel.
