If you suffered an injury at a construction site in South Houston, you need a construction accident lawyer who understands your situation and is prepared to assert your rights under Texas law. Construction work carries serious risks, and when accidents happen, injured workers may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP represents construction workers throughout South Houston and the greater Houston area who have been hurt on the job. The firm works on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fees upfront and no fee unless compensation is recovered for you.
Why Choose Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP for Your Construction Accident Claim
When you choose Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP, you work with attorneys who have devoted their practices to helping injured individuals, including construction workers. The firm’s lawyers bring extensive experience in personal injury and workplace injury litigation, including matters involving falls from heights, equipment incidents, and industrial accidents. They maintain availability for South Houston clients, combining local familiarity with broader resources and experience from serious cases across Texas. View the firm’s case results and client testimonials to learn more about recoveries in serious construction injury matters.
Cases are handled on a contingency‑fee basis, meaning the firm’s compensation depends on obtaining a financial recovery on your behalf rather than hourly billing. This structure can help ensure that injured workers have access to legal representation regardless of their ability to pay upfront. Learn more about the firm’s attorneys and their experience.
Common Construction Accidents in South Houston
Construction in South Houston spans residential builds, commercial projects, roadway work, and industrial and petrochemical facilities. Accidents can arise from many sources, including:
- Falls from heights, including scaffolds, roofs, and elevated work platforms
- Crane and heavy‑equipment incidents
- Electrocution or electrical‑contact injuries
- Struck‑by events involving falling tools, materials, or moving vehicles
- Trench and excavation collapses
- Partial structural failures or building collapses during construction or demolition
- Ladder misuse or ladder failures
Many of these incidents involve potential violations of safety standards, inadequate fall protection, missing guardrails, improper rigging, inadequate training, or failure to follow established procedures. Identifying the specific mechanism of the accident is often the first step toward determining who may be legally responsible. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes standards for construction safety that inform liability analysis. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), falls remain the leading cause of construction worker fatalities.
Types of Construction Injuries Handled
Construction accidents can cause a wide range of serious injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries that affect memory, concentration, and coordination
- Spinal cord injuries and other spine trauma that can result in chronic pain or paralysis
- Amputations and significant limb injuries, often related to machinery or crush incidents
- Thermal and chemical burns from fires, explosions, or hazardous materials
- Fractures and orthopedic injuries that may require surgery and rehabilitation
- Crush injuries affecting muscles, bones, and internal organs
- Lacerations, nerve damage, and eye injuries, including partial or total vision loss
These injuries frequently require extended medical care, rehabilitation, and sometimes permanent accommodations. A comprehensive claim should consider not only initial treatment but also future medical needs, assistive devices, home or vehicle modifications, and the impact on a worker’s ability to earn a living. Catastrophic injury cases often require detailed life-care planning and expert testimony.
Who May Be Liable for a Construction Accident
Responsibility for a construction‑site injury can involve multiple parties:
- Employers: In Texas, an employer that provides workers’ compensation coverage is generally responsible for workers’ compensation benefits, which cover medical care and a portion of lost wages but typically do not include pain and suffering.
- Third parties: General contractors, subcontractors, property owners, or other companies on the site may have created or failed to correct hazardous conditions. If their negligence contributed to the accident, they may be subject to a third‑party personal‑injury claim.
- Manufacturers and suppliers: Companies that design, manufacture, or supply defective equipment, tools, or safety gear may be liable under product‑liability theories if a defect played a role in the injury.
Texas has a mix of subscriber and non‑subscriber employers. If a South Houston employer does not carry workers’ compensation insurance, that status can open the door to direct negligence claims against the employer, with different defenses and potential damages than are available in subscriber cases. An attorney can review your job status, coverage, and site relationships to identify all potential defendants. The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) provides industry standards for workplace safety management.
Construction Accident Compensation
Depending on the structure of your claim, you may be able to seek:
- Medical expenses for emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, therapy, medications, and ongoing treatment
- Lost wages for the time you are unable to work due to your injuries
- Loss of earning capacity if permanent limitations reduce your ability to earn in your prior line of work or any work
- Non‑economic damages, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, and loss of enjoyment of life, in personal‑injury claims beyond workers’ compensation
- In appropriate cases, punitive damages are awarded where there is clear evidence of gross negligence or particularly egregious conduct
The potential value of a case depends on the severity and permanence of injury, the clarity of liability, the available insurance or assets of responsible parties, and how thoroughly the medical and vocational consequences are documented. Wrongful death claims may also be available when a construction accident results in a fatality.
What to Do After a Construction Accident in South Houston
Steps to consider after a construction injury include:
- Get a prompt medical evaluation, even if symptoms seem minor at first.
- Report the incident to your supervisor or designated safety representative.
- Preserve evidence where possible by taking photographs of the scene, equipment, and visible hazards, and by noting the names and contact information of coworkers who witnessed the incident.
- Keep copies of medical records, work restrictions, and correspondence related to the injury.
- Avoid signing releases or final settlement documents before understanding your rights and the full extent of your injuries.
Texas law imposes time limits on both workers’ compensation filings and third‑party lawsuits, including a general two‑year statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, so it is important not to delay in seeking legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a construction accident lawsuit in Texas?
Most Texas personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the date the cause of action accrues, which is usually the date of the injury. Separate deadlines and notice rules may apply to workers’ compensation claims or claims involving government entities. Because missing a filing deadline can bar your claim, it is best to consult with an attorney as soon as possible.
Can I recover compensation if I was partly at fault?
Texas generally uses a modified comparative‑fault system. If you are found to be 50 percent or less responsible for an accident, you may still recover compensation, but any award can be reduced in proportion to your share of fault. If you are more than 50 percent at fault, you may be barred from recovering in a negligence lawsuit. Careful investigation can help establish what truly caused the incident.
What is the difference between workers’ compensation and a third‑party claim?
Workers’ compensation is typically a no‑fault system that provides medical and wage benefits without requiring proof of employer negligence, but it usually limits the types of damages available. Third‑party claims are negligence or product liability lawsuits against someone other than your employer (such as a contractor, property owner, or manufacturer) and can include broader damages, including pain and suffering. Many injured workers pursue both workers’ compensation and third‑party claims when the facts support them.
What if my employer does not carry workers’ compensation insurance?
If your employer is a non‑subscriber, you may be able to bring a direct negligence claim against the employer, and Texas law limits certain defenses that non‑subscriber employers can use. These cases can allow recovery for a wider range of damages than standard workers’ compensation, but they also require proof that the employer’s negligence contributed to your injury.
Contact Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP for a Free Consultation
If you were injured in a construction accident in South Houston, legal guidance can help protect your rights and clarify your options. Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP offers free consultations to discuss what happened, review your medical situation, and explain potential claims and timelines. Call (713) 230-2200 to speak with someone about your case. The firm represents construction‑injury clients on a contingency‑fee basis, so you do not pay attorney fees unless compensation is recovered on your behalf.