Posts Tagged ‘rig’

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania  anti gas rig drilling advocates rallied yesterday citing water polution as the number one concern in the fight against the gas industry.   Wyoming County Pennsylvania officials held an informational meeting at which a DEP representative answered question about the gas drilling industry, gas drill rig accidents, truck traffic, truck accidents and water quality.  Dallas township, Luzerne County Pennsylvania held a meeting on the proposed construction of a thirty mile gas transit pipeline in the community.  The twelve lawyers at DLP continue to monitor all issues involved in the gas drilling rig industry including representing clients injured in Pennsylvania/Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania truck accidents, drilling rig injury and death cases and othe gas drilling accident cases.

Drilling rig operators have nearly eliminated the disposal of gas drilling rig waste water in streams and rivers in Pennsylvania.  Along with drilling rig accidents, truck accidents and ground water pollution, the discharge of drilling rig waste water into Pennsylvania waterways is a major concern of environmental groups.  The twelve lawyers at DLP continue to monitor this issue while representing drilling rig accident victims, Pennsylvania truck accident victims and other gas industry related injury clients.

Paul had worked for a Texas-based natural gas drilling company out of Texas for a number of years. The company started to develop drilling sites in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Paul was put up at a hotel close to the drilling site. Paul had never had an accident in the ten previous years he had worked, despite doing very physical types of activities while working with the various drills on the sites.

Paul’s good fortune ran out though, and he jammed his hand on one of the drill bits, seriously injuring the hand. Paul’s employer was insistent that since Paul was employed out of Texas and the employer was based out of Texas, that he would have to file his comp claim under Texas law.

Issue: Is Paul’s employer correct?

Answer: No. In Pennsylvania, regardless of where an employer is principally located and/or where a contract for hire was entered into, if an injury occurs in Pennsylvania, then Pennsylvania has jurisdiction and Paul will be entitled to benefits under Pennsylvania law. Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation benefits are, for the most part, far more generous, and the injured worker is provided far more protection than in other states, especially states in the South and Midwest.