Fort Worth Construction Accident Lawyer
Construction work is among the most hazardous occupations in the country. A Fort Worth construction accident attorney at Stephens Law represents injured workers and their families when negligence, unsafe conditions, or broken equipment cause serious harm on a job site.
Our legal team handles construction injury claims across Tarrant County, Parker County, and throughout North Texas.
If you were hurt on a construction site because someone cut corners on safety, you may have legal options beyond workers’ comp. Call (817) 420-7000 to discuss your options in a free case evaluation.
How Does Stephens Law Handle Construction Accident Cases in Fort Worth?
These cases often involve more than one party at fault, and our approach is built around that reality. Attorney Jason Stephens oversees the strategy on construction accident cases our firm accepts.
He works with safety engineers, doctors, and accident reconstruction teams to pursue claims against every party responsible for the harm.
Stephens Law has recovered more than $300 million for injured clients after fees and expenses across a range of serious injury and wrongful death cases over nearly three decades. We help families file a wrongful death claim when negligence results in the loss of a loved one and pursue the compensation they deserve.
Every case is different, and prior recoveries do not predict future results.
Finding Every Party at Fault
A construction site injury rarely traces back to just one company. General contractors, subcontractors, equipment suppliers, property owners, and engineers may each share some blame depending on the facts.
We look at who ran the job site, review contracts, check safety inspection records, and figure out who had the power and the duty to prevent the hazard that hurt you.
That work may uncover sources of money that a workers’ comp claim alone does not provide.
Going Beyond Workers’ Comp
Texas does not require private employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. If your employer does carry it, workers’ comp pays for medical bills and part of your lost wages, but it does not cover pain and suffering damages.
If someone other than your employer caused or helped cause your injury, you may file a personal injury claim against that party while still collecting workers’ comp benefits.
If your employer opted out of the workers’ comp system, Texas law calls them a non-subscriber. You may have the right to sue your employer directly for negligence.
Under Texas Labor Code Chapter 406, non-subscribers lose three key defenses: contributory negligence, assumption of risk, and the fellow-servant doctrine. The proportionate responsibility rules under Chapter 33 still apply to divide fault among the parties.
What Are the Most Dangerous Construction Hazards in Fort Worth?
Falls, struck-by incidents, caught-in or caught-between accidents, and electrocutions are the four most dangerous hazards on construction sites in Fort Worth and across the country.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) calls these the Focus Four because they cause the majority of construction worker deaths each year.
Local data shows why these risks matter in Tarrant County. In April 2026, the Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine metro division had about 89,800 mining, logging, and construction jobs.
National OSHA severe injury data for 2024 shows construction reported 21.1 severe injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, including hospitalizations, amputations, and eye-loss injuries.
For Fort Worth workers, that means construction hazards are not abstract. They affect a large local workforce every day.
On active job sites in Fort Worth, these incidents often trace back to missing fall protection, poor coordination between subcontractors, or schedule pressure that leads crews to bypass basic safety steps.
Fort Worth’s steady growth in commercial and residential building puts thousands of workers on active job sites at any given time. The types of accidents our clients commonly face include:
- Falls from scaffolding, ladders, roofs, and raised platforms because of missing guardrails, broken equipment, or lack of fall protection
- Struck-by injuries from falling tools, swinging crane loads, and heavy machines working in tight spaces
- Caught-in or caught-between accidents from trench cave-ins, unguarded machines, and shifting heavy materials
- Electrocutions from exposed wiring, overhead power lines, and tools that are not properly grounded
- Explosions and chemical exposure on oil and gas job sites in the Fort Worth Basin area
When a contractor breaks an OSHA rule and a worker gets hurt, Texas courts may treat that violation as evidence of negligence.
An OSHA violation is not the same as automatic liability under Texas law, but a documented safety failure makes a strong case that the responsible party knew about the danger and did nothing to stop it.
Who May Be Liable for a Construction Accident in Fort Worth?
General contractors, subcontractors, property owners, project developers, and equipment makers may all share blame for a construction site injury in Fort Worth.
Modern construction projects split safety duties across several companies, so your claim may target multiple defendants with multiple insurance policies. This can make the insurance claims process more complex, requiring a careful review of each party’s responsibilities and available coverage.
General Contractors
A general contractor may bear significant blame for unsafe conditions on a Fort Worth job site, depending on how much control the contractor kept over day-to-day operations.
OSHA places broad safety duties on the company that controls the site. Texas courts look at the degree of actual control the general contractor had when deciding civil liability.
Subcontractors
A subcontractor who creates a dangerous condition or ignores safety standards may be held directly liable for the injuries that follow.
If an electrical sub leaves live wires exposed or a framing crew takes down fall protection barriers, the sub responsible for that hazard faces potential liability.
Property Owners and Developers
The property owner may share liability if the owner kept control over safety decisions or knew about dangerous conditions and did nothing.
In some Fort Worth commercial projects, the property owner plays an active role in running the site, which raises their exposure to injury claims.
Equipment Makers and Suppliers
When defective or poorly maintained equipment causes a construction injury, the maker or supplier of that equipment may be held liable under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 82, the state’s product liability law.
This covers cranes, forklifts, power tools, scaffolding parts, and any other gear used on the job.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Fort Worth Construction Accident?
Injured construction workers in Texas may seek both economic and non-economic damages through a third-party injury claim or a non-subscriber lawsuit. The types of damages construction accident victims commonly pursue include:
- Past and future medical bills, including emergency care, surgeries, hospital stays, rehab, and medical devices
- Lost wages during recovery and reduced earning power if the injury limits your ability to work in construction or any other job
- Pain and suffering from the physical toll of the injury and recovery
- Mental anguish and emotional distress, especially in cases involving severe trauma or permanent disability
- Disfigurement and physical impairment from amputations, burns, spinal injuries, or other lasting harm
Construction injuries are often life-changing. A fall from height, a trench collapse, or an electrocution may leave a worker unable to return to the trade that fed their family.
The damages number in these cases must look decades ahead to capture the true financial and personal cost.
If you were hurt on a construction site in Fort Worth or Tarrant County, call (817) 420-7000 to talk with our team.
How Does Texas Comparative Fault Affect a Construction Injury Claim?
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33, a jury gives a fault percentage to every party involved in a construction accident. Your damages go down by the percentage of fault placed on you.
If your fault goes above 50%, you recover nothing. Fault rules differ from state to state, and the rules described here apply only in Texas.
How Defendants Use Fault Arguments on Construction Sites
Contractors and their insurers almost always say the injured worker helped cause the accident by breaking a safety rule, skipping protective gear, or taking a shortcut.
On a job site with multiple companies working at the same time, each defendant tries to push blame onto the others while also pointing the finger at you.
We gather physical evidence, safety records, OSHA citations, witness statements, and employment records to build the clearest picture of who ran the site and who failed to do their job.
What Is the Deadline for a Construction Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
You have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. Texas calls this the statute of limitations. Courts enforce it strictly, and filing late almost always means losing your right to sue.
In limited situations, the clock may pause, such as when the injured person is a minor or lacks mental capacity at the time of the injury.
When Shorter Deadlines Apply
If the job site sits on government land or a government agency owns the project, the Texas Tort Claims Act generally requires you to send written notice to the government within six months.
Some cities, including Fort Worth, may set even shorter notice periods under their city charter. Confirming the exact deadline with a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer matters, as missing the notice requirement can jeopardize your right to recover compensation.
City of Fort Worth road projects, Tarrant County building work, and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) highway jobs all fall into this category.
Ask Stephens Law
Do I need a lawyer if I got hurt on a construction site in Fort Worth?
Construction injury claims involve multiple contractors, overlapping insurance policies, and defendants who push blame onto the worker and onto each other.
A Fort Worth construction accident attorney sorts through the chain of responsibility, finds every liable party, and builds the evidence to go after compensation beyond what workers’ comp covers.
What if my employer does not carry workers’ comp?
Texas does not require private employers to carry workers’ comp. If your employer opted out, they are a non-subscriber, and you may sue them directly for negligence.
Non-subscribers lose the defenses of contributory negligence, assumption of risk, and the fellow-servant doctrine under Texas Labor Code Chapter 406.
The proportionate responsibility rules under Chapter 33 still apply, but losing those defenses often helps the injured worker’s case, depending on the facts.
What if I signed a safety waiver before starting the job?
A safety waiver or assumption of risk form does not always block your claim. Texas courts look at the exact wording, the circumstances of the signing, and whether the hazard that hurt you fell within the scope of what the waiver covered.
These documents do not always hold up in court, depending on the facts.
How much does it cost to hire a construction accident attorney at Stephens Law?
Stephens Law handles construction accident cases on a contingency basis. That means you pay zero upfront costs, and we collect a fee only if we recover money for you. If there is no recovery, you owe our firm nothing.
FAQs for Fort Worth Construction Accident Attorney
How long do I have to file a construction accident lawsuit in Texas?
You have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003.
If the project sits on government property, you must also send written notice to the government within six months. Missing either deadline may end your ability to pursue a claim for good.
What is the difference between a workers’ comp claim and a construction accident lawsuit?
Workers’ comp pays for medical bills and part of your lost wages but does not cover pain and suffering. A construction accident lawsuit lets you go after broader compensation from a negligent general contractor, subcontractor, property owner, or equipment maker.
You may pursue both at the same time if a third party’s negligence played a role in your injury.
What if OSHA already looked into the accident on my job site?
An OSHA investigation and any citations that come from it create a public record your attorney may use as evidence. A citation against a contractor shows a safety violation happened, which helps your negligence argument.
But the lack of a citation does not mean no violation occurred. Your attorney may still prove negligence through independent evidence like witness accounts and safety records.
What types of injuries are most common in Fort Worth construction accidents?
Falls from height cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and broken bones. Struck-by incidents cause crushing injuries and organ damage. Trench collapses lead to suffocation and crush injuries.
Electrocutions cause burns, cardiac arrest, and nerve damage. Many of these injuries result in permanent disability or long-term limits on the worker’s ability to earn a living.
What if the construction company is blaming me for the accident?
Defendants in construction cases almost always argue the worker shares fault. Under Texas rules, you may still recover compensation as long as your share of blame does not go above 50%.
Your total payout drops by the percentage of fault placed on you. Strong evidence from the job site, including safety records, witness accounts, and OSHA reports, is what moves the blame away from you and toward the parties who ran the site.
Put a Fort Worth Construction Accident Attorney to Work on Your Claim
Construction companies and their insurers start building a defense the moment an accident happens. They take witness statements, collect incident reports, and photograph the scene with their own interests in mind.
Having an attorney involved early protects your side of the story and keeps key evidence from going missing.
Jason Stephens oversees every construction injury case at our firm from start to finish. Construction accidents are fact-specific, and results depend entirely on the details of each claim.
Call (817) 420-7000 to speak with a Fort Worth construction accident attorney at Stephens Law. The consultation is free, and you pay no fee unless we win your case.
Fort Worth Construction Accident Injury Review
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Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Fort Worth, TX
Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents – Fort Worth Office
1300 S University Dr #300
Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
Phone:
(817) 420 7000
Open 24 hours