Texas is a state that is known primary for their gas and oil industries, as it is one of the leading locations for this business. However, gas and oil is not the only thing that this state has going for them; it is known also for having a booming construction industry. In fact, the industry is so big in the state of Texas, that one out of every 13 workers will be employed in the business of construction; a $54 billion per year industry.

While this industry is a huge drive for the state's economy, it is also one of the most dangerous industries that the people can work for. And this means that 1 in every 13 workers are placing their lives at risk daily for their job in the construction business. One of the growing concerns with the dangers in the industry actually have to do with the increased flux of immigrants, many companies are decreasing the wages given to workers, and in many cases not only fraud is common, but so are accidents as a result of the employers negligence overall. According to records, there are at least 1 million laborers in the state of Texas, and it is believed that at least half of them are undocumented immigrants.

What is so interesting is the fact that a large number of these workers have been employed in the state for years, if not decades. Because of this large number of workers that are so widely available in the state of Texas, home builders are able to make and sell for a much cheaper price. For example, where a 5 bedroom home with 3,000 square feet would reach well over a million, a builder can sell their home in Texas for less than half of the price, if not even smaller.

The question that arises then, is how cheap is this free labor really? And when interviewed, many undocumented workers will sadly reply that this labor at times is free. One 41 year old undocumented worker for a Texas construction company says that he has been there working for at least 13 years now, and there were moths that would go by without receiving payment. At one point, this worker confronted his employer with how much he was owed for his labors and he then threatened to report the employer to the Texas Workforce Commission. Fortunately, that was enough for the employer who then repaid him 2 weeks following the complaint. Sadly, the majority of undocumented workers are not as brave to confront their bosses in this industry, because they fear that one complaint will result in their being reported or receiving no pay for their wages.

This is not the only way that construction companies are skimming the surface in order to keep a greater profit for themselves, they are also conducting wage theft by misclassifying a number of their employers who are actually citizens of the U.S. For example, rather than stating that an employee is a full time worker, they will classify them as a subcontractor. Then, in the event of a workplace injury, the owners will not be reasonable for workers' compensation to pay for their recovery and time off. Some research shows that at least 41% of workers are misclassified as independent contractors rather than full time employees.

With so much focus on finding a profit, and cutting corners with pay; many construction companies are also falling short in regards to proper safety and health regulations on their work sites as well. As a result, many workers are not being properly trained, they are being over worked, and people are getting injured or killed as a result. If you or someone you know has been injured in a construction accident recently, do not wait another moment before taking legal action. Contact a personal injury lawyer in your area today for more information!