Houston Construction Accident Lawyer

How Our Construction Accident Lawyers Protect Your Rights?

Houston is a beautiful and dynamic city that is constantly growing. If you look closely, you’ll notice that there are new office buildings, neighborhoods & shopping malls, and it’s all because of the hardworking Houston construction workers.

Like employees in other industries, construction workers trust that their contractors and employers will keep them safe. Unfortunately, some companies prioritize profits before workers’ safety and treat the construction crew as disposable. They are left to work in unsafe environments for long hours, and this often results in serious accidents.

If you or your loved one has been involved in a construction accident, you deserve fair compensation and shouldn’t have to settle for less. Your future and that of your family may depend on it. If you’re seriously injured, this could be the difference between simply getting by and maintaining your previous lifestyle before the accident.

The attorneys at Baumgartner Law Firm have been helping injured workers or families who have lost a loved one for over thirty-five years. Put our expertise to work on your case!

Types of Construction Accidents That We Handle 

At Baumgartner Law Firm, we believe in aggressively fighting for your rights by getting you full compensation. We know how much construction accidents can impact your financial future and are committed to upholding your rights.

Some of the Houston construction accidents we’ve handled in the past include:

Scaffolding Accidents

When construction crews are working on high buildings, scaffolding comes in handy and helps them repair the building or carry on the construction. Unfortunately, some of these structures are poorly constructed and are not as safe and secure as they should be. This causes the scaffolding to tilt, shake or collapse, causing serious harm to the workers around it.

Fatal Falls

According to the CDC, falls are the top cause of work-related deaths in the construction industry. This is highly concerning because construction sites usually have raised structures and are full of dangerous debris that can cause fatal slip and fall accidents. For instance, when a construction worker slips and falls, they can land on machinery, open chemicals, dangerous debris, and nearby tools. This then results in injuries such as lacerations, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, cuts, lacerations, etc.

Lift Accidents

These types of accidents are relatively rare, but when they do occur, they are catastrophic. They are caused by faulty lifts mostly due to poor maintenance, and when they occur, they expose the workers inside it to a deadly fall, resulting in serious injuries and sometimes death.

In some cases, lift accidents are caused by exposed elevator shafts that are improperly secured.

Burns on Construction Sites

Construction sites are full of exposed wires, open power sources, and dangerous machines, all of which could result in serious burns when they’re mishandled. In some cases, construction site burn accidents are caused by electrical faults and chemical spills. The severity of injuries caused by this type of accident varies, but they often result in disfigurement, loss of limbs, and in some instances, loss of nerve control.

Crush Injuries

Most construction sites are elevated, and the company must build structures up to give workers access to the higher levels. When the crew is working above ground, there’s an increased risk of dropping tools, small machines, or construction materials, causing devastating injuries to the workers below or bystanders.

Dangerous Equipment

Construction machinery is often complex, which is why it should only be operated by authorized personnel. Unfortunately, in a misguided attempt to cut costs, construction companies often allow uncertified employees to handle the equipment without any prior training. This then poses grave danger to the other workers and may result in accidental fires, pinning employees underneath the machine, or dropping of building materials.

Trench Cave-Ins

Trenches within the construction site sometimes collapse, and workers inside it could be trapped inside or sustain serious injuries due to the falling debris. Some of the most common trench cave-in injuries include spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and death due to suffocation.

Chemical Exposure

Construction sites are full of adhesives, paints, primers, and cleaners. While these chemicals are necessary for quality construction, they pose a serious threat if mishandled. Constant exposure without proper training or safety gear could also result in long-term illnesses.

What are the Common Construction Injuries?

The severity of construction site injuries ranges from mild cuts to wrongful death. Some of the common injuries that Houston construction workers face include.

• Crush injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Permanent disability
• Permanent nerve damage
• Impalement
• Eye injuries
• Amputations
• Bone fractures
• Eye injuries
• Severe lacerations

Some of these injuries have lasting implications and may affect your ability to resume work. If you need legal assistance, call Baumgartner Law Firm for a free consultation!

Who Is Responsible for a Construction Accident?

If you work with a construction company that has workers’ compensation insurance, you’re entitled to receive benefits without having to prove fault. Unfortunately, in Texas, employers are not required to carry worker’s comp. This means that if your contractor isn’t insured, you’ll have to prove fault.

Some of the responsible parties in construction site accidents include:

• Contractors or relevant third parties: most construction jobs are collaborative, and it’s not uncommon for your employer to use other contractors. If this third party is responsible for the accident, they should be held liable.
• Your employer: employer negligence is common on construction sites and usually results in serious accidents. Negligence, in this case, could be in the form of failure to provide workers with the necessary training, lack of proper supervision, improper maintenance of the machines, etc.
• Product manufacturers: this is mostly for situations where your injuries are a result of toxic chemicals in their products or defective tools.
• Property owners: if they created hazardous working conditions due to negligence, you could file a claim against them.

Construction accidents are often complex, which is why you should hire an experienced Houston construction accident lawyer to help you with your case.

What Compensation Can I Get for a Construction Accident Injury?

The compensation awarded varies based on the unique details of your case, but you’re entitled to recover economic and non-economic damages. Our personal injury lawyers at Baumgartner Law Firm have helped recover multi-million dollar damages for victims for over three decades.

Some damages available in Texas are:

• Lost income
• Mental anguish
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Medical expenses incurred due to the accident
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of consortium
• Disability
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Pain and suffering
• Mileage expenses and costs for assistive devices

You should note that in the event of wrongful death, compensation is often awarded to the worker’s surviving family members and their estate.

How Long Do I Have to Bring a Third-Party Case?

The statute of limitation for Houston construction accidents is 2 years from the time the accident occurred. Filing your claim after this time has passed may bar your claim for compensation.

Do not delay after getting hurt in a construction accident. Seek reputable counsel right away.

Seek Legal Advice from an Experienced Houston Construction Accident Attorney Today!

When you’re involved in a construction accident, avoid negotiating with the insurance company of the defendant. Baumgartner Law Firm recommends that you channel all communication through your Houston construction accident lawyer to avoid sabotaging your case.

Have you or your loved one sustained construction injuries in Houston, Texas? Contact us today – Call us at (281) 587-1111 for a FREE consultation!

What are Third-Party Lawsuits After a Construction Accident?

Many construction accidents happen with workers covered by worker’s compensation. Worker’s Compensation for an employee in most cases bars a lawsuit against the employer for damages. However, third parties often have liability after an accident and can be pursued for damages.

Some of these third parties may include:

• Owners of the construction site;
• Architects of buildings on the site;
• Subcontractors;
• General contractors; or
• Equipment manufacturers.

All of these third parties can be responsible for providing a safe and standards-compliant construction site. In the event of a construction-related accident, we will review all of these and any other associated parties to determine if a third party might be liable for your damages. Our personal injury lawyers have been winning cases for Texas families for over three decades.

If someone else contributed to the accident, you must establish the third party owed you a duty of care, violated that duty by acting negligently and suffered injuries and damages as a result of the negligence. So if a piece of equipment is defective and causes your injuries, you may be able to pursue compensation from the manufacturer in a product liability case.

We have handled numerous multi-million dollar cases for construction accident victims and their families. Our construction accident attorneys have won cases against subs, general contractors, equipment manufacturers, and property owners. From trench cave-ins to fatal falls, our lawyers have never lost a construction accident case.