Hurt at work in Dallas: your deadlines, free state help, and finding a workers comp lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

Tell your employer within 30 days and file with the state within one year.12 In Dallas, the state workers' comp agency and the free Office of Injured Employee Counsel both have field offices at 1250 W. Mockingbird Lane.34 Most private Texas employers can choose not to carry workers' comp.5

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Road map of Dallas showing West Mockingbird Lane, home of the state's workers' compensation field offices
Dallas work injury: tell your boss within 30 days, file in 1 year. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Does my Dallas employer have workers' comp?

Start with this question, because Texas is different from most states. Most private employers can choose whether to carry it.5 Public employers cannot. Texas cities, counties, public schools and utilities must have coverage, so if you work for the City of Dallas or Dallas County, you should be covered.6

You can check for yourself. The Texas Department of Insurance lets you look up coverage through TXCOMP.7 For help, the state line is 800-252-7031, option 1.8 Do not rely on your supervisor's word alone, and ask for the name of the insurance carrier in writing.

How long do I have to report a work injury in Dallas?

What to doDeadlineWhy it matters
Tell your employerWithin 30 days1Waiting too long can cost you benefits
File your claim with the stateWithin one year, with limited exceptions2This is what protects your rights with the state
Sue an outside partyGenerally two years9A driver or equipment maker can be held responsible

Put the report to your boss in writing. A text or email works, and it gives you a record of the date. Keep a copy of anything you sign, and write down the names of coworkers who saw what happened.

Where can I get help with workers' comp in Dallas?

Two state agencies sit in the same building on West Mockingbird Lane. The Division of Workers' Compensation has a Dallas Field Office at 1250 W. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 200, 75247.3 That is the agency that runs the system and handles claims.

The Office of Injured Employee Counsel's Dallas Field Office is at 1250 W. Mockingbird Lane, #200.4 If you do not have a lawyer, it can give free help with your claim.10 Its phone number is 866-393-6432.11 Call first to be sure someone can see you. Bring your claim papers and a list of your doctors.

What if my employer has no workers' comp in Texas?

Then you can sue, and the law gives you an advantage. If your Texas employer has no comp, it generally cannot blame you, a coworker or the risk of the job, but you must prove negligence.12 These cases need real evidence of what the company did wrong, like a missing guard, no training or being pushed to work too fast. Photos of the job site can be gone in days.

If your employer does have comp, those benefits are usually your only claim against the employer or a coworker.13 So learning the answer to that first question shapes everything else.

Can I sue someone else for a work injury in Dallas?

Yes, and many Dallas work injuries have another party in the picture. You can claim workers' comp and also sue an outside party who caused your injury.14 Common examples include a driver who hit you on a delivery, a subcontractor on a shared site or a maker of faulty equipment.

Work on the road is a big part of this. Dallas County had 3,778 commercial motor vehicle crashes in 2025.15 If you were hurt in a crash while on the clock, get the crash report too. Dallas Police charges $6, and most reports are ready in 5 to 7 working days.1617 A claim against a City of Dallas vehicle or property adds a six-month written notice requirement.18

Who do I call about an unsafe job site in Dallas?

Federal OSHA covers private employers here. Its Dallas Area Office is in Richardson, at 1100 East Campbell Road, Suite 250, (972) 952-1330.19 The 24-hour hotline is 1-800-321-6742.20

Employers have their own clock. A workplace death must be reported within 8 hours.21 An in-patient hospitalization, amputation or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.22 You can ask if your employer made that report. An OSHA complaint and a workers' comp claim are two separate things, and doing one does not replace the other.

Where should I go for treatment after a work injury in Dallas?

For an emergency, go to the nearest hospital. Three Dallas hospitals, Parkland, Baylor University Medical Center and Methodist Dallas, are Level I trauma centers.232425 Tell the staff you were hurt at work, and say how it happened so your chart matches your claim. Parkland's records office is at 5200 Harry Hines Blvd., 1st floor, Suite 01-603, and Baylor's online requests go through HealthMark Group.2627

What should I ask a workers comp lawyer in Dallas?

  • Does my employer have coverage, and how do you confirm it?
  • If there is no coverage, what would we need to prove negligence?
  • Is there an outside party I can also make a claim against?
  • Why did the insurer deny or cut my benefits?
  • How do you get paid, and what does that cost me?

Questions

How long do I have to report a work injury in Texas?

30 days to tell your employer and one year to file with the state.12

Where is the workers comp office in Dallas?

1250 W. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 200, 75247.3

Can I sue my employer in Dallas if it has no workers' comp?

Yes, but you must prove negligence.12

Is help with my workers' comp claim free?

The Office of Injured Employee Counsel gives free help if you do not have an attorney.10

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Dallas

Hurt at work

Texas

Sources

  1. Tex. Lab. Code § 409.001(a), checked 2026-11-08. “shall notify the employer of the employee of an injury not later than the 30th day after the date on which: (1) the injury occurs;”
  2. Tex. Lab. Code § 409.003, checked 2026-11-08. “shall file with the division a claim for compensation for an injury not later than one year after the date on which: (1) the injury occurred;”
  3. Texas Department of Insurance, DWC contacts, checked 2026-11-08. “1250 W. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 200 Dallas, TX 75247-6952”
  4. Office of Injured Employee Counsel, Offices, checked 2026-11-08. “1250 W. Mockingbird Lane, #200 Dallas, TX 75247”
  5. Tex. Lab. Code § 406.002(a), checked 2026-11-08. “Except for public employers and as otherwise provided by law, an employer may elect to obtain workers' compensation insurance coverage.”
  6. Texas Department of Insurance, Coverage verification, checked 2026-11-08. “All Texas governmental entities (public school, utility, city, or county) must have workers’ compensation coverage.”
  7. Texas Department of Insurance, Coverage verification, checked 2026-11-08. “Verify coverage at TXCOMP NCCI website.”
  8. Texas Department of Insurance, TXCOMP, checked 2026-11-08. “Call 800-252-7031, option 1 for help.”
  9. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  10. Office of Injured Employee Counsel, FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “If you do not have an attorney, OIEC can provide free help for your Texas workers' compensation claim.”
  11. Office of Injured Employee Counsel, Offices, checked 2026-11-08. “Phone: 866-393-6432”
  12. Tex. Lab. Code § 406.033(a), (d), checked 2026-11-08. “it is not a defense that: (1) the employee was guilty of contributory negligence; (2) the employee assumed the risk of injury or death; or (3) the injury or death was caused by the negligence of a fellow employee. [...] the plaintiff must prove negligence of the employer or of an agent or servant of the employer”
  13. Tex. Lab. Code § 408.001(a), checked 2026-11-08. “Recovery of workers' compensation benefits is the exclusive remedy of an employee covered by workers' compensation insurance coverage or a legal beneficiary against the employer or an agent or employee of the employer for the death of or a work-related injury sustained by the employee.”
  14. Tex. Lab. Code § 417.001(a), checked 2026-11-08. “An employee or legal beneficiary may seek damages from a third party who is or becomes liable to pay damages for an injury or death that is compensable under this subtitle and may also pursue a claim for workers' compensation benefits under this subtitle.”
  15. TxDOT, 2025 Commercial Motor Vehicle Involved Crashes by County, checked 2026-11-08. “Dallas 33 37 101 130 453 602 561 905 2,591 9,140 39 611 3,778”
  16. Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “There is a $6.00 fee for the accident report if requested through the mail or if picked up in person.”
  17. Dallas Police, Types of Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “Reports are usually available 5 to 7 working days after the accident.”
  18. Dallas City Charter, Chapter XXIII, Section 1, checked 2026-11-08. “within six months after the injury was received”
  19. OSHA, Texas area offices, checked 2026-11-08. “1100 East Campbell Road, Suite 250 Richardson, TX 75081 (972) 952-1330”
  20. OSHA, Report a Fatality or Severe Injury, checked 2026-11-08. “Call the OSHA 24-hour hotline at 1-800-321-6742”
  21. OSHA, Report a Fatality or Severe Injury, checked 2026-11-08. “A fatality must be reported within 8 hours.”
  22. OSHA, Report a Fatality or Severe Injury, checked 2026-11-08. “An in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.”
  23. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “PARKLAND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 7/1/2028 E DALLAS 75235”
  24. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER 4/1/2028 E DALLAS 75246”
  25. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “METHODIST DALLAS MEDICAL CENTER 12/1/2027 E DALLAS 75203”
  26. Parkland Health, Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “5200 Harry Hines Blvd, 1st floor, Suite 01-603”
  27. Baylor Scott & White, Request Copies of Your Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “we have partnered with HealthMark Group”

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