Work Injury Lawyer in Houston

Employee is injured at work

    Houston has a sizable workforce with many of its workers employed in high-risk industries such as energy, transportation, maritime, shipping, manufacturing, and construction. So, it’s no surprise that Texas jobs are physically demanding and potentially dangerous. Whether working at construction sites, refineries, chemical plants, oil or gas well sites, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, or in the maritime sector, the potential for severe injuries on the job is always present.

    Sustaining work-related harm can result in significant physical, emotional, and financial loss. And if injured in a workplace accident, it’s imperative that you have an understanding of your legal rights. Anyone involved in an on-the-job accident should seek counsel from a Houston workplace injury attorney who can provide the guidance, support and representation to make sure your interests are protected.

    Twenty-Five Years of Successful Representation for Injured Workers in Houston, TX

    The highly experienced team of work injury lawyers at The Callahan Law Firm have been fighting tirelessly for over two decades to secure equitable and fair compensation for hard-working individuals who have suffered job-related injuries. Callahan’s primary objective is to assist clients in obtaining the necessary financial resources to treat their injuries, pay their bills, and support their families during a challenging time so they can return to their everyday lives. The Callahan Law Firm understands the tactics employed by negligent companies and their insurance carriers that try to evade responsibility and not pay injured workers the compensation they are entitled to under the law.

    The Callahan Law Firm advocates for employees who have experienced workplace injuries in Harris County and throughout the state of Texas. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation with our work injury lawyers in Houston. During our meeting, we’ll explore all available options to pursue maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.

    Why You Need a Houston Workplace Accident Lawyer

    We cannot overstate the importance of retaining an experienced workplace accident attorney. Nearly all physically demanding industries in Houston and throughout the state of Texas hold inherent workplace injury risk. For this reason, Texas employees must understand their rights and seek proper legal guidance after getting hurt on the job. Case law tells us that workplace accidents at construction sites, factories, offshore, or offices often result in life-changing consequences. A skilled workplace accident lawyer with years of experience successfully representing injured workers and their families can tackle the complexities that accompany such cases.

    Let’s explore why hiring a Harris County workplace accident lawyer is essential and how they can help you secure the compensation you deserve in a work-related injury claim.

    Callahan Understands and Helps Enforce Texas Work Injury Laws

    Did you know under Texas Labor Codes, Chapters 406, 408, 401.011, and 413.022, all employers, whether they have workers’ compensation insurance coverage or not, must comply with the reporting and notification requirements of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act?

    Navigating through Texas workplace accident laws alone can be challenging. The reputable work injury lawyers at The Callahan Law Firm are well-versed in the state’s labor code. They can guide you through the particulars of your case to place you in a position for a favorable outcome.

    Common Workplace Accident Claims We Litigate

    The Callahan Law Firm prides itself on the experience of our Houston work injury lawyers, who have proven to be critical in helping clients and their families receive full and fair compensation on many different types of workplace injury claims. Our workplace accident professionals focus on developing the case and securing compensation for the following injuries that happen on the job.

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      Industrial accidents – Tex. Lab. Code § 401.011 and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules define industrial accidents as any unexpected occurrence or event that results in bodily injury, death, or property damage within an industrial environment. Industrial accidents encompass many incidents, including but not limited to explosions, fires, chemical spills, equipment malfunctions, and falls. The consequences can be severe, leading to physical harm, impairment, disfigurement and loss of life. If you were in an industrial accident, contact us for help.

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      Heavy equipment accidents – The same statutes hold that a “heavy equipment” accident refers to an intentional or negligent event resulting in a person’s bodily injury, death, or property damage involving the use of large machinery, such as cranes, forklifts, bulldozers, or haul trucks. These incidents can also result in severe injuries or even fatalities. Contact The Callahan Law Firm if you’ve sustained heavy equipment injuries while on the job. In addition to the practice’s competence in handling complex employee accident cases involving heavy-duty construction equipment, you’ll have access to the skills of our founding attorney, Michael S. Callahan, a former mechanical engineer who is also Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

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      Construction accidents – State legislators and federal OSHA laws have recognized construction sites as highly hazardous work environments carrying significant accident risks for construction workers. These dangers include potential life-altering injuries resulting from various sources such as scaffolding, cranes, forklifts, trucks, falls from heights, falling objects, fires, explosions, or exposure to toxic chemicals and materials. Callahan’s mission is to pursue legal action against negligent construction companies, site owners, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, and any third party whose actions caused your work-related injury.

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      Railroad worker accidents – Railroad accident cases present distinct challenges compared to other workplace accident claims. In these cases, injured workers do not fall under the protection of the state’s standard workers’ compensation laws. Instead, those involved in an accident must seek compensation under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA). The federal courts in Texas began recognizing FELA jurisdiction in 1910 after deciding the landmark case ATCHISON, T. & S. F. R. CO. V. TACK. FELA rules entitles injured railroad employees to pursue compensation against negligent railroad carriers, their agents, and employees. If you’ve sustained injuries during railroad employment, we urge you to reach out to Callahan attorneys, who understand the difficulties of handling FELA claims.

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      Pipeline accidents – Pipeline construction and maintenance involve inherently dangerous job assignments. Many employers require workers to perform their duties in challenging environments, including working above and below ground or underwater. Regrettably, many pipeline workers suffer injuries and fatalities caused by accidents involving heavy equipment, explosions, blowouts, fires, product defects, weld failures, welding mishaps, or hazardous gas leaks. If you or someone you care about has been harmed, we strongly urge you to contact a Callahan Law Firm pipeline accident attorney today before the statute of limitations expires on your claim.

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      Explosion accidents – Explosions in the workplace all too often cause severe life-threatening injuries and fatalities. If you or a loved one have suffered severe burns, crushing injuries, vision or hearing loss, amputation, or other serious harm in an explosion in Houston, its surrounding areas or elsewhere in the state of Texas, contact a Callahan workplace explosion lawyer to receive the full and fair compensation you need and deserve under the law.

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      Oil rig accidents – Land and offshore oil rig workers are especially vulnerable to harm caused by the negligence of co-workers, employers, contractors, and third parties collaborating on the job site. These employees are also prone to fatal injuries, amputations, crush injuries, back and neck injuries, burns, paralysis, and other bodily harm. If yours is an offshore injury, you may hold grounds to seek compensation under 46 U.S. Code §30104 (The Jones Act).

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      Offshore accidents – Offshore workers trust their employers, co-workers and others to prioritize the safety and seaworthiness of their vessels, diligently uphold tool and equipment maintenance, and exercise unwavering caution while navigating the Gulf of Mexico or other waterways. If you’ve suffered an injury, or tragically lost a loved one in a maritime accident, you should seek counsel from a seasoned offshore accident attorney. The Callahan Law Firm can advise you on your Jones Act legal rights, outline courses of action to pursue, and assist you in securing the compensation you are entitled to under the law.

    Federal and State Fatality Statistics for Workplace Injuries

    Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States has recorded an alarming 5,190 fatal work injuries in 2021. Among these tragedies, falls and death from commercial vehicle accidents at work reached 850.

    Additionally, the Bureau reported in the same year that intentional misconduct in the workplace caused over 761 lives lost. Finally, over 10 percent, or 533, of all fatal work injuries in the country happened in Texas, where in 2021, 498 occurred in private industry and 35 in the public sector.

    There was also a severe gender disparity in the state’s 2021 workplace fatality data. According to the Bureau, fatal injuries in men reached 493, while women suffered 40 incidents.

    2021 FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN TEXAS:

    1. Transportation incidents – 260
    2. Slips, trips, and falls – 88
    3. Contact with objects and equipment – 66
    4. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals – 57
    5. Exposure to harmful substances or environments – 54
    6. Fires and explosions – 7

    Employees aged 55-64 working in production, transportation, and material-moving occupations suffered the most fatal injuries in 2021. Subsequent fatal workplace injuries occurred in the natural resources, construction, and maintenance sectors.

    Nonfatal Work Injuries

    According to the Bureau, over 2.6 million nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses occurred in the private sector in 2021. And over one million public employees missed at least one workday due to a nonfatal work injury that same year—in the private sector, the average workplace injury caused those involved to take twelve days off from work to recover.

    COMMON NONFATAL INJURIES IN 2021:

    • Sprains, strains, and tears – 266,530
    • Injuries from slips, trips, and falls – 211,640
    • Back injuries – 128,220

    A third-party claim seeks to hold a business entity or an individual (other than your employer or co-worker) liable for a negligent act that caused an employee workplace injury. Accordingly, you may hold grounds to bring a third-party negligence claim if someone other than your employer or a co-worker caused an accident at work that resulted in an injury.

    Even if your employer is comparatively negligent (bears partial responsibility for the incident), you may still be able to bring a third-party claim and make a recovery. In such instances, Tex. Lab. Code § 417.001 allows you to hold the third party liable for their share of the carelessness that contributed to your injuries.

    Moreover, a third-party claim is valid regardless of whether your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance.

    Texas state law does not require employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. The Texas Code labels businesses without workers’ compensation insurance as “non-subscribers.” Depending on the facts of the case, an injured worker can file a lawsuit against their non-subscriber employer and any responsible third party concurrently to compensate for injuries caused by workplace negligence.

    UNDERSTANDING THIRD-PARTY WORKPLACE LAWSUITS

    Here are a few examples of when third parties may be liable for a workplace accident in Texas:

    • Non-employee driver of a company car or truck crashes into another vehicle causing injury to an employee.
    • Subcontractor negligently operates industrial machinery (i.e., forklift or other heavy equipment) causing injury.
    • Vendors or other third-parties cause employee injury while performing tasks or supplying products or equipment on the work site.
    • Subcontractors (non-employees) negligently cause burn injuries to employees on the job.
    • Manufacturers, distributors or retailers who provide defective products or tools that cause an injury or fatality.

    A favorable third-party recovery – whether by settlement or jury verdict – can compensate an injured worker and their family for workplace accident-related losses. Damage awards may include but are not limited to medical expenses, lost income, diminished earning capacity, physical impairment, disfigurement, pain, suffering, mental anguish, loss of consortium, and potentially more.