Undefeated Houston Work Injury Lawyers
An industrial accident can change your life in an instant.
One moment you’re simply doing your job; the next, an accident, fire, or explosion at an oilfield, offshore platform, chemical plant or refinery leaves you in severe pain, potentially disabled, and possibly even fighting for your life. In the meantime, you and your family are left without a regular paycheck, mounting medical bills, and a future that’s anything but clear.
While you might expect your employer—or its workers’ compensation insurer—to make you whole after an industrial accident in Texas, the reality is far more complex. Workers’ comp may not be available, and even if it is, your benefits likely won’t come close to covering all that you and your family stand to lose after a catastrophic workplace injury.
Having won billions for clients in Texas and across the United States, our Undefeated Work Accident Lawyers have found that the majority of companies only care about their bottom line. After any industrial accident, they’ll immediately bring in an army of attorneys with one objective: avoiding responsibility and limiting your financial recovery to what little workers’ comp you might be entitled to. If you want to recover ALL of the compensation the law allows, you need to move just as quickly to protect your legal rights and secure your family’s future.
Get Medical Help Immediately
Your safety comes first. Call 911, ask a coworker for help, or get to the nearest emergency room right away. Never try to “walk it off” or finish your shift. Industrial accidents can cause injuries—like internal bleeding—that aren’t immediately visible but may become life-threatening within hours.
Be sure to tell every doctor, nurse, and EMT you encounter that your injury happened at work. That detail must appear in your medical records to avoid later disputes about where and how you were injured.
Promptly Report Your Injury
Once you’re stable, notify your supervisor or safety manager of your injury as soon as possible. Texas requires that employers be notified in writing within 30 days of the accident, but the sooner you’re able to do so, the better.
Keep your account factual and brief. Describe what happened and when, without guessing about the cause or accepting blame. Ask for a copy of the written incident report or take a photo if you’re not allowed to remove it.
Preserve Whatever Evidence You Can
.If you can safely do so—or can ask a trusted coworker—gather what evidence you can, including:
- Photos or video of the accident scene, machinery, spills, or warning signs
- Pictures of your visible injuries and any damaged PPE or clothing (keep them unwashed and sealed in a bag)
- Names and contact information of witnesses, contractors, or bystanders
- Copies of task sheets, permits, or safety instructions showing your assigned work that day
Write down everything you remember about the accident, no matter how minor a detail might seem: what you were doing, what malfunctioned, what alarms sounded, and what happened afterward. Those notes will preserve memories that could otherwise be lost to time.
Follow All Medical Advice and Treatment Plans
Your treatment plan is more than a path to recovery—it’s evidence. Insurers and their defense lawyers will point to missed appointments or failure to comply with restrictions as proof that your injuries aren’t serious. Follow your doctor’s orders exactly. If you’re told to rest, don’t return to heavy labor prematurely. If cost, transportation, or scheduling makes it difficult to attend appointments, explain that to your provider and document the issue. Consistent care creates a reliable medical record that connects your symptoms, limitations, and recovery to the industrial accident.
Understand Texas Workers’ Compensation
Texas is the only state in the nation that allows private employers to opt out of the workers’ compensation system. Whether your employer carries coverage determines what legal rights you have:
- If your employer has workers’ compensation insurance, you may qualify for medical care and partial wage replacement after an industrial accident in Texas. However, you generally cannot file a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death claim against an employer, even if their negligence caused the unsafe conditions that led to your injury.
- If your employer does not carry workers’ comp, they’re considered a non-subscriber, and you can sue them directly for negligence. Under Texas law, they also lose the right to invoke important legal defenses such as contributory negligence and assumption of risk. In plain terms, they can’t simply blame you for the accident or claim you “knew the risks.”
Even if your employer does carry workers’ comp, it’s important to understand that your benefits will only cover the medical bills related to your injury and a percentage of the wages you would normally earn in a given week. What’s more, you’ll receive nothing to account for the real human cost of a catastrophic workplace injury: the pain, the emotional trauma, and the permanent impact on your quality of life.
A Lawsuit Allows You to Recover Additional Damages Not Available Through Workers Comp
If your employer’s gross negligence caused your injury, you may be able to sue the company for damages beyond what workers’ comp allows. In Texas, gross negligence is defined as an act or omission that, from an objective standpoint, involves an “extreme degree of risk” to workers, and for which the company has “actual, subjective awareness” but proceeds anyway with “conscious indifference” to the welfare of its employees.
Texas law also permits injured workers to file third-party lawsuits against other companies whose negligence contributed to their injuries—such as a contractor, property owner, or equipment manufacturer—and potentially recover far more than the limited benefits workers’ comp provides.
If any of these claims are successful, you and your family could be awarded significant damages for:
- Medical expenses for past and future care
- Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Physical impairment and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of Consortium
In cases involving gross negligence, Texas law also permits exemplary (punitive) damages to punish that conduct and deter similar behavior in the future.
Assume You’re Under Surveillance
After an industrial accident in Texas, companies and insurers often hire private investigators to keep tabs on injured workers. You may not see them, but they can record you in public places, hoping to catch you engaged in activities that contradict your injury claims.
Follow your doctor’s orders exactly, both at home and in public. Don’t lift, climb, or perform tasks that exceed your restrictions. Even small lapses—like carrying groceries or doing light yard work—can be twisted to question the severity of your injuries and undermine your credibility.
Do Not Provide a Recorded Statement Without Talking to a Lawyer
The company’s insurance adjuster will attempt to contact you soon after the accident. While it may appear they want to help, and their questions seem routine, never forget their goal is to minimize what they pay.
No matter how much your employer or their adjuster pressures you, don’t provide a recorded statement, sign anything, or accept any type of payment other than your normal paycheck without first consulting an experienced industrial accident lawyer. Once a statement is recorded or a document is signed, you can’t take it back.
Stay Off Social Media and Limit What You Discuss about the Accident
Anything you post online can be used against you. Insurance investigators routinely monitor social media for photos or comments that make you appear healthy or active. Even an innocent post like “feeling better” can be taken out of context.
Avoid posting about your injury, recovery, or day-to-day activities. Ask friends and family not to tag you in photos or mention your case. Likewise, don’t discuss your accident with coworkers, acquaintances, or any family member other than your spouse. The fewer public statements you make, the less opportunity insurers have to misrepresent them.
Be Aware of Your Legal Deadlines
If you plan to bring a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, you generally have two years from the date of the accident. This statute of limitations is absolute. Missing the deadline to file suit can permanently bar your right to recover compensation, no matter how strong your case.
Talk to an Experienced Industrial Accident Attorney As Soon As Possible
Lawsuits involving Industrial accidents in Texas are complex. The presence of multiple companies on a job site can obscure who’s responsible, and evidence can be lost or destroyed in a matter of weeks. The companies at fault will move quickly to protect themselves, often within hours of the incident.
An experienced industrial accident attorney can determine whether your employer is a non-subscriber, identify every third party that may be liable, and make sure evidence crucial to your case is preserved. Getting legal advice early doesn’t mean you’re filing a lawsuit—it means you’re protecting yourself while the company and its insurers protect themselves.
Contact our Undefeated Work Injury Attorneys for a Free Consultation at 1-888-603-3636 or by Clicking Here
Our Texas Work Injury Lawyers aren’t just undefeated; they’ve recovered billions on behalf of our clients, including record-setting verdicts and settlements against some of the largest corporations in the world, including:
- The #1 Largest Burn Injury Settlement in History
- A $75 Million Settlement for workers injured in refinery explosion
- A $85 Million Settlement for injured refinery contractors
- A $100 Million settlement on behalf of a group of plant workers, despite the company’s attempt to limit each to less than $50,000 in workers’ comp benefits.
If you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in an industrial accident in Texas, we’ll commit whatever resources are necessary to hold the negligent companies accountable and recover the maximum compensation possible for you and your family.
All consultations are free, and you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.
Call 1-888-603-3636, click “Chat Now” on our website, or send a confidential message through our Contact Us form.