According to a prominent job site, Texas is one of the most dangerous states in the country for work injuries. Last month, Zippia ranked all 50 states in terms of work injuries, using data from nearly 20,000 reports filed with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) since 2015. Texas came in at #5, just behind neighboring Louisiana.
The report also discussed the most dangerous industries in each state; in Texas, the oil and gas industry ranked as the most dangerous industry for workers. Oil and gas companies ranked as the third-most dangerous employers overall, behind only construction companies and hospitals.
Zippia’s results combined the OSHA reports with several other metrics to track on-the-job injuries. The methodology behind the report included Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on workplace fatality rates, as well as information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to help determine how likely workers are to be injured during their commute.
Work injuries can lead to complex legal solutions
Most workers are aware that workers’ compensation exists to help provide for their needs in the event of a work injury, but many don’t know just how complex the system can be, especially here. Texas law establishes a voluntary workers’ compensation system, which means some employers have chosen to opt out of the system and operate as “nonsubscribers.” If you are hurt on the job and your employer is a nonsubscriber, you may be able to file a civil lawsuit against your employer if their negligence led to your injury.
If your employer is a subscriber to the workers’ compensation system, you can’t sue your employer following an on-the-job injury. However, you may be able to take legal action against a third party who shares some responsibility for the injury. In the oil and gas industry, for example, you might be able to sue a manufacturer of defective equipment that played a role in your injury, or a third-party contractor or subcontractor whose negligence led to an accident. Filing a personal injury lawsuit in this manner could help you recover damages (financial compensation) for losses that are not covered by workers’ compensation, such as excess wage loss, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life.
Workplace injuries can quickly become complex, and taking legal action against your employer or another business is rarely easy. That’s why it’s important to retain an attorney who can faithfully and aggressively represent your interests following a work injury.
