Most people never give a moment’s thought to the prospect of an injury or illness at work, but a workplace accident can happen even in the most unlikely places. Texas is one of the very few states that do not require employers to take out workers’ compensation insurance, designed to protect employers from expensive personal injury lawsuits and employees from expensive medical bills. Despite the law, many employers still do take out this type of insurance. If you are one of the unlucky ones, who are injured in an uninsured workplace, you may be able to still claim compensation through a personal injury claim. Talk to an experienced workers’ compensation or personal injury attorney before making a claim. Choosing a Workers’ Comp. Attorney in Corpus Christi Despite Corpus Christi being a sizable Texas city there are only around 10 attorneys who offer workers’ compensation claim assistance. It is always preferable to select a licensed attorney within the state who is experienced in workers’ compensation claims. If you do decide that your only chance of compensation is through filing a personal injury claim, you will find that workers’ comp. attorneys tend to offer both types of claim assistance. Common Workplace Injuries in Corpus Christi All workplaces have a certain amount of inherent accident risk. Many people in Corpus Christi work in office environments, for instance, which seem relatively safe. The most common accident in these sorts of workplaces is a slip and fall or trip and fall injury, typically when slipping or tripping over loose floor material. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2016*, the most common injuries that are non-fatal in workplaces across Texas tend to be those associated with construction sites and transportation. Injuries at construction sites are varied. They may involve impact from falling objects, crane injuries, back strain and scaffolding failure injuries. The Workers’ Compensation Procedure in Texas If you are injured or become sick at work, you should always let your supervisor or employer know as soon as possible. There will be an official accident report form or accident reporting book to fill in which will be valuable when you decide to make a claim. Find out if your employer has workers’ compensation insurance. If you are covered, you will need to make a claim within a year of the injury with your employer’s insurer. In Texas, the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) oversees workers’ compensation claims and can be contacted in the event of a denial of your claim. If your employer has no workers’ compensation insurance, you may still be able to obtain compensation by filing a personal injury claim. You must be able to prove that your employer’s negligence caused your injury at work. This is different from a workers’ comp. claim which is not dependent on proving fault. A personal injury claim can be filed with the Nueces County Court at 901 Leopard St, Corpus Christi. It is open weekdays between 8.30a.m. and 4.30 p.m. Use Our Free Claim Evaluation to Select a Suitable Corpus Christi Based Attorney If you are unsure who to contact when seeking legal help in Corpus Christi after a workplace injury or illness, use our free claim evaluation form on this page to help you. Don’t leave either a workers’ comp. or a personal injury claim too late in Texas as the state’s statute of limitation makes it impossible to file a claim if the time period imposed elapses. Additional Resources Workers' Compensation Attorneys in Texas Workers’ Compensation in Texas *Source: bls.gov/iif/oshstate.htm#TX
