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Houston Building Collapse

When Tragedy Strikes, Arnold & Itkin Is Who People Call. No Matter What.

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 describes 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 occur 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 describe 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.

Houston Building Collapse Accident FAQ

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Houston Building Collapse Lawyer?

At Arnold & Itkin, we only collect a fee if we win results in a case. This is known as a contingency fee and it allows our services to be available to all clients. Our firm believes that a person should receive the legal help they need rather than the legal help they deserve. Contact us now to find out if we can take your case.

What Can I Recover with a Building Collapse Lawsuit?

A building collapse lawsuit helps workers recover lost wages, the cost of medical bills, future care needs, and any other damages caused by an accident. If your loved one has died in a building collapse, we’ll work to recover things such as their lost wages, funeral expenses, and any other losses you need to help deal with the financial difficulties produced by the passing of a loved one. Every person’s situation is different and discovering what is possible with your case is easy when you dial (888) 493-1629.

Who Is at Fault for a Building Collapse?

Building collapses at construction sites are often caused by poor site management. Architects firms, construction companies, the building owner, and other parties are responsible for protecting workers from injury and death.

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.

Contact us right now for a free consultation with our Houston construction collapse lawyers!

Case Results

Check Out Our Victories

  • $8 Billion Top 3 Largest Jury Verdict in U.S. History Arnold & Itkin tried a case against Johnson & Johnson for failing to warn about a drug’s most damaging side effects: gynecomastia. Our skill, hard work, and dedication resulted in the third-largest jury verdict ever obtained for an individual ...
  • $357 Million Largest Workplace Accident Settlement in Texas history Arnold & Itkin LLP secured a massive nine-figure settlement against a transnational corporation for a workplace incident. The settlement set a Texas record for being the largest personal injury settlement in the state’s history.
  • $222 Million Record-Breaking Verdict for Widow Our firm won $222 million for a woman who lost her husband in an industrial accident caused by a faulty valve. We took the case to trial because the at-fault company refused to take responsibility. The jury saw through the corporate lies and double ...
  • $205 Million Confidential Settlement Obtained for Numerous Clients Arnold & Itkin reached a record $205,000,000 settlement on behalf of clients after several years of hard-fought litigation. The case settled just before trial was set to begin.
  • $193 Million Settlement Won for Victims of Pipeline Explosion Offshore injury lawyers at Arnold & Itkin fought for two workers who were injured in a pipeline explosion at sea, one of whom passed away. Our relentless investigation and advocacy resulted in a nine-figure settlement that will provide for our ...
  • $171 Million One of the Largest Confidential Settlements in History Arnold & Itkin worked over the course of several years to represent clients in a case that many other law firms turned down. In the end, we were able to obtain a record-setting confidential settlement.
  • $139 Million Massive Settlement Achieved for Victims of an Oilfield Incident Arnold & Itkin LLP negotiated a huge $139,000,000 settlement for injured families affected by an oilfield incident in the eastern United States, settling one week before trial.
  • $125 Million Settlement Won for Widow of Dredge Worker Offshore lawyers at Arnold & Itkin LLP won a nine-figure settlement for a woman who lost her husband in a pipeline explosion. By pushing the case toward trial, our firm pressured the defendant into settling with our client, allowing her to rebuild ...
  • $117 Million Largest Single-Event Personal Injury Verdict in Louisiana History Arnold & Itkin represented a pregnant woman who experienced stomach pain and called Acadian Ambulance. The driver of the ambulance drove the ambulance into the back of a sugar cane truck causing the plaintiff's spine to be severed at T4 and for her ...
  • $116 Million Confidential Settlement Arnold & Itkin LLP negotiated a massive nine figure settlement on behalf of their clients after several years of hard fought litigation.
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“Sometimes I would think about the level of stress that I had going through this whole thing, and I think about Arnold & Itkin taking on that stress for me. They picked it up and they ran with it. They have allowed me to close that chapter and feel good about it and move forward without looking back with regrets. I feel great.”
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