Abilene Construction Accident Attorney

Common Types of Construction Accidents

Due to the heavy equipment and high-risk conditions present on job sites, accidents take many forms. Hilliard Law handles complex claims involving:

• Falls From Heights: Falls from ladders, elevated platforms, roofs, and improperly erected scaffolding account for a significant percentage of severe job site injuries.
• Struck-By Accidents: Workers hit by falling tools, unsecured building materials, swinging crane loads, or reversing heavy machinery.
• Caught-In or Between Incidents: Workers crushed between heavy equipment, trapped under collapsed trench walls, or caught in unguarded moving mechanical parts.
• Electrocutions: Direct contact with overhead power lines, exposed wiring, energized electrical panels, or ungrounded tools.
• Machinery Malfunctions & Heavy Equipment Crashes: Collisions or rollover accidents involving forklifts, bulldozers, excavators, and cranes.
• Structural & Trench Collapses: Excavations lacking adequate shoring or bracing systems, leading to devastating cave-ins.
• Fires & Chemical Explosions: Gas leaks, flammable material ignitions, or toxic chemical spills leading to severe thermal or chemical burns.

Common Causes of Construction Accidents

While construction work involves inherent hazards, most construction disasters are preventable and stem from negligence or failure to observe basic safety standards. Common root causes include:

• OSHA Safety Violations: Failing to provide required fall protection, trench shielding, or personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Inadequate Training and Supervision: Permitting untrained or uncertified personnel to operate heavy machinery or perform hazardous tasks.
• Defective or Poorly Maintained Equipment: Malfunctioning power tools, broken scaffolding locks, frayed cables, or poorly serviced hydraulic systems.
• Subcontractor Miscommunication: Poor coordination among various trade teams on site, leading to chaotic or dangerous working conditions.
• Pressure to Rush Timelines: Foremen or site managers cutting corners on safety protocols to meet demanding project deadlines.

Workers' Compensation & Third-Party Claims in Texas

Understanding your legal avenues after a job site injury requires navigating Texas's unique employment and injury statutes.

The Texas Non-Subscriber System

Unlike almost every other state, Texas does not mandate that private employers carry Workers' Compensation insurance. Employers who opt out are known as "non-subscribers."

• If Your Employer Has Workers' Comp: Workers' compensation generally provides medical coverage and a portion of lost wages regardless of fault. However, accepting these benefits usually prevents you from suing your direct employer for negligence, unless gross negligence caused a fatal accident.
• If Your Employer Is a Non-Subscriber: You have the legal right to file a personal injury lawsuit directly against your employer. In a non-subscriber lawsuit, the employer loses key legal defenses (such as claiming you assumed the risk or were partially negligent).

Third-Party Personal Injury Lawsuits

Many construction accidents are caused by entities other than your direct employer. In these situations, you can file a third-party personal injury claim even if you are receiving workers' compensation benefits. Potentially liable third parties include:

• General Contractors & Subcontractors: Negligent third-party crews working on the same site.
• Equipment Manufacturers & Designers: Product liability lawsuits against makers of defective machinery, scaffolding, or safety gear.
• Property Owners: Property owners who failed to fix or disclose known hazardous land conditions.

Third-party lawsuits allow injured workers to seek full non-economic damages—such as pain and suffering—which standard workers' compensation policies do not cover.

Common Construction Injuries

Catastrophic physical trauma suffered on job sites often requires emergency surgery, prolonged hospital stays, and ongoing rehabilitation. Our legal team advocates for victims suffering from:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Concussions, skull fractures, and permanent brain damage from falling debris or severe impacts.
• Spinal Cord Damage & Paralysis: Herniated discs, paraplegia, or tetraplegia caused by falls or crush incidents.
• Amputations & Severe Crush Injuries: Loss of limbs or severe tissue destruction caused by unguarded heavy machinery or falling objects.
• Severe Burns & Electrocution Harm: Third-degree thermal or electrical burns requiring skin grafts and cosmetic reconstruction.
• Complex Bone Fractures: Multiple fractures requiring orthopedic hardware, pins, and extensive physical therapy.
• Toxic Inhalation & Occupational Illness: Respiratory damage from exposure to hazardous dust, chemicals, or asbestos.

Compensation Available for Injured Workers

When negligence leads to a job site accident, Hilliard Law fights to recover full financial compensation for your losses, including: