With summer approaching in Texas, the return of intense, unforgiving heat brings a sharp increase in heat-related medical emergencies—especially as temperatures regularly climb into the triple digits.
Whether you're working a jobsite, attending a youth sports tournament, or just running errands outdoors, the risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heatstroke is real—especially when proper precautions are ignored. In many cases, injuries happen not just because of the heat itself, but because someone else failed to act responsibly.
Understanding who’s at risk, what protections exist, and how negligence plays a role can make a critical difference.
Heat Danger Isn’t Just Discomfort—It’s Medical
Heat-related illnesses can progress quickly and quietly. Common risks include:
- Heat Exhaustion: Heavy sweating, dizziness, weakness, and nausea. If untreated, this can escalate into…
- Heatstroke: A life-threatening emergency where the body loses its ability to regulate temperature. This requires immediate medical attention.
- Dehydration: Especially dangerous for children and older adults.
- Burn Injuries: Contact burns from overheated surfaces like playgrounds, metal bleachers, or vehicle interiors.
Who’s Most at Risk in Texas Summers?
While anyone can be affected by high heat, certain groups face significantly higher risks, especially when others are responsible for providing safe conditions and fail to do so. These are the people most often exposed to the heat for extended periods, often without proper rest, water, or supervision.
1. Outdoor and Delivery Workers
Construction workers, landscapers, utility crews, and delivery drivers (including Amazon, UPS, FedEx, and independent contractors) spend hours under direct sunlight or in poorly ventilated vehicles. In many cases, workers rely on employers to provide water breaks, shade, and shift adjustments, but those protections aren’t always given.
With the rollback of local worker protection laws in Texas, many outdoor workers are now at greater risk, especially when employers fail to follow even basic heat safety protocols.
2. Children at Summer Camps, Sports Practices, and School Events
Youth sports leagues, summer camps, and school-organized practices (band, cheerleading, football, etc.) often run intense outdoor activities in the heat. Coaches, administrators, and camp staff are expected to monitor weather, provide hydration, and recognize signs of heat illness.
Inadequate planning—such as skipping water breaks, pushing through extreme heat warnings, or failing to provide emergency care—can quickly lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, or worse in young athletes or campers.
3. Elderly Adults in Residential or Care Facilities
Older individuals are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness, particularly if they have medical conditions or live in homes or facilities without reliable air conditioning. Caregivers, facility operators, and landlords may be responsible for maintaining safe temperatures or relocating residents during severe heat events.
When that doesn’t happen, and someone is injured or dies as a result, questions often arise about the adequacy of care and oversight.
4. Event Attendees and Spectators at Outdoor Venues
From music festivals and parades to sports tournaments and community fairs, public events across Texas bring large crowds into open spaces under the sun. When organizers fail to offer basic safety accommodations like shaded areas, cooling tents, hydration stations, or emergency medical response, attendees—especially children and seniors—can suffer serious consequences.
The scale of an event doesn’t excuse poor planning. When public safety is treated as an afterthought, people get hurt.
5. Children and Pets Left in Vehicles
Every year, tragic stories emerge about children or pets left inside hot cars. Even with outside temps in the 80s or 90s, the inside of a vehicle can reach life-threatening temperatures in minutes. In some cases, these tragedies happen under supervised care at daycares, schools, or during transportation services, raising serious questions about negligence and accountability.
Legal Spotlight: What Is HB 2127—and Why Does It Matter in the Summer Heat?
One reason heat-related injuries have become more concerning in recent years is the passage of House Bill 2127—a 2023 Texas law known by some as the “Death Star Bill.” This sweeping legislation limits the ability of local governments to pass their own protections in areas like public health, labor rights, and workplace safety.
What does this mean in practice?
- Local governments can no longer require employers to provide water breaks or rest periods for outdoor workers—even during extreme heat.
- Employers now decide their own heat safety policies, and protections can vary widely depending on the company.
- While the bill was pitched to “streamline” regulation, it’s been heavily criticized for removing basic safeguards, especially in the context of rising heat-related illnesses and fatalities.
HB 2127 is facing legal challenges from several Texas cities and is under review by the state’s Supreme Court. In the meantime, it remains in effect—and it’s broad enough that other local protections, such as housing or non-discrimination rules, may also be affected.
For now:
- There is no state law requiring water breaks or shade for outdoor workers.
- Federal OSHA rules still apply, meaning employers still have a general duty to protect workers from known dangers—including extreme heat.
- If someone is seriously injured because those protections were ignored, legal action may still be possible under existing workplace safety laws or personal injury claims.
Can You File a Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Claim After a Heat-Related Injury?
Yes, if negligence played a role. For example:
- An employer refused to allow rest breaks despite extreme temperatures.
- A school failed to cancel outdoor practice or provide hydration stations.
- An event failed to offer shade, water, or emergency medical access.
- A property owner left guests or tenants exposed to unsafe conditions (e.g., lack of air conditioning in a senior housing unit).
In these cases, you may have grounds to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
What You Can Do: Tips for Staying Safe in the Heat
While we fight to hold negligent parties accountable, we also want to help Texans stay safe. Here are some essential tips:
- Hydrate early and often—don’t wait until you’re thirsty.
- Avoid outdoor activity during peak heat (2–6 p.m.).
- Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
- Take regular shade breaks if outdoors.
- Never leave kids or pets in vehicles—even briefly.
- Know the signs of heat illness: headache, confusion, dizziness, nausea, excessive sweating, or a rapid pulse.
Harmed by Extreme Heat and Negligence? We’re Here to Help.
At Hilliard Law, we’ve spent decades holding employers, corporations, and negligent actors accountable for failing to protect people from preventable harm, including injuries caused by heat exposure. If you or someone you love was seriously harmed or killed due to negligence in extreme heat, you may have the right to pursue compensation.
Call (866) 927-3420 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.