HOUSTON, TX — (Marketwire) — 08/03/11 — One year and three months after the deadly explosion onboard the Deepwater Horizon, serious questions remain as to whether or not BP and Transocean have learned their lessons. Over the past few weeks, the oil companies have been attempting to settle claims with workers who were seriously injured during the explosion for less than 1 year–s wages. The at Fitts Zehl were recently retained by one of the workers injured in the Deepwater explosion after the company offered him less than 1 year–s wages for his serious — and likely permanent — injuries.
“The fact that these companies continue trying to resolve serious injury claims for pennies on the dollar suggests, to me, that the companies are clearly more concerned with money than the wellbeing of their employees,” says Ryan Zehl.
The at Fitts Zehl believe many Deepwater survivors have waited to hire legal counsel, thinking their employers would ultimately do the right thing by fairly compensating them for their injuries. Instead of taking responsibility for the injuries caused by a preventable explosion, the companies involved are focused solely on protecting their profit margins by settling claims for the lowest possible amount.
“In order to protect themselves and their families, workers injured in the Deepwater disaster should consult an experienced maritime lawyer before accepting any settlement offer,” said Bryant Fitts, a at Fitts Zehl.
“The workers who were tragically injured on the Deepwater Horizon deserve fair compensation for their injuries and damages,” said Zehl. “To do this, workers have to take action before it is too late to file a lawsuit. Otherwise, the workers could end up paying for their own medical expenses and, if their injuries prevent them from returning to work, losing out on their future wages.”
Fitts Zehl, LLP represents workers who were , including workers injured in the Deepwater Explosion. In just the past 3 years, the lawyers at Fitts Zehl successfully represented over 100 workers who were injured during the BP Texas City explosion and handled cases against the country–s largest maritime employers.