Law Office of Alan Tysinger

Does Opting Out of Texas Workers' Compensation Mean "Going Bare?"

This article from a few years back illustrates some of the fallacies involved in defending the Texas employers who opt out of workers' compensation coverage under the state statutory scheme, opting instead for custom-crafted plans under federal ERISA law. I don't necessarily oppose the right of employers to "go bare"... Read more →

Fatal Oilfield Accident Was Preventable, Federal Investigators Say

They have called it the worst oil drilling accident in nearly a decade, and the experts say it was preventable: The 2018 explosion and fire outside Quinton, Okla., killed five people, making it the deadliest accident in the drilling industry since 2010, when a BP oil rig exploded and killed... Read more →

Wrongful Death Trial Against Employer Begins in Oilfield Accident Case

There is a trial underway in a fatal oilfield accident case involving multiple companies, including Patterson UTI, Red Mountain Operating, and National Oilwell Varco. National Oilwell Varco is the remaining defendant after others settled out. This case illustrates the hazards that workers face in the oilfields in Oklahoma and Texas,... Read more →

Audit Describes Lengthy Delays in Workers' Compensation Claims

Much is made of California as the quintessential blue state in Texas as the classic large deep red state, we are both part of the United States and in many ways there are more similarities than differences. The issues with Worker’s Compensation law are one area where workers are feeling... Read more →

Aggravation Injury Denied in Court Case

In the Worker’s Compensation arena, what many injured employees fail to understand is that the concept of aggravation is a critical factor in determining what injuries are work related and which are not. The insurance carriers will often deny injuries as pre-existing, when in fact the employee had no previous... Read more →

Oilfield Boom Brings Injury and Accident Increase

It has recently made headlines when politicians have announced the US as now essentially energy independent. With the fracking oil boom occurring across the country in various locations and specifically in the Permian basin in West Texas and the eagle Ford shell in South Texas, the state of Texas is... Read more →

Texas Supreme Court Considers Intentional Act Requirements in Work Related Fatal Accident

In case anybody had wondered how dangerous things have gotten in the oil fields of Texas, the Texas Supreme Court is now being asked to consider whether an exception carved out for intentional acts applies to the death of an employee in the oil field regarding a work related injury.... Read more →

Trucking Company Shuts Down Due to Insurance Cost Increase

A recent case illustrates that employers and trucking operators who cannot maintain consistent safety records are having a difficult time staying employed in Texas. This Hass to be directly due to the work of attorneys representing injured parties and keeping them accountable for their lack of safety. A recent news... Read more →

Public Interest Report Highlights Dangers of Oilfield Work

Everything comes at a cost, and US energy independence and abundant production is no exception. This is no value judgment. It is just a sober assessment that benefits have costs and this is not an area immune from this reality. A recent report highlights this convergence of energy production increases... Read more →

Burn Injuries and Texas Workers' Compensation Law

This case illustrates the potential hazards of working in the oil and gas industry in West Texas. The report is that one person was seriously injured in an explosion and fire involving storage tanks and a truck in oil field operations. In Texas, and employer is not required to carry... Read more →