Many Texas companies hire independent contractors because of their cost-effective nature. With an independent contractor, companies can use the contractor for a particular project when it needs to be done and are free from being tethered to the particular contractor when the work is complete. When a contractor’s actions cause an accident, however, there is a question of liability on the company’s part. Is the contractor or the company responsible? It can often be a complicated question.
For example, in a recent Texas Supreme Court opinion, the court considered a case involving the liability of a company that hired an independent contractor. When a Texas utility company entered into a contract with an independent contractor, the utility company issued a work order for the independent contractor to remove a utility pole. To remove the pole, it needed to be pulled out of the ground, and then the hole would be filled with dirt. The independent contractor completed the project and filled the hole, and another company that the utility company contracted with to inspect the work of its contractors confirmed that the job was complete. The plaintiff was mowing her lawn when she stepped into a hole that was two and a half feet deep in the area where the pole had been removed. The plaintiff sued the utility company, its independent contractor, and the company responsible for checking the contractor’s work for negligence. The trial court and court of appeals sided with the defendants by granting summary judgment, and the plaintiff appealed.
On appeal, the plaintiff argued that the utility company owed a duty to her to ensure that the independent contractor performed its job in a safe manner. Because the removal of the pole was inherently dangerous work and the utility company had a contractual right to control the independent contractor, they owed her a duty. However, the court disagreed and sided with the defendants, arguing that there was no duty on the part of the utility company to the plaintiff.
Texas Injury Lawyers Blog



Car accidents are a headache to deal with. Texas hit and run accidents, however, can cause a headache and then some. Because the other driver has run off after an accident, you may now be stuck paying for any damage incurred from your vehicle and any medical expenses that you may rack up if you have been injured. Since hit and run accidents can often have devastating consequences, it is crucial that those who are responsible are held accountable, whenever possible.
When a Texas chain-reaction car accident occurs, it can often have devastating consequences. On top of potentially being more likely to cause injuries or death, these collisions are often more complex because of all of the parties involved. Establishing an accurate timeline that maps out exactly how the crash happened and who should be assigned which portion of fault can be a significantly challenging issue on its own. However, if a fatality follows an already complex series of crashes, the situation becomes even more complicated to navigate.
Recently, a Texas district court issued an
In a typical car accident involving just two vehicles, it can be challenging to determine who was actually at fault. However, in collisions with several vehicles, resulting in multiple accidents, it can be even messier to determine how the accident started, who hit who, and what actually happened. In these Texas chain-reaction car accidents, it is crucial that accident victims have an experienced attorney in their corner to help them pursue the compensation they deserve.
We’ve all been there—after a long day at work, or on the way to work, you find yourself fighting to keep your eyes open to focus on driving. In Texas, where most people own a car and driving is a regular part of getting around and commuting, Texas drivers are especially susceptible to these accidents because of how much time is spent on the road. Whether it was stress from the day or a restless night of sleep the night before, drowsy driving is dangerous and can often lead to fatal consequences. Unfortunately, Texas drowsy driving accidents are more common than you may expect.
Whether you’re sending your children to college for the first time as a parent or you’ve had an empty nest for a while, the start of an undergraduate career is often every bit as exciting as it is nerve-wracking. On the one hand, you’re proud of your kids for making it this far, but also nervous about what it’ll mean for them being on their own for the first time. However, no one ever expects to get bad news and hear that their children were involved in a major accident while away from home. When these incidents occur, those responsible can be held accountable through a Texas wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit.
With thousands of miles of beautiful natural sights surrounding Texas’s open roads, it’s no surprise that motorcycles are so popular in the state. Motorcycles, however, can often pose a number of unique risks on the road. Drivers of passenger vehicles can often have trouble seeing motorcycles because of their smaller size, or they can easily get caught in a vehicle’s blind spot. Thus, before anyone decides to purchase a motorcycle, they must understand the risks involved. In many Texas motorcycle accidents, the cause of the collision is entirely beyond the motorcyclist’s control.