Attorney: Lawsuits Could Be Option For Oklahoma Quake Victims

A Tulsa attorney says anyone in Oklahoma who suffered damage from Monday's 4.1 earthquake may have a new option to use to cover the expense.

Civil litigation attorney Larry Pinkerton said, "There's always been the opportunity to sue an oil company but there hasn't been identified, the cause of the earthquakes haven't been identified until recently. With regard to the injection wells."

11/2/2015: Related Story: Powerful Earthquake Felt In Green Country

Pinkerton says since a State Supreme Court decision allowed a woman to go forward with a lawsuit against an oil company she says was responsible for the earthquake that caused debris to fall and injure her...more people could follow suit. 

He says if you're contemplating filing a lawsuit, there are some things to do and consider first.

First, research. Find out if there are any other lawsuits. If there are, he recommends you look into becoming a part of a class action suit.

"If you felt you wanted your own lawsuit then you would want to research and investigate your opportunities to prove causation and then contact a attorney who would bring a lawsuit for you and make other investigations as necessary," he said.

Although researchers have concluded injection wells play a role in the increase frequency of earthquakes, he said, it's still a relatively new discovery. So if you start a suit, be ready to go all the way with it.

But be wary. He said losing the suit could have consequences.

"You face the possibility there is a statute that if you sue for property damage and you lose you may find yourself paying the attorney fees for the other side."