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information to consumers, injured
people, and their families. Our goal is
to level the playing field between
consumers and insurance companies
and expose the tricks, traps, and
techniques they use to cheat injured
people out of their legal rights. We
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settlements and other interesting
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What to do if you are hurt on the job and your boss says there is no workers compensation
Most employers in Texas, and other states, have workers compensation insurance. This means that if you are injured on the job, this insurance will pay you benefits no matter how your accident happened (even if it was all your fault).
Most state legislatures want employers to get workers compensation insurance.
Some states require all employers to have workers compensation insurance. Some states do not, but set the rules up so that it benefits employers if they have workers compensation insurance.
In Texas, the legislature has set the laws so that if employers have workers compensation insurance and if their employee is hurt on the job, the employee cannot sue the employer - the employee can only collect workers compensation benefits.
On the other hand, if a Texas employer chooses not to purchase workers compensation insurance, then not only can an employee who is hurt on the job sue them, but the employer is stripped of some defenses in the case that is usually would be able to assert. One of the main defenses they lose is to try to blame you for causing the accident -- in essence, this means you only have to prove the employer was 1% negligent, and if you do so, then they are responsible for all of your damages. This situation is called a "non-subscriber case." It is called this because the employer has chosen not to "subscribe" to workers compensation insurance.
A valid non-subscriber case has the potential of being very valuable.
So, if you are told your employer has no workers compensation insurance, you will want to find out whether you have a valid non-subscriber case. You definitely should consult with an attorney to determine whether you have a non-subscriber case.