Texas Injury Lawyers Blog
Recently, the Supreme Court of Texas issued a decision in a lawsuit stemming from injuries an employee suffered at his workplace. The case arose when a general contractor subcontracted with the defendant to drill a foundation for a commercial construction project. The plaintiff was working as a lead superintendent for the project. On the day of the incident, the subcontractor’s crew began working on a new piling without sufficient grout, contrary to the company’s policy. The defendant’s foreman told the crane operator to rock the auger back and forth to free it from the solidifying grout. After several minutes the foreman told the operator to stop, as it posed a danger. However, the subcontractor’s superintendent overrode the foreman’s instructions and told him to continue. Despite concern that the situation was becoming increasingly dangerous, the subcontractor demanded that the operator continue. As a result, some of the crane’s rollers came off and crushed the plaintiff’s legs, ultimately requiring amputation of his legs.
The plaintiff received workers’ compensation and subsequently filed a lawsuit against the subcontractor for negligence and gross negligence, arguing that the subcontractor waived its exclusive remedy defense. Later the plaintiff amended his complaint, contending that the subcontractor intentionally injured the plaintiff.
In Texas, the Workers’ Compensation Act, (the Act) is the exclusive remedy for eligible employees who seek compensation for work-related injuries. This provision provides medical and disability benefits without considering the fault of either the employer or employee. The Act does not allow lawsuits for an employer’s grossly negligent behavior unless the conduct results in a fatal injury. However, an exception to the bar on lawsuits exists when an employer commits an intentional tort. In order to satisfy the exception, the plaintiff must establish that the employer “believed that its actions are substantially certain to result” in a specific injury to a specific employee, not “merely highly likely to increase the overall risks to employees in the workplace.”
While driving, there are few scenarios scarier than seeing another car driving the wrong way and coming straight for your vehicle at full speed. Although these collisions are rooted in a number of potential causes, at-fault parties must be held accountable for their carelessness when they take place. When these Texas wrong-way accidents occur, they often have devastating and fatal consequences for all who are involved.
There are plenty of roads in Texas that do not have a physical median separating the lanes as vehicles move in opposite directions. This road design, coupled with distracted or reckless driving, often becomes the perfect storm for dangerous car accidents. Head-on accidents, for example, most frequently occur on this type of roadway when the at-fault party veers across the center dividing line and crashes into a car coming in the opposite direction.
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.
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.