Gordon, Elias & Seely, LLP

With approximately 2.303 million residents, Houston is not only the most populous city in Texas – it’s the fourth most populous city in the United States. The city is a sprawling metropolis that covers an area of 667 miles. The Houston – The Woodlands – Sugar Land metropolitan area – colloquially called “Greater Houston”, is even larger, home to more than 6,490,180 people.

Houston, TX is the largest city in the United States without formal zoning regulations, leading to low overall density, pedestrian hostile streets and vast urban sprawl. Locations within the city are often classified as inside or outside the Interstate 610 Loop. Major districts include Downtown, East Downtown, East End, Greenspoint, Northside, Southeast Houston, Spring Branch , Westchase and Upper Kirby.

Houston is located in a humid subtropical climate, leading to weather that is simultaneously hot and incredibly humid. And although the city is technically not located in “Tornado Alley,” it does experience some serious storm systems, which can bring in tornadoes – not to mention tropical hurricanes from the South.

With so many residents in a large metropolitan area, along with a climate that lends to serious storm and hurricane activity, Houston is home to a significant number of accidents and injuries.

The Texas Medical Center: The Largest Medical Complex in the World

If you or a loved one have been injured in Houston, there’s a good chance that you’ll be taken to the Texas Medical Center (TMC). Spanning 2.5 square miles in south-central Houston, the sprawling neighborhood boasts one of the highest densities of medical healthcare facilities.

The TMC is home to over 50 non-profit healthcare-related facilities, including: 21 hospitals, 8 specialty care facilities, 8 academic research institutes, 4 medical schools, 7 nursing schools, 2 pharmacy schools, 1 dental school.

The TMC is home to top-notch institutions such as the Houston Methodist Hospital, the top hospital in the entire state of Texas according to U.S. News and World Report. They serve approximately 10 million patient encounters annually, including 750,000 ER visitors, and more than 180,000 surgeries are performed annually – with 13,600 of those being heart surgeries, the most of anywhere else in the world. If you require guidance on hospitals and/or treatment, the TMC can be contacted at (713) 791-8800.

File a Police Report for Any Car Accidents Resulting in Injury

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, Houston drivers recorded 67,241 total crashes – nearly twice as much as Dallas. Of those, 21,347 were injury crashes, ranging from possible injuries to incapacitating injuries – totaling 32% of all crashes in Houston.

If you’ve been in a serious accident that resulted in injury or death, the police officer will complete a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report. In the case that an officer is not on scene and you need a record of your injuries, you must complete a Driver’s Crash Report (commonly known as the Blue Form) within 10 days of the accident.

Injuries to Houston Workers

The Houston metropolitan area remains a dangerous place for workplace incidents. In 2014, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) deemed Houston the most dangerous city in the country for workers, as it showed the highest number of workplace fatalities in the country. This is likely due to the boom in construction in the rapidly-expanding city, which is an inherently dangerous profession – in 2015, the construction industry accounted for 21.4 percent of all private sector fatalities.

If you’ve been involved in a workplace accident, OSHA can help – they have branch offices located throughout the state, and two in Houston. Contact them at the following addresses:

Houston North Area Office
690 S. Loop 336 W., Suite 400
Conroe, TX 77304
(936) 760-3800

Houston South Area Office
17625 El Camino Real, Suite 400
Houston, TX 77058
(281) 286-0583

Contact the Houston Police Department after an Accident

With a combined 40 police stations and neighborhood storefronts distributed across the city, the Houston Police Department is an invaluable resource for law enforcement in the sprawling city. They can be incredibly helpful when dealing with a car accident or any other type of injury.