Dell Seton Medical Center Burn Program at UT Austin
Austin, Texas

About the Dell Seton Medical Center Burn Program

The Dell Seton Medical Center Burn Program at UT Austin is an ABA-verified burn treatment facility operated within Dell Seton Medical Center — Austin's primary Level I Trauma Center, operated through a partnership between UT Health Austin and Ascension Seton. The burn program provides comprehensive acute burn care, skin grafting, and wound management for burn patients throughout the Austin metropolitan area, central Texas, and the Texas Hill Country. As Austin's Level I Trauma Center, Dell Seton receives the most serious burn injuries from across the region — from construction accidents and industrial incidents to electrical injuries and explosion events.

Austin's explosive growth has transformed it from a government and university town to one of the nation's fastest-growing technology and manufacturing hubs. This rapid growth — combined with an active construction sector, the emerging semiconductor and advanced manufacturing corridor along I-35, and ongoing oil and gas activity in surrounding counties — has increased the frequency and severity of occupational burn injuries throughout the region.

Austin & Central Texas Burn Hazards

• Semiconductor and advanced manufacturing: Austin and surrounding communities have attracted major semiconductor fabrication and advanced manufacturing investments — including Samsung's Taylor fab complex and multiple high-tech manufacturing operations. Cleanroom chemical processes, high-purity acid handling, high-voltage implant equipment, and manufacturing process chemicals create serious burn risks for production, maintenance, and contractor workers.
• Construction — one of the nation's most active markets: Austin's explosive residential and commercial growth has made it one of the country's most active construction markets. Electrical burns, welding injuries, and natural gas line incidents are among the most serious construction burn presentations. Texas's 2-year statute of limitations means time is limited.
• Data centers: The Austin metro has become a major data center hub — Apple, Meta, Google, and multiple hyperscale operators have large Austin data center footprints. High-voltage electrical systems, battery backup arrays, diesel generators, and cooling systems create arc flash and fire burn risks for electrical contractors and facilities maintenance workers.
• Oil and gas — surrounding counties: While Austin itself is primarily a service economy, surrounding central Texas counties — including the Barnett Shale in the north and oil production in areas to the west and south — create oil and gas burn risk for workers who may be treated at Dell Seton as the regional trauma center.

Your Legal Rights After Treatment at Dell Seton

Texas workers' compensation is elective — if your employer is a non-subscriber, you can sue your employer directly for full negligence damages. For subscribing employers, third-party claims against contractors, equipment manufacturers, chemical suppliers, and others remain available. The statute of limitations is 2 years under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003. Claims against Texas state entities or UT system entities may require specific notice procedures. Contact a Texas burn injury attorney immediately to protect all your rights.