San Antonio Legal Blog

Workers who suffer injuries don't need to have to worry about how they're going to pay the bills related to that accident. They also shouldn't have to worry about how they'll be able to cover the normal expenses if they're unable to return to work right away.

Employers in Texas are required to carry workers' compensation coverage at their expense so that workers who do suffer injuries can count on the benefits the coverage offers. For most employees, there are two primary types of benefits they'll need if they suffer an on-the-job injury.

Workers in the Texas oilfields face an endless list of safety hazards, and their employers are responsible for their safety. However, many workers take their own precautions rather than entrusting their lives in the hands of employers -- many of whom prioritize profits over employee safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration lists falls as the primary cause of deaths on oil rigs.

Regardless of your job description, the prevalence of elevated work areas on the oil rig will always pose risks of falls with life-changing consequences. Working on small platforms with exposed edges and open holes at heights between 30 and 100 feet pose significant fall hazards.

Each year, countless individuals here in San Antonio and other parts of Texas that rush out to buy themselves new cars. A common question that they often research before doing so is whether a vehicle's size impacts safety. Industry research shows that it does matter whether consumers buy smaller sedans or larger cars vehicles such as sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and trucks. The latter tend to fare better in collisions, especially when they involve both a small and large vehicle in the same accident.

When head-on collisions occur, it's often the front of the vehicle that suffers the most damage and impact. Larger vehicles tend to slow the rate of transfer of an impact. This reduces the chance of any force reaching the passenger compartment and, minimizes any occupant's risk of injury.

Perhaps one of your strong qualities is that you are a self-starter. Your employer may have selected you for the job because you indicated that you enjoy working alone or you proved you need little supervision to get the job done. Like many Texas workers in a variety of professions, you are a lone worker, spending many hours of the day on your own.

As a lone worker, the thought may cross your mind that suffering an injury on the job may have devastating results. If you are in a high-risk job, such as in the oil or gas industry, an accident may mean suffering injuries that prevent you from calling for help. With no one working alongside you, it may be hours before help arrives. These are factors to consider and certainly questions to bring to your employer, whose job it is to provide adequate protection for you.