Bakken Oil Field Explosion Ripped Through Construction Site

A construction worker, building homes for the Bakken Oil Field workers, might consider himself lucky to be alive this week after he survived a Bakken Oil Field explosion that ripped through a home just days ago. The home, which may have been under construction at the time of the accident, was being built by Malmquist Construction, through which the explosion victim was employed.

The North Dakota Fire Marshal responded to 911 calls from witnesses of the explosion on July 8. According to the Williams County Sheriff’s Department, only the one construction worker was injured in the blast, receiving second and third degree burns.

Because the work-related accident happened so recently, investigators with the fire marshal is still investigating the explosion and what may have caused it. Sources seem to hint to the fact that the home involved in the explosion may have been a new construction project on which the man was working when the accident occurred. However, it’s unclear this was actually the case in this situation.

When residents in North Dakota hear about accidents such as this, they often worry about the struggles that injured workers face down the road. Besides costly medical bills and lengthy recoveries, these workers may face difficulties when it comes to claiming workers’ compensation benefits.

As many of our readers already know, receiving prompt compensation for work related injuries can make a huge difference in recovery time because the person does not have to deal with the added stress of expenses and frustrating run around from insurance companies. Our readers know though that this isn’t always the case and that legal action must sometimes be taken against employers who fail to payout the benefits you deserve. It’s always in situations such as this that an experienced attorney is suggested.

Source: NBC Montana News, “Montana man injured in North Dakota blast,” The Associated Press, July 11, 2013.