Austin Workplace Injury Attorney

If you are injured in an on-the-job accident, you need to speak to a lawyer immediately. Unlike other types of injury claims, on-the-job injuries are affected by the Texas Worker’s Compensation Statutes, and therefore have different rules. Unfortunately, you may unwittingly prejudice yourself and ruin potential claims by accepting different types of benefits your employer offers. If you think your employer was negligent in creating the danger that injured you, do not accept the benefits until you have spoken to a lawyer.

In Texas, on-the-job injuries can be handled in two ways. If your employer has official workers’ compensation insurance, then the claim is governed by the Texas Workers’ Compensation system. We do not handle these cases, but we can refer you to lawyers who work in this area. If your employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance, then you are free to file a normal civil claim. We can help with those claims, and the information below applies to those claims.

Your rights as a worker

You have the right to take a number of actions, not all of which are listed here. As a worker, you can:

1. Ask your employer for information on emergency procedures

2. Get proper safety training when required to handle toxic substances

3. Learn how to follow an emergency plan in the event of an incident

4. Ask an Area Director to investigate dangerous conditions/violations at your jobsite

5. Have your name withheld if you file a complaint

6. Receive information from OSHA if you have filed a complaint and take part in an informal review of any decisions not to issue a citation or to conduct an inspection

7. Have a worker’s representative walk with an OSHA compliance officer on inspections

8. Object to any abatement period issued in a citation to your employer