Humble Workplace Injury Attorney
The bustling Humble construction industry attracts companies and workers from all over the country. Many companies trim their worker safety budgets in order to maximize their profits. And, many workers have limited English proficiency. These individuals work hard, but they might not understand every word of every safety lecture and instruction. This combination often leads to serious injury.
The Humble workplace injury attorneys at The West Law Office stand up for injured victims in these cases. We immediately help these victims find the medical care they need, so they can start healing and get back to work sooner. As they recover, we help ensure these victims have their medical expenses paid and their families are taken care of.
Workers’ Compensation
In the early 1900s, workers wanted an alternative to the civil litigation system which would speed financial compensation to them in times of extreme need. As originally set up, the workers’ compensation system fit this requirement. Unlike a negligence case, workers’ compensation claimants need not prove fault, negligence, or anything else.
Over the years, insurance company interests have taken over the workers’ compensation system. Today, this system is a bloated bureaucracy that is decidedly worker-unfriendly. Nevertheless, compensation is still available for:
- Lost Wages: Most victims receive two-thirds of their average weekly wage for the duration of their temporary disabilities. If the victim is permanently disabled, either partially or totally, a lump sum payment might be available.
- Medical Bills: Workers’ compensation insurance typically pays all reasonably necessary doctor bills, from the first moment of emergency care to the last day of physical therapy. Ancillary medical costs, like transportation and prescription drugs, are usually covered as well.
Many Humble workers are injured on oil rigs or floating vessels which are more than three miles from the Texas coast. The state’s jurisdiction ends at this line. But compensation is still available. Sometimes, a federal workers’ compensation system applies to these injuries. Other victims are entitled to compensation under the Jones Act, the Death on High Seas Act, or another federal law.
Workers’ compensation applies to both trauma injuries, like falls, and occupational diseases, like cancer due to asbestos exposure.
Nonsubscriber Claims
Texas is one of the only states in the Union where workers’ compensation insurance is optional. So, nonsubscriber claims are rather common in the Lone Star State. In other jurisdictions, nonsubscriber claims are limited to situations like a company which has a fake workers’ compensation policy.
In lieu of workers’ compensation, injured victims may bring claims in civil court. As a result, they are entitled to additional compensation. In addition to medical bills and lost wages, nonsubscriber claimants can receive compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment in life, and other noneconomic losses.
Texas penalizes nonsubscribers by removing some frequently-used defenses, like comparative fault and assumption of the risk. Therefore, it is easier for a Humble workplace injury attorney to establish liability in nonsubscriber claims.
Contact a Texas Workplace Injury Attorney
Workplace accidents often cause serious injuries. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Humble, contact The West Law Office, PLLC. We routinely handle matters in Harris County and nearby jurisdictions.
