Industrial Accidents Your Neighbors. Your Advocates.

Pasadena Industrial Accident Lawyer

Name: SJ Injury Attorneys
Address: 6021 Fairmont Pkwy, Suite 140, Pasadena, TX, 77505
Telephone: (936) 297-7972

From the Plant Floor to the Courtroom: An Attorney Who's Lived the Risks Firsthand

Before he was an attorney, founding attorney Kevin Johnson spent years working as a petrochemical process operator on the Texas Gulf Coast. He later became an elected Union Business Manager, representing thousands of workers across the region's plants and refineries, before going to law school to keep fighting for those same workers in a different way. That firsthand experience is why SJ Injury Attorneys understands industrial accidents not just as a legal matter, but as something we've seen up close.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured, or killed, in an industrial accident near Pasadena, we can help you understand your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve.

Call (936) 297-7972 to talk to a Pasadena industrial injury lawyer about your legal options and next steps.

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case results

Our Neighbors. Their Outcomes.

$11,000,000 Chemical Plant Injury

Settlement recovered for a client who sustained severe injuries while working a turnaround at a chemical plant in Pasadena, TX
$10,000,000 Shoulder, Neck & Back Injury

Settlement recovered for a client who sustained shoulder, neck, and lower back injuries while working a turnaround at a chemical plant in Pasadena, TX
$5,000,000 Lower Back Injury

Settlement recovered for a client who sustained lower back injuries while working a turnaround at a chemical plant in Pasadena, TX
$3,500,000 Back and Leg Injuries

Recovered for three patrons of a McAllen restaurant who were struck by a car. Injuries ranged from a broken leg to soft tissue low back injuries which required surgery
$3,000,000 Fatal Rear-End Collision

Recovered in a wrongful death case. The client’s spouse was tragically killed in a rear-end accident on Highway 146 in Seabrook, TX
$2,000,000 Catastrophic Hand Injury

Settlement for a client who sustained a degloving injury of his left hand while working at a machine shop in Houston, Texas
$1,400,000 18-wheeler Collision

Recovered for a client who was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler on Highway 225 in Pasadena, Texas. The client sustained low back injuries which required low back surgery
$1,400,000 Serious Back Injury

Recovered for a client who was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler on Highway 225 in Pasadena, Texas. The client suffered lower back injuries requiring surgery
$1,200,000 Neck Injury

Recovered for a client who sustained injuries at a refinery when debris fell on his head. The client’s injuries required neck surgery.
$964,000 Neck and Soft Tissue Injuries

Recovered for clients who were rear-ended by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 10 near Channelview, TX. One client suffered neck injuries that required surgery and the passenger sustained soft tissue injuries.
$865,000 Slip and Fall Injury

After a three-day trial, a judge awarded $865,000 to our client. Our client suffered multiple fractures to her leg as a result of a slip and fall at work.
$800,000 Leg Fractures Injury

Injured worker from Spring, Texas suffered multiple fractures to her leg. After a three day trial the judge awarded her $800,000. Attorney fees and expenses were $340,000.
$750,000 Back and Neck Injury

Settlement recovered for a client who was rear-ended by a box truck on U.S. Hwy. 59 in Houston, Texas. Client required a series of three epidural steroid injections to his lower back and neck.
$685,000 Back and Soft Tissue Injuries

Recovered for clients who were struck by an 18-wheeler when the truck driver made a wide right turn. One client required microdiscectomy surgery and the other sustained soft tissue injuries.
$565,000 Herniated Disc Injury

18-wheeler ran a stop sign and struck my client's vehicle at a low rate of speed. The client aggravated a prior neck injury and suffered a herniated disc in her low back, which required surgery. The case was settled for $565,000.
$550,000 Falling Debris Injury

$550K recovered for a worker who was injured at a refinery after tools and debris fell on him from a 30-foot platform.
$500,000 Lower Back Injury

Recovered for a client who was rear-ended by a pickup truck in Baytown, Texas. The client required minor back surgery.
$485,000 Neck and Spine Injury

Recovered for a client who was “T-boned” after a company pick-up truck ran a red light on Spencer Highway in Pasadena, Texas. The client sustained neck injuries that required surgery.
$400,000 Pipeline Explosion Injury

Recovered for a client injured when a pipeline exploded in Robertson County, Texas. The client required rotator cuff surgery.
$355,000 Cervical Disc Injury

Client was rear-ended on a Houston freeway causing herniated disc in his neck. We forced the insurance company to pay $355,000.
$350,000 Workplace Fall Injury

Recovered for a warehouse worker who fell from a 10-foot platform. The employee suffered multiple facial fractures.
$240,000 Herniated Disc Injury

Client was rear-ended by a company pickup truck. She sustained a herniated disc to her low back which will require surgery. Client declined surgery and the case settled for $240,000. After attorney fees and expenses the client received $120,000.
$195,000 Herniated Lower Back Disc Injury

Successfully negotiated a $195,000 settlement on behalf of a young man rear-ended by a tractor-trailer on IH 45. Client sustained a herniated disc to his low back which required surgery.
$175,000 Herniated Disc Injury

A client’s vehicle was struck in the rear by an 18 wheeler on I-10 in Houston, Texas. The client suffered herniated discs to his neck but refused surgery. The case settled for $175,000.
Confidential Soft Tissue Injuries

Personal injury client struck cargo dropped from a semi-truck forcing the client's vehicle into another vehicle. Client sustained soft tissue injuries.

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What Counts as an Industrial Accident?

Industrial accidents happen at facilities where heavy machinery, hazardous chemicals, or high-pressure systems are part of everyday operations, including chemical plants, oil refineries, manufacturing facilities, and oil and gas operations. Pasadena sits at the heart of one of the largest concentrations of these facilities in the country, along the Houston Ship Channel corridor. A single incident can touch several of these categories at once. A plant or refinery accident might also involve a construction crew working on-site, an oilfield operation nearby, or a truck hauling hazardous materials to or from the facility.

Why Industrial Accidents Happen

Industrial facilities that handle hazardous chemicals are required under OSHA's Process Safety Management standard to maintain rigorous hazard analyses, equipment inspections, and emergency response plans.

When industrial accidents happen anyway, it's often because one or more of these systems failed:

Poorly maintained or defective equipment
Inadequate employee training
Understaffing or pressure to cut corners for the sake of production schedules
Failure to follow OSHA safety standards
Inadequate hazard communication between contractors and site owners

When a serious incident does occur, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, an independent federal agency, may investigate to determine the root cause, findings that can also become important evidence in a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Common Types of Industrial Accidents

Explosions and fires, often caused by equipment failure or the ignition of flammable vapors
Chemical exposure and toxic releases, which can cause immediate injury or long-term health effects
Falls from height, common on scaffolding, catwalks, and elevated platforms
Equipment and machinery accidents, including workers being struck by or caught in moving parts
Confined space incidents, where toxic atmospheres or oxygen deficiency pose a serious risk
Pipeline and oilfield accidents, including blowouts and equipment malfunctions

Our region has seen this firsthand in the past two years alone: an ammonia leak at Roehm's facility in Matagorda County in March 2025, an explosion at ONEOK's Mont Belvieu plant that injured three workers in October 2025, a sulfuric acid leak into the Houston Ship Channel after a catwalk collapse in Channelview in December 2025, and an explosion at Valero's Port Arthur refinery in March 2026. Not every incident results in injury (Valero reported none in that case), but each one shows how quickly things can go wrong at an industrial facility.

The Injuries These Accidents Cause

Industrial accidents often cause some of the most severe injuries we see, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and paralysis, severe burns, amputations, and multiple broken bones. Many of these injuries qualify as catastrophic injuries, meaning they require extensive, often lifelong, medical care.

Know Your Rights as an Injured Industrial Worker in Pasadena

Texas is unique among states in that private employers aren't required to carry workers' compensation insurance. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, roughly 25% of private-sector Texas employers were "non-subscribers" as of 2022. If your employer is a subscriber, workers' comp benefits are generally your exclusive remedy against that employer under Texas Labor Code § 408.001. But if your employer is a non-subscriber, you can often sue your employer directly for negligence, potentially recovering far more than workers' comp benefits would provide.

Separately, that same exclusive remedy protection only applies to your own employer. If your injury was caused by the negligence of a different company at the same job site, a common situation at refineries and industrial facilities where multiple contractors often work side by side, you may be able to bring a claim against that company regardless of your own employer's subscriber status. We focus on these non-subscriber and third-party work injury claims specifically.

If a Loved One Was Killed in an Industrial Accident

Under the Texas Wrongful Death Act, a deceased worker's surviving spouse, children, or parents may be able to bring a wrongful death claim against the party or parties responsible. This can include compensation for lost financial support, loss of companionship, funeral and burial expenses, and the mental anguish of losing a loved one.

Texas Workplace Safety by the Numbers

According to the Texas Department of Insurance's most recent report on workplace fatalities, Texas recorded 557 fatal occupational injuries in 2024, a fatality rate of 3.9 per 100,000 full-time workers. Trade, transportation, and utilities accounted for the largest share of these deaths (175 incidents), followed by construction (128 incidents, 23% of the total) and transportation and warehousing (114 incidents, 20% of the total).

What to Do After an Industrial Accident

Get medical care immediately, even if an injury seems minor at first. Some injuries don't show symptoms right away.
Report the incident to your employer and, if applicable, to OSHA.
Document everything you can, including photos, witness names, and your own account of what happened, as soon as it's safe.
Don't wait to contact an attorney. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim, but evidence at an industrial site can disappear or get cleaned up quickly.

Why Choose SJ Injury Attorneys

Industrial accident cases call for attorneys who understand what actually happens on a plant floor, not just what the law says about it. Kevin Johnson's years as a chemical plant operator and union representative give our firm a working knowledge of industrial safety standards that most personal injury attorneys simply don't have, and founding attorney Christopher Soileau's 12 years as a registered nurse bring a firsthand understanding of what serious injury recovery actually requires. We work on a contingency-fee basis, so there's no upfront cost to you, and our staff includes fluent Spanish speakers to support Spanish-speaking clients and families.

If you or someone you love has been affected by an industrial accident in Pasadena or nearby, contact SJ Injury Attorneys today to talk through what happened and what your options are.

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More Than Just Attorneys

Meet the Team Behind Every Case

From intake to trial, every person on this team plays a part in getting you the outcome you deserve.

Behind every case file is a full team working on your behalf: case managers, paralegals, and support staff who answer your calls, track down your records, and keep you in the loop every step of the way. We built this firm to feel less like a law office and more like a neighbor you can count on. That starts with hiring people who care, and it shows in how we treat every client who walks through our door.

meet with our team

Professional and very thorough law firm.
“The staff is courteous and understanding. Highly recommend them.”

- Past Client
Very professional and quick results.
“Thanks to attorney Skylar who handled my case. I love this firm.”

- Past Client
Mr. Soileau was unfazed by the trucking company’s denials.
“I was hit by an 18 Wheeler driving through an intersection and the truck driver denied running the red light. There were no witnesses and we had no way to pay for medical bills. He immediately filed suit and settled our case for a substantial amount of money.”

- A.Z.
I felt it wasn't about the money he was making but the concern for me and my son's loss.
“I knew few attorneys a couple years back when I needed one to represent me in a case involving an accident with my wife. I was introduced to Mr. Soileau one evening while I was out playing golf. He sat down and took time out his golf game and listened to my predicament I was facing. Afterward, by the way, he handled everything so professionally I hired him and his firm to represent me, hoping we'd settle without it going to court. Needless to say we settled out of court within a year and I was well satisfied with the settlement. Thanks again to Chris Soileau. I'd recommend them to anyone needing a great down to earth attorney, who has a family and wants to know you personally.”

- Paul R.
Thank you thank you thank you! You changed my life.
“Chris and his wife have handled several accidents for me throughout the years. The staff is always so nice to me. My last case they got me a $38,000 settlement. Picked up my check today.”

- Past Client
I would not hesitate to use Chris Soileau again.
“My car was hit by a guy who was racing down the highway. The impact forced my vehicle into a retaining wall. At the time I was between jobs and Mr. Soileau helped me find medical care. Ultimately, Chris obtained a great settlement for my case.”

- S.J.
The firm knew exactly what they were doing and assured me every time they were doing the best they can for me!
“I’ve never experienced or had an idea of how the process worked with accidents, especially 18 wheelers! Highly recommend Brenda to talk to. She was very professional and stayed on top of my case from the very beginning!”

- Erica E.
They give you one on one attention, and any question you have, they are able to answer.
“I've been in a couple of car accidents and have been lucky enough to have Chris Soileau as my attorney. They have helped me through these tough times and I am forever thankful. I definitely recommend.”

- Jessica B.
Great result after my accident with a dump truck.
“It was a longer process than I expected but worked out great in the end. Thanks again!”

- Past Client

Serious Injuries
Require Serious Attorneys

Pasadena Office
6021 Fairmont Pkwy
Suite 140
Pasadena, TX 77505
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