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

Last checked November 8, 2026

If you were hurt at work in Houston, tell your employer within 30 days.1 File your claim with the state within one year.2 Call the Texas workers' comp line at 800-252-7031, option 1.3 Injured workers without a lawyer can get free help from state offices on Polk Street and Sam Houston Parkway.456

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Road map of Houston showing North Sam Houston Parkway East and Polk Street, where the state's injured worker counsel has field offices
Hurt at work in Texas? Tell your employer within 30 days. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What are the deadlines for a work injury in Houston?

StepDeadlineWho it goes to
Tell your employerWithin 30 days of the injury1Your boss or HR. Do it in writing and keep a copy.
File your comp claimWithin one year, with limited exceptions2The Texas Division of Workers' Compensation
Sue an outside company that caused itGenerally 2 years7Civil court, while comp continues
Sue the City of Houston as an outside partyWritten notice within 90 days8The city's notice rules apply, not comp rules

Do not let a kind boss talk you into waiting. A promise to take care of it is not a filed claim.

What if my Houston employer does not carry workers comp?

Texas is unusual. Most private employers can choose whether to carry workers' comp, so find out first if yours has it.9 In 2022, 75% of private Texas employers carried it, and 83% of private workers were at those employers.1011 The smallest businesses, with 1 to 4 workers, had the highest non-subscriber rate at 31%.12

Your employerYour main pathWhat to know
Has workers' compBenefits through the comp systemThose benefits are usually your only claim against the employer or a coworker13
Does not have itA lawsuit against the employerIt generally cannot blame you, a coworker or the risk of the job, but you must prove negligence14

Ask HR in writing, or call the state line at 800-252-7031.3 Some Houston employers run their own injury plans, and a plan can look a lot like comp without being comp. Do not sign anything that gives up your rights until you know which one you have.

Where can I get free help with a workers comp claim in Houston?

The Office of Injured Employee Counsel, a state agency, has two Houston offices. All of its services, including ombudsman help, are at no cost.6 An ombudsman assists workers who do not have a lawyer.

  • Houston East: 5425 Polk Street, Suite 130, Houston 77023.4
  • Houston West: 350 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. E., #110, Houston 77060.5
  • Phone: 866-393-6432.15
  • Division of Workers' Compensation claim help: 800-252-7031, option 1, also in Spanish.316

An ombudsman can help you through a dispute, but cannot do everything a lawyer can. If your claim is denied, your injury is serious or your employer has no comp, a Houston workers comp lawyer is worth a call.

Who do I report an unsafe Houston job site to?

OSHA lists two offices for the Houston area. Houston South is at 17625 El Camino Real, Suite 400, phone 281-286-0583.17 Houston North is in Conroe, phone 936-760-3800.18 The state also runs a Safety Violations Hotline at 800-452-9595.19

Across Texas, 557 people died from work injuries in 2024. Transportation incidents caused 242 of those deaths, and falls, slips and trips caused 77.20 Construction had 125.21 We could not find a work death count for Houston or Harris County alone in those public tables.

Can I sue someone else for my Houston work injury?

Yes, if someone outside your employer caused it. You can claim workers' comp and also pursue that outside party.22 Think of a delivery driver hit on the job by another car, a welder hurt by a bad part, or a worker at a plant hurt by a contractor from a different company.

Houston's freight traffic makes this common. Harris County had 5,913 commercial vehicle crashes in 2025, and some involve people on the clock.23 If a crash hurt you at work, get the report as you would for any wreck. HPD sells it through BuyCrash.24

What should I do this week after a Houston job injury?

  1. Get care and tell the doctor it happened at work. Ben Taub and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center are Level I trauma centers for serious injuries.2526
  2. Write down the date, time, place, what you were doing and who saw it.
  3. Give your employer written notice. Keep a dated copy or a photo.
  4. Request your records. Harris Health says clear requests go out within 15 business days.27
  5. Keep track of every day you miss and every mile you drive for care.

Questions

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

Tell your employer within 30 days.1 File your claim with the state within one year.2

Can I sue my Houston employer for a work injury?

If it has workers' comp, usually not.13 If it does not, you can sue, but must prove negligence.14

Is there free help for injured workers in Houston?

Yes. The state's Office of Injured Employee Counsel has two Houston offices and charges nothing.456

Who do I call in Spanish about a Texas workers comp claim?

800-252-7031, option 1.16

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Houston

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. “Call and speak to a customer assistant at 800-252-7031, option 1.”
  4. Office of Injured Employee Counsel, Offices, checked 2026-11-08. “Houston East Field Office 5425 Polk Street, Suite 130 Houston, TX 77023-1454”
  5. Office of Injured Employee Counsel, Offices, checked 2026-11-08. “Houston West Field Office 350 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. E. #110 Houston, TX 77060-3318”
  6. Office of Injured Employee Counsel, Ombudsman Services, checked 2026-11-08. “All OIEC services, including ombudsman services, are provided at no cost.”
  7. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  8. City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “duly verified, within 90 days after the same has been sustained”
  9. 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.”
  10. Texas Department of Insurance, Employer Participation 2022, checked 2026-11-08. “The employer subscription rate increased three percentage points to 75% in 2022”
  11. Texas Department of Insurance, Employer Participation 2022, checked 2026-11-08. “the percentage of employees working for subscribers (83%)”
  12. Texas Department of Insurance, Employer Participation 2022, checked 2026-11-08. “had the highest percentage of non-subscribers at 31% in 2022”
  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 § 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”
  15. Office of Injured Employee Counsel, Ombudsman Services, checked 2026-11-08. “Contact OIEC: (866) 393-6432”
  16. Texas Department of Insurance, DWC Contacts, checked 2026-11-08. “Llame y hable con un asistente para el cliente al 800-252-7031, opción número 1.”
  17. OSHA, Texas Area Offices, checked 2026-11-08. “Houston South Area Office 17625 El Camino Real, Suite 400 Houston, TX 77058 (281) 286-0583”
  18. OSHA, Texas Area Offices, checked 2026-11-08. “Houston North Area Office 690 S. Loop 336 W., Suite 400 Conroe, TX 77304 (936) 760-3800”
  19. Texas Department of Insurance, DWC Contacts, checked 2026-11-08. “Safety Violations Hotline 800-452-9595”
  20. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Fatal occupational injuries in Texas 2024, checked 2026-11-08. “| Total | 557 | 75 | 242 | 10 | 77 | 62 | 91 |”
  21. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Fatal occupational injuries in Texas 2024, checked 2026-11-08. “| Construction | 125 |”
  22. 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.”
  23. TxDOT, 2025 Commercial Motor Vehicle Involved Crashes by County, checked 2026-11-08. “Harris 41 43 108 125 541 820 880 1,326 4,272 15,347 71 875 5,913”
  24. Houston Police, Public Information Requests, checked 2026-11-08. “Crash Reports can be purchased online from the Texas Department of Transportation at https://buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com”
  25. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “HARRIS HEALTH BEN TAUB HOSPITAL 4/1/2028 Q HOUSTON 77030”
  26. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “MEMORIAL HERMANN - TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER 5/1/2028 Q HOUSTON 77030”
  27. Harris Health, Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “helps us send your records within 15 business days”

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