Austin Industrial Accident Lawyer

Texas ranks among the top states in the country for industrial employment, and the Austin area has no shortage of refineries, chemical plants, manufacturing facilities, and heavy industrial worksites that keep that economy running. Industrial work is also some of the most dangerous work there is, and when something goes wrong on industrial worksites, the injuries tend to be severe, the responsible parties tend to be well-insured, and the records that could support a case tend to disappear if no one acts on them. If you were hurt at an industrial worksite in Texas, you may have more options than your employer has let on.

If you were injured in an industrial accident, contact Loewy Law Firm at (512) 280-0800 for a free consultation. If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we win.

Industrial Accident Cases in Austin and Central Texas

Worksites Covered

Industrial accident cases in Central Texas can arise from a wide range of worksites and industries:

• Oilfield Accident Worksites
• Refineries and Petrochemical Plants
• Chemical Manufacturing and Processing Facilities
• Food and Beverage Processing Plants
• Manufacturing and Fabrication Facilities
• Warehouses and Distribution Centers
• Power Generation and Utility Worksites
• Water and Wastewater Treatment Facilities
• Construction-Adjacent Industrial Operations

Worksite type has a direct effect on which safety regulations apply, which companies may be responsible, and what evidence needs to be preserved after a serious injury.

Industrial Accident Cases Have Multiple Layers

Industrial worksites are shared by employers, contractors, equipment vendors, and property owners, and each carries its own set of obligations to the workers on site. When an injury occurs, liability can fall on one party or several, and each company on site will likely have its own version of who is responsible.

Multiple Parties, Competing Interests

Each company on an industrial worksite has its own insurer working to limit exposure from the moment an injury is reported. Contractors point to the operator, the operator points to the contractor, and the injured worker gets caught in the middle.

OSHA Records and Internal Safety Files

Industrial worksites are subject to OSHA oversight, and OSHA investigation records, citations, and prior violation history can be powerful evidence in an industrial accident case. Internal safety audits, JSA forms, and incident reports carry equal weight, and Loewy Law Firm works to secure all of it before access is restricted.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for an Industrial Accident?

Identifying every party that may be liable is one of the first steps toward recovering the full compensation you deserve.

Employers and Plant Operators

Plant operators and employers set the conditions workers operate in, and that authority extends to staffing levels, production schedules, equipment maintenance, and safety rule enforcement. When production pressure leads to deferred maintenance or skipped safety procedures, the operator’s decisions can support a direct negligence case.

Contractors and Vendors

Industrial facilities rely heavily on outside contractors for maintenance, repairs, equipment installation, and specialty work. A contractor that created a hazard, or failed to correct one, can be held accountable regardless of whether you were employed by them.

Equipment Manufacturers

Defective machinery, faulty pressure systems, failed electrical components, and inadequate machine guards can all cause serious injuries even when workers follow proper procedure. Product liability cases against manufacturers can run alongside negligence cases and expand the compensation available to you.

Property Owners

Unsafe premises conditions, poor facility layout, and inadequate access controls can point to a property owner as a liable party even when another company was responsible for the day-to-day operations on site.

Types of Industrial Accidents That Lead to Serious Cases

The type of accident has a direct bearing on which companies may be responsible and what evidence needs to be preserved.

• Explosions and Flash Fires: Chemical releases, vapor ignition, and pressure vessel failures can cause catastrophic burns and blast injuries, and cases frequently raise questions about equipment maintenance, process safety management, and operator decisions.
• Chemical and Toxic Exposure: Exposure to hazardous chemicals, gases, and industrial byproducts can cause injuries that don’t fully appear until weeks or months after the exposure, and the timeline of exposure can be traced through air monitoring records, safety data sheets, and work history.
• Machinery and Caught-In Events: Rotating equipment, unguarded machinery, and inadequate lockout procedures put workers at serious risk on industrial worksites, and cases turn on who maintained the equipment and who was responsible for guarding it.
• Struck-By Events: Falling objects, shifting loads, forklift operations, and overhead crane events are a leading source of industrial injuries, and liability can fall on the equipment operator, the supervisor, or the company responsible for the lift.
• Falls From Height: Elevated platforms, ladders, mezzanines, and poorly maintained walking surfaces present serious fall hazards, and missing or failed fall protection can support a case against the employer, a contractor, or the property owner.
• Electrocution: Faulty wiring, inadequate lockout procedures, and energized systems cause electrocution injuries that are frequently permanent, and cases can point to equipment manufacturers, electrical contractors, or facility operators.
• Confined Space Accidents: Oxygen deficiency, toxic gas accumulation, and inadequate rescue procedures in confined spaces can be fatal, and confined space cases frequently expose failures in permit procedures and emergency planning.

Every industrial accident has its own set of facts, and Loewy Law Firm reviews the specific circumstances of your injury to identify every avenue for recovery.

Industrial Accidents Cause Serious Injury

• Burn Injuries: Chemical and thermal burns from industrial accidents can require skin grafts, repeated surgeries, and long-term rehabilitation, with permanent scarring and loss of motion that can end a career in physical work.
• Brain Injuries: Head trauma from falls, struck-by events, and explosions can produce symptoms including memory trouble, poor concentration, sleep disruption, and mood changes that affect every part of daily life.
• Spinal Cord and Back Injuries: Paralysis, nerve damage, and chronic pain from industrial accidents can permanently limit mobility and the ability to perform physical labor, and future lost earning capacity can represent the largest component of damages in a serious case.
• Crush Injuries and Amputation: Machinery and caught-in injuries can require multiple surgeries, prosthetics, and permanent work restrictions, along with long-term costs for adaptive equipment and care.
• Lung and Respiratory Harm: Chemical exposure and inhalation injuries can cause breathing problems that worsen over time and may not fully appear until after the worker has left the facility.
• Fatal Injuries: Families who lose someone in an industrial accident face funeral costs, sudden loss of household income, and a wrongful death case under Texas law can recover those financial losses and the personal loss suffered by a surviving spouse, children, and parents.

Loewy Law Firm reviews your medical records, work history, and long-term care needs to build a case around the complete picture of what you’ve lost and fight for everything you’re owed.

Your Legal Options After a Texas Industrial Accident

Non-Subscriber Employer Cases

Texas allows employers to opt out of workers’ compensation, and a number of industrial employers do. When your employer has opted out, you can bring a direct negligence case against them, and the defenses available to them are significantly limited. A non-subscriber employer cannot argue that you assumed the risk of the job or that a coworker’s actions caused the injury.

Third-Party Cases

Even when your employer carries workers’ compensation, a contractor, equipment manufacturer, or property owner on the same worksite may still be liable for what happened. A third-party case lets you pursue compensation from any of those parties separate from whatever workers’ compensation covers.

Wrongful Death Cases

Families who lose someone in an industrial accident can bring a wrongful death case against the employer, a contractor, an equipment manufacturer, or a combination of responsible parties. Texas wrongful death cases can recover lost household income, funeral costs, and the personal loss carried by a surviving spouse, children, and parents.

Texas Laws That Affect Industrial Accident Cases

Comparative Fault

Texas’ modified comparative fault rule will typically reduce your recovery by your percentage of fault and bars recovery entirely once your share reaches 51 percent. Companies defending industrial accident cases frequently try to place fault on the injured worker, and Loewy Law Firm works to counter that strategy with the evidence that shows what actually happened.

Statute of Limitations

The personal injury statute of limitations in Texas gives injured workers two years from the date of injury to bring a personal injury case, and two years from the date of death to bring a wrongful death case. Witnesses become harder to locate, digital evidence gets overwritten, and equipment gets repaired or replaced long before that deadline arrives.

OSHA Citations as Evidence

An OSHA citation issued after an industrial accident doesn’t create a private right of action on its own, but a documented history of violations at the facility where you were hurt can be powerful evidence of negligence in a civil case. Loewy Law Firm reviews OSHA records as part of every industrial accident case.

Exemplary Damages

Texas law allows for exemplary damages, also referred to as punitive damages, when a company’s conduct rises to the level of gross negligence. When the facts support it, Loewy Law Firm pursues every available avenue for recovery.

FAQs About Industrial Accident Cases 

Can I Bring a Case if OSHA Already Investigated?

Yes. An OSHA investigation and a civil injury case are separate. OSHA citations and findings can actually strengthen your case by establishing that a violation occurred, but an OSHA investigation on its own doesn’t compensate you for your injuries.

Can I Bring a Case if I Signed a Safety Acknowledgment?

Yes. Signing a safety acknowledgment or training document doesn’t release an employer or contractor from liability for negligence. A company cannot sign away its obligation to maintain a safe worksite.

Does It Matter if the Equipment Was Inspected Before the Accident?

An inspection record can cut both ways. If the equipment passed inspection and still failed, that can point to a manufacturing defect. If inspection records show deferred maintenance or known problems, that can support a negligence case against the company responsible for upkeep.

Can I Bring a Case Against a Company I Don’t Work For?

Yes. A third-party case lets you pursue compensation from any contractor, equipment manufacturer, or property owner whose actions contributed to your injury, regardless of your employment relationship with them.

Does a Prior Injury Affect My Case?

A prior injury to the same part of your body doesn’t disqualify a case. Texas law allows recovery for the aggravation of a pre-existing condition, and medical records can establish the difference between what existed before and what the industrial accident caused.

Can a Case Be Brought if the Facility Has Since Closed?

Yes. A facility closure doesn’t extinguish liability. Cases can still be brought against the responsible companies, and insurance coverage from the time of the injury can remain accessible.

Why Hire Loewy Law Firm for Your Industrial Accident Case?

Industrial accident cases pit injured workers against large companies and their insurers, and the outcome depends heavily on who is building the case on your side. Adam Loewy has recovered tens of millions of dollars for seriously injured clients across Texas since 2005, and he keeps a smaller docket than most firms so every case gets the attention it deserves.

A Record of Results

• $10,000,000 — Truck Crash Settlement
• $6,000,000 — Wrongful Death Settlement
• $2,500,000 — Burn Injury Settlement

Past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, but they reflect the level of commitment Adam brings to every case.

Direct Access and Personal Attention

Adam is reachable by text at (512) 779-3547 and handles cases personally, not through a revolving door of paralegals. He also maintains a wide network of medical professionals who see his clients and help them get the treatment they need, and proper medical documentation from the start can have a direct impact on both your recovery and your case.

Recognized and Rooted in Austin

Adam has been named a Texas Super Lawyer for nine consecutive years and has lived and practiced in Austin since 2000. He and his wife Phil have donated millions to local organizations and are deeply invested in the community they serve.

If you were hurt in a Texas industrial accident, call Loewy Law Firm today at (512) 280-0800 for a free consultation. If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we win.