Houston Workplace Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury while at work or performing occupational tasks, contact the Houston workplace injury attorneys at The Doan Law Firm for assistance. We are led by a passion and dedication to fight for injured victims that have made us the largest law firm in the country. We have multiple law offices throughout Texas and a founding attorney, Jimmy Doan, who spent most of his childhood in Houston. We stand by Texans and can help you seek just financial compensation for work injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Houston Workplace Injury Resources

If you have suffered harm in a workplace accident, the resources on this page may be of use. Click the corresponding links below to navigate the page.

Common Texas Workplace Injuries
The Impact of Workplace Injuries
What Are the Most Dangerous Industries in Texas?
Workers’ Compensation Claim vs. Personal Injury Lawsuit
Potential Damages in Your Injury Claim
Who is Not Covered Under Workers’ Compensation in Texas?
How an Attorney Can Help
Steps to Follow After a Workplace Accident
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Houston Workplace Injury Attorney

What Are Common Workplace Injuries in Houston?

Every year, thousands of workers in Texas are checked into hospitals for serious injuries and illnesses connected to their jobs. Regardless of where you work or what you do, you can be at risk of suffering life-changing injuries due to your job – especially if your employer or a coworker is guilty of careless or reckless acts. Some of the injuries that we see with our workplace accident clients include:

Bone fractures
Soft-tissue injuries
Back and neck injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Fire and explosion injuries
Electrocutions
Traumatic brain injuries
Repetitive motion injuries
Amputations
Asbestos-related illnesses (e.g., mesothelioma)
Infectious diseases
Wrongful worker deaths

Our experienced Houston personal injury lawyers can help if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with any type of injury or illness from occupational hazards. We can connect you to the right doctors in Houston as well as help you collect evidence that proves the extent of your injuries and what you’ve spent on necessary medical care. You can trust us to fight for maximum financial compensation for your work injuries.

The Impact of Workplace Injuries

Accidents in the workplace occur regularly. Unfortunately, many of these workplace accidents result in significant, life-changing injuries. Sometimes, workplace accidents can lead to fatalities. According to information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), we can see that there were approximately 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries or illnesses reported during the latest year of data available.

It cannot be overstated how much a workplace injury can impact an individual and their family. If a person’s job is the primary source of income for their household and family, this can lead to unimaginable stress when it comes to determining how to pay bills and what steps to take next. This stress is compounded if an employer or workers’ compensation insurance carrier refuses to offer a fair settlement or denies the claim altogether.

When a person sustains a workplace injury, and their employer does carry workers’ compensation insurance, they should be able to recover compensation for their medical bills and a portion of their lost wages. If the employer does not carry workers’ compensation insurance and the injury was caused by another individual or entity, the injury victim should be able to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation.

What Are the Most Dangerous Industries in Texas?

Texas is home to many dangerous work environments and industries. While an injury can happen in virtually any workplace, some present greater occupational hazards than others. The most dangerous industries in Houston include:

Transportation
Waste collection
Construction and roofing
Oil and gas
Industrial and manufacturing
Farming
Health care

These industries contain injury risks such as heavy machinery, dangerous equipment, toxic substances, heights and environmental hazards. It is up to an employer to adequately protect workers from foreseeable injury risks. The careless failure to do so, resulting in a worker injury or death, is referred to as negligence.

Workers’ Compensation Claim vs. Personal Injury Lawsuit

If you get injured at work in Houston, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits without proof of negligence or fault. Workers’ comp covers medical bills, up to two-thirds of your lost wages and disability benefits. Employers in Texas, however, are not legally required to carry workers’ comp insurance. If workers’ compensation isn’t available or you believe that negligence caused your injury, consider filing a personal injury lawsuit in Harris County instead.

A personal injury lawsuit requires clear and convincing evidence of negligence in direct connection to your work injury. If negligence can be proven, a lawsuit can result in greater financial compensation than a workers’ comp insurance settlement. You could recover compensation for pain and suffering, for example, as well as complete lost wages and punitive damages. Discuss both legal options with an attorney at The Doan Law Firm to determine which is right for you.

Potential Damages in Workplace Injury Cases

Individuals who sustain workplace injuries may be able to recover a wide range of compensation. If the employer had workers’ compensation insurance coverage, then the injured employee should be able to receive complete compensation for their medical expenses related to the injury or illness. Additionally, if a person is unable to work for a limited amount of time due to recovering from the injury, they should be able to recover a significant portion of their lost wages. If the employer did not have workers’ compensation insurance, it may be necessary to file a civil personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party to recover compensation.

If the civil personal injury claim is successful, various types of compensation will likely be available, including:

Coverage of medical expenses
Lost wage replacement if a person is unable to work
Coverage of out-of-pocket losses caused by the injury or illness
Transportation expenses
Home renovations to accommodate mobility issues caused by the injury
Mental and emotional anguish
Compensation for permanent scarring or disfigurement

Who is Not Covered Under Workers’ Compensation in Texas?

Unlike other states, Texas does not require every employer to carry workers’ compensation coverage. Any private employer is allowed to opt-out of carrying workers’ compensation, but this does come with risks for the employer. On the one hand, the employer will not have to pay compensation for every single injury that occurs in the workplace, particularly those that the injured worker caused themselves. However, one of the protections of workers’ compensation insurance is that it does limit how much compensation an injured worker can receive, and they are unable to recover pain and suffering damages.

If the employer does choose not to carry workers’ compensation insurance and they end up being held liable for the injury, they could be out of much more compensation than they would have otherwise paid for their workers’ compensation claim.

Aside from employers who choose to opt-out of carrying workers’ compensation, other individuals most commonly not covered under this type of plan include:

Independent contractors
Seasonal workers
Volunteers
Some agricultural employees
Domestic workers, including nannies and housekeepers in homes
Some individuals who work for nonprofits or charities

If you have sustained an injury in the workplace and do not know whether or not you are covered by workers’ compensation insurance, we encourage you to reach out to a skilled Houston workplace injury attorney as soon as possible. An attorney can examine your claim and help you determine the best steps to take next.

How a Houston Workplace-Related Injury Attorney Can Help

It can be confusing to know whether or not you need an attorney to help with a work injury claim. The short answer is yes, you should contact an attorney for help. When you work with a lawyer, you will have an advocate by your side with the experience necessary to understand what you are facing. Your lawyer can talk you through this process and guide you regardless of whether or not you have a workers’ competition claim or a third-party workplace injury lawsuit.

A workplace injury attorney in Houston will aggressively defend your rights to recover compensation after sustaining a workplace injury. This includes engaging in negotiations with insurance carriers and employers or preparing the claim for trial if that is what it takes.

What Should I Do After a Workplace Accident?

If you sustain an injury on the job, there are various steps that you can take to help both ensure your safety and well-being and health and that you recover the compensation you are entitled to. Regardless of whether or not you sustain a slip and fall injury in an office or are injured by a piece of farming equipment, knowing the right steps to take next is important. Taking the wrong steps can significantly reduce or even eliminate your options for recovering compensation.

Report the injury. We always recommend that individuals report the injury to their employer as soon as possible. Often, this is already done before a person even leaves the area to go seek medical care. However, state law gives workers 30 days from the date of their injury or illness to report the injury to their employer. Failing to do so within the required time frame increases the chance that the workers’ compensation claim will be denied. The time frame is extended for individuals who will be filing third-party personal injury lawsuits.
Seek medical treatment. It is crucial for any workplace injury victim to seek medical treatment right away. It is important for insurance carriers and potential personal injury jurors to see a strong record of hospital and doctor visits that begin right after the injury occurs and continue until a doctor says the worker has reached maximum medical improvement.
Complete the claim. If workers’ compensation is available, it is essential to complete the DWC Form-041. This form should be sent to the Texas Department of insurance within one year after the accident or injury diagnosis. Failing to complete this form increases the risk that that person will not receive benefits. If you are filing a third-party personal injury lawsuit, you need to work with an attorney to get the claim filed in civil court.
Contact your workplace injury lawyer. A workplace injury lawyer should be contacted as soon as possible after the injury occurs. They can begin their investigation and take over all communication with other parties involved. A lawyer will be responsible for handling the process from that point forward.

Request a Free Work Injury Case Review in Houston Today

A work injury can prevent you from doing your job and enjoying your life. It can also cause immense pain, suffering and medical expenses. At The Doan Law Firm, we are passionate about helping injured workers and families in Texas achieve the compensation that they need for major accidents and disasters, including mass casualty incidents. Fill out our online contact form or call us at (800) 349-0000 today to speak to an attorney with a free case evaluation. We can immediately get started on your case.