Houston industrial accident lawyer for serious workplace injuries

Overview

Injuries in industrial and job site accidents

Houston is home to one of the largest petrochemical and industrial corridors in the country. Refineries, chemical plants, and terminals line the Houston Ship Channel from Pasadena and Deer Park to La Porte and Baytown, and construction, fabrication, and warehouse work runs across all of Harris County. When safety rules are ignored on these sites, the injuries are rarely minor: severe burns, crush injuries, amputations, spinal cord and brain injuries, and deaths.


Benjamin Roberts Law represents workers and families hurt in industrial and job site accidents across Harris County and the surrounding area. Our attorneys started their careers working for insurance companies, so we know how a carrier evaluates an industrial injury claim and where it looks for reasons to pay less. We use that knowledge to build your case from the first day.


Many of these cases turn on evidence that disappears quickly: equipment that gets repaired or scrapped, video that is recorded over, and incident reports written by the company. The sooner we are involved, the sooner we can send preservation demands and secure that evidence.

A construction worker in a blue uniform sits on an industrial floor, clutching an injured knee in pain.

Common Industrial Hazards

Explosions, machinery, and falls

Industrial accidents happen in many ways. The ones we see most often in the Houston area include:

  • Explosions and fires at refineries, chemical plants, and storage facilities, often caused by failed equipment, poor maintenance, or skipped safety procedures.
  • Machinery and equipment accidents, including unguarded moving parts, lockout/tagout failures, and defective tools.
  • Falls from scaffolding, ladders, platforms, and other elevated work areas.
  • Chemical exposure and toxic releases that cause burns and inhalation injuries.
  • Crane, forklift, and heavy equipment accidents, including struck-by and caught-between injuries.
  • Electrocution and arc flash injuries.

Federal OSHA standards and industry safety practices set the rules these sites are supposed to follow. When an employer, contractor, or equipment maker breaks those rules and someone is hurt, that violation can be important evidence in the claim.

Liability Beyond Workers’ Compensation

Third-party claims

Texas handles workplace injuries differently from every other state. Texas employers are not required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, and whether your employer has coverage changes which claims you can bring.


If your employer carries workers’ compensation, you are generally entitled to medical and income benefits regardless of fault, but you usually cannot sue your employer for negligence. One important exception: when a worker is killed because of an employer’s gross negligence, the surviving spouse and children may be able to pursue additional damages.


If your employer does not carry workers’ compensation, it is known as a nonsubscriber, and you may be able to sue the company directly for negligence. Texas law also takes away defenses a nonsubscribing employer would otherwise use, such as arguing that the worker was partly at fault.


In many industrial cases, the employer is not the only party at fault. Third parties can include general contractors and subcontractors working on the same site, facility owners and operators, manufacturers of defective equipment or safety gear, and maintenance or inspection companies. These claims are separate from workers’ compensation and can provide compensation that comp does not pay, such as pain and suffering and full lost earnings.


Benjamin Roberts Law evaluates every potential source of recovery, including workers’ compensation benefits, nonsubscriber claims, and third-party claims, so no source of compensation is overlooked.

FAQs

 Industrial accident questions

  • Can I file a claim outside workers’ compensation?

    Often, yes. If your employer is a nonsubscriber, meaning it does not carry workers' compensation insurance, you may be able to sue the company directly. Even if your employer does carry workers' compensation, you may have a separate claim against a third party whose negligence contributed to the accident, such as a contractor, site owner, or equipment manufacturer. Those claims can recover damages that workers' compensation does not pay, including pain and suffering.

  • Who may be responsible?

    Depending on the facts, responsible parties can include general contractors and subcontractors, the owner or operator of the facility, the manufacturer or distributor of defective equipment, and companies hired to maintain or inspect equipment. A nonsubscribing employer may also be directly responsible. Identifying every party early matters, because each may carry its own insurance.

  • How soon should I speak with a lawyer?

    As soon as you can. In Texas, most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury. Workers' compensation deadlines are shorter: you generally must report the injury to your employer within 30 days and file a claim with the Texas Division of Workers' Compensation within one year. Evidence at industrial sites is also repaired, discarded, or recorded over quickly, so early action protects your claim.

Speak With an Attorney

Free consultation available

If you were injured in an industrial accident, Benjamin Roberts Law can review your case.