Alarming Trends of Construction Accidents in Texas

Falling from heights. Being pinned or crushed by a piece of heavy machinery. Electrocution. These are just a few of the countless risks that construction workers throughout Texas face on a daily basis.

Across the country, thousands of workers die and hundreds of thousands more get injured in job-related accidents each year. Unfortunately, data show that Texas’s work-related fatality rate is the highest in the nation. Tragically, many of these accidents could be avoided if construction companies, contractors, subcontractors, and others simply took appropriate steps to avoid safety risks and prevent the mistakes that too often put workers in life-threatening situations.

Texas Construction Accident Statistics

In many ways, the number of construction-related deaths in Texas is disproportionately high. Consider these statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Texas Tribune:

• In 2014, 524 Texas workers died in work-related accidents. This represents a three percent increase from 2013.
• Since 2003, more Texas workers have died each year than in any other state.
• Even in California, the nation’s largest state, the number of work-related deaths in a year exceeded 500 only once – in 2006. In 2014, California had only 334 workplace fatalities.
• In two other large states (Florida and New York), the number of annual deaths has exceeded 400 only once – in Florida in 2005.
• Texas has the worst fatality rate in several construction trades. Among construction workers in Texas, falls account for the greatest number of work-related deaths.

This shows that Texas construction workers are dying at alarming rates. Texas’s construction fatality rates are above the national average, and above what experts would expect based on population and employment numbers in the construction sector. Clearly, this is a significant problem, and one that needs to be addressed. As an injured worker or a family member of someone who died at work, the best thing you can do is fight for just compensation.

Seeking Financial Compensation for Work-Related Injuries

Importantly, while many construction accidents are the result of someone’s negligence or misconduct, you do not always need to be able to prove fault in order to seek compensation for your injuries or a loved one’s death. In Texas, workers’ compensation is a “no-fault” system that entitles eligible workers and their families to coverage for medical bills, funeral expenses, and certain other losses. Learn more about filing for workers’ compensation and other ways that you can seek just compensation for construction-related injuries and deaths.

Moreover, even if you are receiving workers’ compensation already, you may be entitled to additional compensation from other sources, including other contractors or parties that may have caused or contributed to the accident.

Morrow & Sheppard LLP | Houston Work Injury Lawyers

The Texas Department of Insurance reports that less than 40 percent of families who lose loved ones in job-related accidents actually receive death benefits through workers’ compensation. To protect yourself and your family, it is important that you seek legal help for your claim as soon as possible.

At Morrow & Sheppard LLP, our experienced construction accident lawyers provide compassionate, experienced and aggressive representation for workers’ compensation and other job-related injury claims in the Houston area and throughout Texas. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation, please contact us today.