my nephew works on an oil rig-they are dangerous. Today a 50 lb pole fell 20 feet and severed his in

[demtenjeep]

index finger past the nail

good thoughts for my family please

he needs this job and does not have any further education than his HS diploma

he can't afford for this to be all in his career, he is only 24

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Good thoughts for your nephew, my dear demtenjeep!

Did they recover the segment?

Even without it, he can still probably use the finger.

It is dangerous work.

[demtenjeep]

2. thank you sweet ms. peg

i don't think they recovered it

my sister said he will be seeing a hand surgeon tomorrow. said they will probably have to shave off some of the exposed bone to pull the skin over and stitch up.


she is horribly afraid of the cost to all of this as well.

i told her it was an on the job injury, it should be covered.

he never felt he was smart enough to go to college so he has just worked since HS and just finally felt like he was starting to get ahead. Just last month he moved out of his parents home into his own. brownback has messed with work comp so i can't tell her what his rights are at the moment

now this...


life is getting rough for us here in kansas aka brownbeckistan

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. He should definitely be eligible for workman's comp!

That governor should not mess with this program. Shame on him if he has.

[lagomorph777]

24. IMPORTANT: how to treat the injury

It's been discovered in recent years that a severed fingertip can GROW BACK. But it will not grow back if they sew up the end. I'll look up specifics, but basically, the best thing to do is just bandage it up.

I have seen examples where the fingernail and fingerprints grow back perfectly normal!

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/10/190385484/chopped-how-amputated-fingertips-sometimes-grow-back

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/finger-regrows-pig-bladder_n_3949720.html

I should add: I cut off the tip of my finger in a lawnmower when I was a kid (not as bad as your nephew) - it did grow back 100%.

[redstateblues]

3. Sending healing thoughts

[Dustlawyer]

5. He will have to file a Maritime case if he cannot work, except he will never be hired again.

They send a message that you don't get hurt or your gone. They know people will get hurt, but they want everyone to know once you claim a lost time injury you never come back for long. The pay is good but you earn every penny.

Best of luck for him! I hope he can heal fast and stay safe!

[demtenjeep]

6. i need to find out more on that

but i am sure brownback has fucked that up like he has every other thing in kansas

[ShrimpPoboy]

27. This is important advice

Having a valid claim is one thing. Filing it and expecting to be treated fairly in the future is another. The O&G industry is an unforgiving world. Proceed with caution.

[Amimnoch]

31. Depends on his situation.

For the injury to fall under Maritime law he'll have to be working on an offshore rig (jackup or floater). If he works shore based drilling it doesn't apply.

For it to apply offshore the rig must be either a jack-up rig, or a floater that is not moored, or has the blow out preventer connected to either the wellhead or conductor. If it was at the time of the dropped object incident, it won't apply (still doesn't hurt to talk to an actual maritime lawyer though for a free consultation). As strange as it might sound, once the BOP is connected to the well in question the vessel is no longer considered at sea.

Even if it does fall under, you are not obligated to file under the Jones act. I recommend talking to both a maritime attorney, and a personal injury attorney, get the free consultation, and hold off to see how the company reacts first.

Regardless of if you go Jones act or personal injury, FIND OUT WHAT THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS are!! I can't stress this enough! I strongly recommend trying to work with the company first, the company will very likely take full care of the injury, and allow him to go back to work... However, it is a sleazy company practice to keep the person employed until just after the statute of limitations has passed, then lay the employee off for some.. Unrelated.. Reason. Regardless of which route you go, all he has to do is have his attorney file the paperwork with the clerks office before the statute of limitations expires and he has a whole other period he can play with to proceed with the lawsuit.. If they lay him off, viola, you have the documented and filed lawsuit waiting and still available as an option.

[Dustlawyer]

33. All sound advice. I thought they said he was working offshore.

Of the injury isn't too bad the company may agree to pay the epically out of pocket and because the injured worker gave them the option they may keep him on. He would be giving up the legal protection of worker's compensation though if they do fire him. Also may have future problems with the injury and not be able to claim it later.

[azmom]

7. Please tell him to get another job. I lost

a brother in law about two years ago. The money is not worth it.

[tom_kelly]

8. I'll say a prayer for him. n/t

[passiveporcupine]

9. Good wishes for your nephew's quick recovery

I'm so glad it was not worse. It sounds like ti could have been much worse, even deadly.

[Omaha Steve]

10. I wish him the best

K&R!

OS

[rusty quoin]

11. I hope he does well in the future. I am sorry for him today.

There are so many risky jobs out there, and unions use to protect those workers. It's not like administration getting a paper cut. It is actually dangerous.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. Hopefully he will get some kind of settlement

And he can use that money to go back to school.

[Chakab]

13. If you want to be disturbed, just Google "oil rig injuries."

[Major Nikon]

17. If you live around oil country, chances are you run into workers missing digits

Some with much worse. But this is really true of industry and commercial work in general. I saw one guy get his finger ripped right off. Another guy I worked with was paralyzed from falling off a ladder. I know of a few deaths throughout employers I've worked for. Occupational injuries and death are not as common today thanks to OSHA, but they still happen. Tobin told stories of two of his co-workers who died on the job.

[renate]

14. I'm so sorry to hear that--and so glad that it wasn't worse

How excruciating that pain must have been. Sending lots of good thoughts to your family and to him, and giving thanks that he survived.

[Marie Marie]

15. How frightening that must have been for him while it was happening.

I'm so sorry to hear this - so many are forced to work these dangerous jobs because their options are limited. Sending good thought to you and your nephew.

[Cassiopeia]

16. It's dangerous to be working class.

Sadly, we have so few politicians fighting for us to at least get a fair wage for risking life and limb.

Hope this is the first and last injury for your nephew.

[demtenjeep]

19. that is exactly it

it is dangerous to be the working class


and then legislatures are doing all they can to make it impossible to do anything else even if they get hurt

[Liberal_in_LA]

18. Omg. So sorry. I hope he recovers quickly

[still_one]

20. sorry for what happen. Hope he heals fast, and things get better. Take care

[ladyVet]

21. He should be fine, and able to continue to work after he recovers.

He will likely be very depressed and worried about his future, but hang in there, it's not the end of his life. It's not going to be easy, as I can tell you from experience.

My father had his hand crushed in a cement truck trough. He lost the tips of all fingers, with serious damage to the entire hand. He was sent to Duke University, where he had lots of surgery and physical therapy. Though told his working days were over, he eventually was able to work, and ended up driving trucks again for many years after that. He taught himself how to write and use the hand again, even though it was bent and he couldn't grip so well.

Then one of my sisters lost the tip of her forefinger in a bottle trimming machine. The good folks at Duke were able to reattach the joint, and though she has limited use of the very tip of her finger, she's fine and has worked several kinds of jobs.

I wish him the best and please assure him that he will recover!

[lonestarnot]

22. Man that is terrible. Dangerous job. Poor thing and good vibes his way.

[Jack Rabbit]

23. ( )

[blackspade]

25. Ouch!

I hope he is OK.

[stage left]

26. My husband,a cabinetmaker, cut off the end of his finger, but only a part of his nail.

An excruiating injury, but not so traumatic as your nephew's. I'm sending good thoughts his way.

[mrmpa]

28. I'm sorry about his injury..........

My advice to him (I've been through the worker's comp syndrome) is find a lawyer who handles workers comp issues. Let the lawyer talk to his employer. The employer will do everything to save money, their attitude is usually "to hell with the employee".

His employer will try to offer him a short sighted settlement, etc. The best protection you nephew has is a good attorney. The attorney gets a percentage of his comp money, so he doesn't have to worry about up front fees.

The best to your nephew and family.

[zentrum]

29. Traumatic. Maybe...

…the rig owning company can pony up the funds to fully pay for his college education or other re-trainining?

Any chance it was a union job?

[secondwind]

30. I sure hope he heals quickly, and that this little bit of flesh does not affect how he does his job!

[benld74]

32. Heal fast. Friend of mine

Lost tip of his finger switching on the auto doors of store he worked!
He got paid.
50 lb taking off the top sounds better than a door taking it off.🤔

[Iwillnevergiveup]

34. demtenjeep

Am very sorry to hear about your nephew's accident and all the stress he and the family are experiencing. HOWEVER, he has several positive things going for him:

*He's young and should heal quickly
*He does have some recourse (yet to hear all his options I guess)
*He has good work experience and skills
*He's open to furthering his education
*HE HAS YOU!!

Sending best wishes to you all for a quick and full recovery.

[demtenjeep]

35. thank you all.

i have showed my sister all of your advice.

she so appreciates all the knowledge and feels better informed.

He saw the surgeon today and they cleaned it up and told him he likely won't need surgery.

Things are not as bleak today as yesterday.


This community so rocks.