Long-Term Effects of Crush Injuries on Offshore Oil Rigs
Crush injuries are common in oil rig accidents, and most commonly involve heavy machinery. These accidents occur when a worker or one of his extremities is caught between objects, and can range from pinched fingers to total compression of a worker. Depending on the extent of the damage, the limb may be unresponsive due to nerve damage or lost altogether, severely affecting the worker’s ability to earn a living.
Complications of Crush Injuries for Oil and Gas Workers
There are a variety of ways in which crush injuries can occur on oil rigs. Most injuries result from a person becoming wedged between two very heavy objects, such as becoming trapped between crates and platforms. Workers may also suffer crush injuries as a result of being struck by falling objects, such as cargo swinging from cranes. Although three-quarters of all crush injuries occur in the feet and legs, workers who suffer damage to fingers and arms are less likely to regain full employment.
Victims of crush injuries can suffer numerous complications such as:
- Disability. It is rare for worker who suffer crush injuries not to experience long-term effects. Crushing can damage nerves, muscles, blood vessels, bones, and other tissues at the injury site, resulting in loss of feeling or even permanent pain known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).
- Amputation. A side effect of constriction in a body part is compartment syndrome, when intense pressure causes damage to nerves and muscles. If medical intervention cannot control the spread of compartment syndrome, amputation may be required to safe the victim’s life.
- Death. If a person’s limb has been severed from the body, he or she will likely suffer severe bleeding that can cause the body to shut down. Other effects of crushing injuries include kidney damage, compound fractures, internal injuries, and infections, all of which may end in death.
If you’re a civilian who has been injured while working overseas, you may be entitled to compensation under the Defense Base Act. To find out what you could be owed, click the Live Chat button on this page or fill out our quick contact form to contact the law offices of Steve M. Lee, P.C.