What to Know About Workplace Injuries in Texas

 Posted on February 08, 2023 in Work Injuries

In many areas of the country, employers are required to supply their employees with workers’ compensation coverage. However, you may be surprised to learn that in Texas, there is no law requiring employers to purchase or provide their employees with workers’ compensation insurance. As a result, if you suffer a personal injury in the workplace, it is likely that you will not have any safety net to fall back on. Thus, you will be required to pursue compensation for your injuries through a personal injury claim on your own.

If you work in Texas and are injured on the job, do not fret, as an experienced personal injury lawyer can be incredibly beneficial in helping you work through and help you better understand the essential legal considerations at play regarding workplace injuries in Texas. In cases such as this, you have options, and a competent attorney will ensure you are aware of all of your options at this time so you can pursue the compensation you may be entitled to.

If You Are Injured on the Job, Who is Liable for Your Injuries?

It can be very confusing for someone unfamiliar with Texas law to know what to do if they have been injured at work. To uncover who is liable for your injuries, you must first identify who or what caused your injury. Pinpointing the cause of your injuries can play a significant role in determining liability. This is another reason why having a lawyer by your side during this time is so essential, as knowledgeable attorneys will likely be adept at establishing who or what caused your injury.

Parties that may be liable for your injury include the following:

• Employer – Generally, the liability for a workplace injury will fall upon your employer since it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure a safe working environment. If it is established that an unsafe workspace was the cause of your injury, then it is likely that a claim will be able to be made against your employer.
• Coworker – If a coworker did something to cause your injury, they would likely be held responsible for your damages. Depending on the circumstances, if your coworker made a dangerous mistake that caused your injury, they may be held liable for the mistake, as well as your employer, since they kept an untrained and unsafe worker on staff.
• Third-party – Injuries caused by the negligence of a third party, like a customer or vendor, are also possible. In cases like this, since you may not have workers’ compensation benefits, you will likely need to file your personal injury claim directly against the third party who caused your injuries.

Contact a Dallas Workplace Injury Attorney

If you work in Texas and have suffered an injury on the job, consider consulting with the highly knowledgeable Fort Worth, Texas, workplace injury lawyers with Clark Law Group. Call 469-906-2266 for a private consultation.

Source: https://www.oiec.texas.gov/documents/ierightsrespeng.pdf