Texas Construction Accident Lawyer

Construction is the deadliest private industry in Texas. OSHA consistently cites Texas for the highest number of construction fatalities in the nation, with hundreds of serious injuries reported every year across Houston, Dallas, Austin, and the Permian Basin. Falls, struck-by incidents, electrocutions, and caught-in-between accidents — OSHA’s “Fatal Four” — account for more than 60% of construction deaths. If you or a loved one has been hurt on a Texas jobsite, a Texas construction accident lawyer at McFarlane Law can hold negligent general contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, and property owners accountable. Our firm has recovered more than $100 million for injured Texans and we know how to build the third-party liability cases that produce real compensation beyond workers’ compensation.

Common Types of Texas Construction Accidents

Every Texas construction site carries risk, but some scenarios cause the most serious injuries. Falls from scaffolding, roofs, and elevated platforms remain the single leading cause of construction fatalities statewide. Struck-by accidents — where workers are hit by falling tools, dropped loads from cranes, or swinging equipment — are a close second. Electrocutions occur when workers contact energized power lines, improperly grounded tools, or un-locked-out electrical systems during renovations. Caught-in-between and crush injuries happen when trench walls collapse, when workers are pinned between equipment and fixed objects, or when unguarded machinery pulls in clothing or limbs. Other frequent jobsite injuries include burns from welding operations, respiratory damage from silica dust and chemical exposure, lacerations from unguarded saws, and back injuries from lifting heavy materials without mechanical assistance. Each of these scenarios can support a separate third-party negligence theory.

Who Is Liable for a Texas Construction Accident?

Unlike many states, Texas does not require private construction employers to carry workers’ compensation. That legal quirk is actually good news for injured workers, because it means you can often sue your employer directly for full damages rather than accepting limited workers’ comp benefits. Even when your employer does carry comp, Texas law allows injured workers to pursue third-party claims against anyone else whose negligence contributed to the injury. On a typical jobsite that might include the general contractor who failed to enforce safety rules, a subcontractor whose crew dropped the load that hit you, an equipment manufacturer whose defective scaffold collapsed, the property owner who concealed a known hazard, or an engineering firm whose faulty plans led to a collapse. Identifying every responsible party is the first and most important job of your construction accident lawyer — because each additional defendant brings another insurance policy to the table.

Compensation Available to Injured Texas Construction Workers

Texas construction workers injured in a third-party claim can recover categories of damages that workers’ compensation alone will never pay. Past and future medical expenses include emergency treatment, surgeries, hospitalization, rehabilitation, home health care, prescription medications, assistive devices, and long-term care for catastrophic injuries. Lost wages and lost earning capacity account for time out of work and the reality that many severely injured workers cannot return to their pre-injury occupation. Physical pain and mental anguish compensate for the actual human experience of the injury — an area where workers’ comp is silent. Physical impairment and disfigurement damages apply when amputations, scarring, or permanent disability change your ability to enjoy life. And in cases where the conduct was egregious — think ignored OSHA warnings, deliberately disabled safety guards, or falsified inspection records — Texas allows exemplary (punitive) damages that can dramatically increase the total recovery.

Why Deadlines and Evidence Preservation Matter

Texas gives most injury victims two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. That sounds like plenty of time — until you consider how quickly jobsite evidence disappears. Within days, the contractor repairs or replaces the scaffolding that collapsed. Within weeks, crew members rotate to new projects in different cities. Within months, the subcontractor’s safety logs, daily reports, and incident investigation files can be “lost” in the ordinary course of business. An experienced Texas construction accident lawyer sends litigation-hold letters immediately, dispatches an investigator to photograph the scene before it is altered, pulls OSHA reports and preservation orders, and interviews witnesses while memories are fresh. The sooner McFarlane Law is involved, the stronger your case becomes.

Related Practice Areas

If your construction injury involved a commercial vehicle, oilfield equipment, or a plant explosion, additional silos may apply. Explore related pages for Texas truck accident lawyer, Texas oilfield accident lawyer, Texas plant explosion lawyer, Texas wrongful death lawyer, and Texas personal injury lawyer. For general workplace injury questions, return to our Texas workplace injury lawyer hub.

Talk to a Texas Injury Lawyer Today

If you were hurt on a Texas construction site, do not give a recorded statement to any insurance adjuster or contractor’s investigator before speaking with a lawyer. McFarlane Law offers free, no-obligation case evaluations and charges nothing unless we recover money for you. Call our Austin office at (512) 222-4900 or our Odessa office at (432) 803-5000, or use the form on this page. Our attorneys answer calls 24/7 and can travel to hospitals, homes, or jobsites anywhere in Texas.