Three oil field workers have filed a lawsuit against the owners of a Texas oil well site for injuries they sustained when their vehicle was sent flying off of an embankment after they took a wrong turn at the site in June of 2009.

The accident occurred while the three men were working for Bronco Drilling on an oil well that the company leased in Harrison County, Texas. Apparently, the men, who are all residents of Oklahoma, left the oil well to find an area where they received a signal for their cell phones.

However, when they were returning back to the oil well, they missed a sharp turn back to their work site and proceeded down an unmarked roadway that was not properly lit. The roadway took the men to the edge of a dangerous drop-off, which their vehicle plummeted off of.

All three men were seriously injured in the accident and are now seeking damages from the owner of the site for mental anguish, physical pain, emotional pain, torment and suffering, disfigurement, physical and mental impairment, medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, lost wages, interest, court costs and attorney's fees.

In a lawsuit that was filed May 19 in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division against Nacco Industries Inc., The North American Coal Corp., and the Sabine Mining Co., the men have argued that the site posed an unreasonable risk to workers.

The employees contend that the road leading to the oil well put them at risk because it was improperly maintained and was without adequate lighting and signage.

As this news story makes clear, it is very important that employers and well owners take the necessary steps to ensure that workers are kept safe and are not needlessly put at risk. If not, workers have the right to sue to recover damages for the injuries they sustained.

Source: The Southeast Texas Record, "Oil field workers file suit against well owners after car crash at site," 5/31/2011.