Workplace accidents happen every day in the United States – sadly many of these accidents are very serious. On average it’s reported that each day there are 13 people who go to work and never come home due to fatal work accidents.
Every year, nearly 4 million Americans suffer a workplace injury from which many may never recover. Almost always, these tragedies are preventable, even though such accidents often disable workers and devastate families. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”), 4,609 workers were killed on the job in 2011, equating to 13 deaths per day. This number was up from 4,551 in 2010.
Workplace injuries can be complicated and emotional for family members – if you or someone you love have been injured or wrongfully killed due to a work accident, our work injury lawyers from Hill Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers can help fight your case. Call us at (210) 960-3939 or fill our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. We can review your options and walk you through the legal process.
San Antonio Work Injury Resources
- Why Hire an Attorney?
- Notable Case Results
- What Happens If You Get Injured At Work?
- Industrial Workplace Accidents
- Workers’ Compensation vs. Third-Party Claim
- Common Workplace Injuries
- Workplace Injury FAQs
- Areas We Serve
- Where to get a Work Injury Lawyer in San Antonio?
Why Hire a San Antonio Workplace Accident Attorney?
Dealing with the aftermath of a workplace injury can be traumatic and stressful. In addition to potentially being unable to work for some time, victims oftentimes find the medical bills piling up quite quickly. Our workplace accident lawyer in San Antonio is prepared to handle every aspect of your case, from start to finish. We will gather evidence, review medical records, bring in financial and expert witnesses, and negotiate with the insurance company. Our team is also fully prepared to take your case to court, if doing so is likely to result in the best possible outcome for you and your loved ones.
A workplace injury claim can be particularly complex and time-consuming. Allow our attorneys to fight for justice on your behalf, so you can focus all of your energy on recovering from your injuries.
Notable Workplace Injury Case Results
We are proud to have secured numerous favorable settlements and results on behalf of clients hurt in workplace accidents. Some case results we have achieved in the past include:
- $11.9 million settlement for an oilfield explosion
- $1 million settlement for an on-the-job broken leg
- $800k settlement for an on-the-job forklift accident
- $650k settlement for an on-the-job slip and fall injury
- Confidential settlement for a man that suffered permanent injuries requiring surgery at work
San Antonio Workplace Accidents
The recent boom in the oil and gas industry, as well as the industries supporting oil and gas production and exploration, has led to a drastic increase in worker fatalities and work injuries throughout the state of Texas. This has caught the attention of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and other agencies that monitor worker safety issues. According to an analysis by the Houston Chronicle, oil and gas workers in Texas were more likely to die on the job than those in any other line of work. They found that, while overall workplace deaths in Texas declined, oil and gas fatalities actually rose.
Between 2007 and 2011, OSHA investigated at least 84 cases in which oil and gas workers were killed on the job. The death rates for oil and gas in Texas are among the highest of any industry in the state. The oil and gas industry is not the only industry plagued with large numbers of worker injuries and deaths – many other industries also have high reports of serious injury-causing accidents. OSHA, the government agency charged with ensuring worker safety and investigating workplace injuries and wrongful death, has the authority to fine companies for failing to follow safety regulations.
The Top 10 Most Frequently Cited OSHA Violations:
- Fall protection
- Hazard communication
- Scaffolding
- Respiratory
- Electrical, wiring methods
- Powered industrial trucks
- Ladders
- Lockout/tagout
- General electrical
- Machine guarding
American and migrant workers are exposed to needless hazards every day that cause injury, disability and death. Oftentimes, these accidents are the fault of a co-worker or a contractor working at the same site. In some cases, a general corporate philosophy that emphasizes profits and production over safety can be lead to problems. Regardless of the cause, all employers and employees should work together with a focus on safety.
Sometimes industrial accidents can be so large in scale that they affect the surrounding community. Among some prominent examples are the Texas City BP refinery explosion and the West Texas Fertilizer plant explosion. In each instance, the blasts were large enough to destroy property in a large radius around the explosion. Further, in both instances, individuals far away from the explosions suffered a variety of serious injuries.
Texas Industrial Accidents
Each year, hundreds of Texas workers are hurt and killed due to accidents in the oil field, at refineries, factories, and plants. Several state and federal agencies are responsible for overseeing the operations at these facilities to ensure workplace safety. Unfortunately, the oversight efforts of our regulatory agencies simply are not enough to prevent accidents.
When a company chooses to put profits over safety, that company not only places the lives of its workers in peril but also endangers the general public at large. Injury accidents can be complex – our San Antonio personal injury lawyers can help your case to assure financial compensation for damages or injuries you might have received on-the-job.
Below are a couple examples of the dangers of industrial accidents and their effect on workers and innocent bystanders:
- SS Grandcamp Explosion – Texas City, Texas (1947) – In 1947, the SS Grandcamp, while docked in the Port of Texas City, Texas, detonated and exploded, killing at least 581 people. The ship was carrying approximately 2,300 tons of fertilizer (ammonium nitrate). The detonation and explosion was so powerful, it created a 15-foot wave that was detected more than 100 miles off the Texas shoreline. Even more amazing, the shock wave was felt more than 100 miles away in Louisiana. Unfortunately, another vessel was moored nearby, likewise carrying the same explosive cargo – ammonium nitrate. The second vessel, the High Flyer, exploded, destroying another nearby vessel, the SS Wilson B. Keene. Additional lives were lost in the subsequent explosions. One of the propellers from the High Flyer was found more than a mile away. To date, this event is recorded as the deadliest industrial accident in the history of the United States. As a result of this disaster, civic leaders in Galveston County launched extraordinary efforts to bring a world-class burn unit to the greater Galveston area due to the fact that many of those burned and injured in the SS Grandcamp explosion could not receive proper medical attention for their burns. As a result of those efforts, Galveston is now home to UTMB- Galveston – a hospital which houses one of the most renowned burn units in the world.
- BP Explosion and Fire – Texas City, Texas (2005) – On March 23, 2005, Texas City faced another deadly explosion when an isomerization process unit owned by British Petroleum exploded and erupted into flames. Stray hydrocarbon vapors came into contact with an ignition source (most likely an automobile engine from a nearby, idling pickup truck). The explosion and ensuing fire killed 15 workers, injured more than 170, and destroyed property more than a mile away. At the time of the blast, the alarms for the unit had been disabled and no one knew what was about to transpire. Moreover, the plant, which was built in 1934, had not been well maintained and had a history of violations and citations from state and federal agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The work accident lawyers at Hill Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers have represented more than 100 victims of this explosion who suffered injuries and property loss.
Workers Compensation vs. Third Party Claim
Workers’ compensation is a system meant to provide for individuals injured during the scope of their employment, while removing an employee’s ability to sue an employer or co-worker for negligence. Before worker’s compensation, if an employee was injured in the job, his or her only chance for compensation was to sue their employer for negligence. However, if the employer was not negligent, or if the employee never filed a claim, then the employee is left without any compensation. Now, if you are injured on the job, you are likely eligible to receive damages through workers compensation benefits.
The rules for workers’ compensation claims are different from those of other personal injury claims or lawsuits.
Fault
Possibly the most important difference between a personal injury claim and a workers’ compensation claim is that you do not need to prove fault in order to recover under workers’ compensation. In a personal injury lawsuit, you would be required to prove negligence on the part of whomever was responsible for your accident. Under worker’s compensation, an injured employee can collect compensation for an on-the-job injury without having to prove any fault on the part of his or her employer or co-workers.
Damages
Another main difference is the type of damages an individual can receive. In a personal injury case, you can be eligible to recover any calculable monetary losses incurred as a result of the accident, as well as fair compensation for pain and suffering. Workers’ compensation insurance does not allow for its beneficiaries to collect for pain and suffering. Rather, an injured worker can receive weekly compensation as well as compensation for medical bills, temporary or permanent disability benefits, lost income/earning capacity, emotional distress, vocational rehabilitation, or death benefits for your spouse or children.
Common Types of Workplace Injuries
We help work accident victims with a wide variety of occupational injuries. Some of the most common are:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Fall accidents
San Antonio Work Injury FAQs
After suffering a workplace injury in San Antonio, you probably have a lot of questions running through your mind. To provide some degree of clarity regarding your situation, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about workplace injuries below. If you have a question that isn’t answered here, please feel free to reach out to our law office. We are happy to discuss the details of your unique case during your free initial consultation.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Work Injury Attorney?
At Hill Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers, we take on injury cases on a contingency fee basis. You will not owe a single cent in out-of-pocket fees as we work through your lawsuit. If we are able to secure a positive settlement or verdict on your behalf, your attorney will receive a pre-determined percentage of the final settlement amount. Should we fail to secure a favorable result in your case, you will not owe any payment for our services.
How Long Does a Typical Workplace Injury Case Take?
It’s challenging to give a precise estimate of how long your workplace injury case may take. Some cases may be resolved in as little as a few months, while others may take over a year before a settlement or verdict is reached. In general, it is likely that your case will take at least several months. Your attorney will need time to build the strongest possible case by gathering evidence, securing expert witness testimony, and negotiating with the insurance company. We are committed to fighting tirelessly on your behalf to secure the best possible result in your case.
When is the Right Time to Search for a Lawyer?
It can be frightening to deal with the aftermath of a serious work injury. We encourage you to reach out to an experienced San Antonio work injury attorney as soon as you are well enough to do so following your accident. Texas has a statute of limitations that requires most injury victims to file a claim within two years of the date of their accident. Additionally, your memories of the incident may fade over time and it can become more challenging to secure evidence. The sooner you reach out to an attorney, the sooner they will be able to begin building a case on your behalf. In the meantime, you can devote all of your energy to what matters most — resting and recovering.
Areas We Serve
We are proud to provide high-quality legal services to residents and visitors of San Antonio and the surrounding communities. The following list, while not exclusive, includes some of the areas we serve:
Downtown San Antonio | River Walk | Alamo Heights | The Pearl District | Southtown | King William Historic District | Stone Oak | Medical Center | La Cantera | Westover Hills | Windcrest | Northwoods | Leon Valley | Far West Side | Government Hill | Alamo Ranch | Encino Park | Brooks | North Central | South Side | Live Oak | Monte Vista | Castle Hills | Helotes | Northwest Side | Shavano Park | Terrell Hills | Pecan Valley | Harlandale | Palm Heights
Contact a San Antonio Work Injury Attorney
At Hill Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers, our San Antonio work injury attorneys have represented many people who have been injured on the job under Texas law and our wrongful death lawyers have tried cases where accidents on the job became fatal. We are not afraid to take legal action and fight against corporations, insurance companies, or anyone denying injured workers rightful compensation. Our workplace injury attorneys have experience in the following workplace injury scenarios:
- Offshore Maritime Workers
- Refinery Workers
- Plant Workers
- Workers Exposed to Asbestos
- Oil Rig Workers
- Commercial Truck Drivers
- Railroad Workers (FELA)
- Amputation Injuries
- Construction Sites Workers
In most cases, there is a specific cause to the accident that could have been avoided with a proper focus on safety. If you or your loved one have suffered a workplace injury, call our San Antonio law offices today for questions or a FREE case evaluation, (210) 960-3939. We will not let an insurance company give you a lowball settlement. Our San Antonio work injury lawyers at Hill Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers are ready to provide you with legal help and keep your best interests in mind. We fight for the justice of work accident victims all over Texas and Bexar County.
“Highly recommended!! This law firm is considerate, patient, understanding, hardworking, and full of good hearted people. Justin Hill is one of the best lawyers I have met and will not disappoint you. If I could, I would give this law firm 6 stars!”
– Josh E.