Work Injury
Lawyer in Texas

Personal Injury Trial Attorneys Serving Brownsville, Cameron County, & Hidalgo County, TX

Work accidents are an unfortunate reality across the United States. These injuries occur daily to workers of all kinds, especially those in high-risk and dangerous work environments. A work accident can drastically interrupt your life with a temporary or permanent disability, depress your livelihood, cause pain and suffering, and threaten you with severe financial distress.

Fortunately, most workers in the U.S. can turn to workers’ compensation programs for benefits such as medical expenses and wage replacement. Workers’ comp, however, is limited in what you can recover. For example, it does not compensate for pain and suffering or emotional distress. Wage benefits are also statutorily limited.

When a worker has been injured due to a third party’s negligence, a personal injury claim may be filed against the at-fault party seeking damages unavailable through workers’ compensation.

At Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, our personal injury lawyers can represent you in these cases with skilled and trial-tested legal representation. We can thoroughly investigate all the factors involved in your work accident to determine all who may be held liable for what you have suffered.

Request a free consultation with a Harlingen work accident attorney by contacting us online or at (956) 368-0000. Hablamos Español.

Overview of Texas Work Accidents

Work accidents can result in minor to major injuries, catastrophic injuries, and even death. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 5,190 fatal work injuries were recorded in the country in 2021, marking an 8.9-percent increase from 4,764 in 20201. Additionally, work-related medically-consulted injuries totaled an alarming 4.26 million in the same year.

Specific industries tend to have higher rates of work injuries due to the inherent risks involved in the job. For instance, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation often report high injury rates due to heavy machinery use, hazardous materials, and strenuous physical labor.

The leading causes of work injuries typically include slips, trips, falls, contact with equipment and overexertion. 18% of the 1,176,340 nonfatal work injuries resulting in days away from work in 2020 were related to slip and fall accidents. However, even office workers can become injured if environmental safety issues are ignored.

Types of On-the-Job Injuries

Types of injuries that can occur to workers vary greatly depending on the nature of the job and the accident. They can range from minor cuts and bruises to serious and catastrophic conditions such as fractures, burns, traumatic brain injuries, and even fatalities.

Examples of injuries can include: 

• Strains and Sprains: Common injuries from heavy lifting or repetitive motion.
• Cuts and Lacerations: Resulting from using sharp objects or machinery.
• Fractures and Broken Bones: Occurring from falls, being struck by objects, or machinery accidents.
• Burns: Related to jobs that involve fire, chemicals, electricity, or hot equipment.
• Concussions: Resulting from falls, being struck by an object, or vehicle accidents.
• Hearing Loss: Occurring in jobs with high noise levels, such as construction or factory work.
• Eye Injuries: Associated with flying debris, chemicals, or intense light.
• Repetitive Stress Injuries: Related to repeated motion over time, such as typing or assembly line work.
• Heat Stroke: In jobs involving high temperatures or strenuous physical labor.
• Respiratory Problems: Resulting from exposure to dust, mold, or toxic fumes.
• Amputations: Severe injuries from accidents involving heavy machinery.
• Chemical Poisoning: In jobs involving handling or exposure to hazardous substances.
• Back Injuries: From heavy lifting, falls, or repetitive motion.
• Electrical Shocks and Electrocution: Occurring in jobs involving electrical work, such as construction.
• Exposure to Harmful Substances: Leads to various health issues, depending on the substance.
• Musculoskeletal Disorders: Occurring from heavy lifting, repetitive motion, or maintaining awkward postures.
• Psychological Trauma: From accidents, violent incidents, or high-stress environments.
• Occupational Diseases: Conditions caused by exposure to risk factors in the workplace, such as lung diseases, skin disorders, or certain types of cancer.
• Falls from Height: Leading to various injuries, depending on the height and surface, typically associated with construction, warehouse, and factory work and in other industrial environments.
• Crush Injuries: Occurring when a part of the body is squeezed between two heavy objects.
• Puncture Wounds: From stepping on or coming into contact with sharp objects.

Personal Injury Claims for Work Accidents

As a worker, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim if your injury was caused by the negligence of a third party, meaning someone other than your employer.

Third parties that might be liable could include:

• Product Manufacturers: If a worker is injured by a defective product or piece of equipment that another company manufactured, that company could be held liable. For example, if a construction worker is injured because a safety harness breaks, the harness manufacturer could be sued for product liability.
• Property Owners: The property owner might be held liable if a worker is injured on someone else’s property. For example, if a delivery person slips and falls due to hazardous conditions while making a delivery at a home or business, they might be able to sue the property owner for premises liability.
• Subcontractors or Contractors: When multiple companies work on a project together, one company might be held liable for injuries caused to another company’s employees. For example, if an electrician is injured due to the negligence of a plumber on the same construction site, the plumbing company might be held liable.
• Drivers: If a worker is injured in a car accident while on the job, and another driver caused the accident, that driver could potentially be held liable. For example, if a truck driver is injured in a collision caused by a drunk driver, the truck driver might be able to sue the drunk driver for personal injury.
• Non-Employees: Sometimes, workers can be injured by people who are neither their co-workers nor their employers. For example, if a nurse is attacked by a patient or a visitor at the hospital where she works, she may have a personal injury claim against the person who attacked her.

In each of these scenarios, you would generally need to prove that the third party was negligent — that they owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty, and that the breach was a proximate cause of your injuries. Proving these elements can be complex, so consulting with a personal injury attorney is advisable.

Work with an Experienced Injury Team

At Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, our experienced Harlingen personal injury lawyers can thoroughly investigate your case, identify potential third-party causes, and build a strong claim on your behalf. Legal proceedings can be complex, and navigating the system without professional help can be challenging.

Our firm offers the advantage of skilled trial lawyers who are comfortable preparing and building cases for the courtroom. We understand how to present a case effectively before a judge and jury, argue on your behalf, and challenge the opposition. This is particularly important in personal injury cases where outcomes often depend on a lawyer’s ability to demonstrate negligence and the extent of the injury convincingly.

While workers’ compensation can provide some relief, it may not be sufficient in severe injuries or third-party negligence cases. Having an experienced personal injury lawyer from our firm on your side can make a significant difference in securing the compensation you rightfully deserve.