Houston Building Collapse Lawyers

Our Texas Construction Accident Law Firm Has Recovered Billions of Dollars

Construction work is some of the most dangerous in the United States. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), construction workers account for 21.1% of workplace fatalities—the most of any other industry in the nation. Employers in the construction sector are aware of the dangers that construction workers face. Yet, many of them fail to provide the protection that their employees deserve.

One of the most devastating type of accidents involves the collapse of a structure that’s under construction. A lack of safety training, equipment, and other basic requirements trigger these accidents. When a building falls, workers have little left to do then pray that it won’t fall on them. After the dust settles, workers are almost always found severely injured or killed. At Arnold & Itkin, our Houston building collapse lawyers are determined to be the advocates that construction workers and their families need after an accident. We’ve secured billions of dollars.

Call our Houston building collapse attorneys now at (888) 493-1629. Your consultation is free, confidential, and designed to make it simple for you to learn your options.

Houston Building Collapse Injuries

Buildings that are under construction should never collapse. When they do, it’s a sign that a company wasn’t following the steps required to keep workers safe. Building collapses are particularly unsafe because of how fast they happen. Usually, workers have little—if any—warning that the structure above them is about to fall. Injuries from these accidents are often catastrophic for workers and their families

A construction site building collapse can cause injuries such as:

The serious injuries listed above are notable because of their lasting effects. Someone with these injuries faces extensive medical bills, lost wages, and the loss of an ability to work as they once did. Sadly, these injuries might be the best scenario for workers—many never have the chance to leave work alive after a building falls.

The Marathon Oil Tower Collapse in Houston

In October of 2020, a construction site in west Houston had a catastrophic building collapse. As crews worked to build the new headquarters for energy giant Marathon Oil, the building collapsed. The incident caused one worker to sustain injuries and killed three more.

A worker who survived the accident said that it appeared as if several floors of the Marathon Oil building collapsed onto the first floor. Shortly after the incident, officials revealed that the collapsed occurred with a set of "floating" stairs in the building's pre-cast interior. The stairwell collapse began on the building's 13th and 14th floors, sending rubble to the ground and trapping the deceased workers. In the hours after the accident, officials were unable to remove the bodies of the victims of the Houston building collapse. They were concerned that the structure was at risk of a second collapse during recovery efforts. The project was being constructed by Harvey Builders, one of the largest construction companies in Houston. Reporters from The Houston Chronicle revealed that Harvey Builders had two major safety violations in 2019 that the company is currently appealing. It also received as significant citation from OSHA in 2017 because of improper hazard communication at a Georgia construction site.

Possible Causes of a Building Collapse in Houston

According to experts, building collapses are entirely preventable. When a construction site has a serious structural failure, it’s often the result of negligence on the part of the parties in charge of design or building.

Common reasons for building collapses include:

Poor design
Faulty construction
Foundation failure
Unsafe loads
Unexpected failures
And more

Notably, when a construction accident such as a collapse happens, it’s usually a sign that a significant error or mistake was made by engineers or the company in charge of the building process.

There are three general mistakes that lead to building collapses during construction in Houston:

Inappropriate construction is when construction companies don’t follow the drawings and specifications provided by architectural designs. Using the wrong materials, placing unauthorized loads on a building, and altering it in any way can lead to catastrophic failure such as the one seen during the Houston stair collapse.
Performance failures is when contractors inadequately monitor a construction site and fail to provide the quality control required to keep one safe. When this happens, workers might fail to provide enough temporary support to new structures, use equipment improperly, or place too much weight on an unsupported structure. During the building process, failing to follow the right sequence can lead to a catastrophic failure that results in a collapse.
Design failures is when the architects and engineers of a new building provide plans that aren’t safe. Ultimately, safety relies on the planners for a project. Even if a construction company strictly follows a new building’s plans, a collapse might occur if engineers don't provide them with a design that’s safe.

Our Houston Building Collapse Lawyers Are Ready to Help at (888) 493-1629

When construction workers need help in Houston, they call Arnold & Itkin. By using our experience and devoting the resources that cases deserve, we’re able to demand the compensation workers and their families deserve after accidents. If the other side isn’t being fair during settlement negotiations, we’ll never hesitate to hold them accountable in the courtroom. We do this because we know that our clients deserve justice, and they need the results our team can produce. For us, the fight is personal because we’ve seen how justice changes lives.