Pedestrian Accident Attorney In Houston
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Contact A Pedestrian Accident Attorney At Take That To Trial
We must have all heard horrible stories of pedestrians being struck and injured - or worse - as they simply try to cross the street. This is one of the most common types of accidents. The term pedestrian is used for a person who commutes by foot, wheelchair, or stroller. Regardless of how they commute (walking, jogging, or running), it can't be argued that pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users.
Pedestrians can also be riding scooters, bicyclists, and others who engage in different activities close to the roadways in which they are not afforded the physical protection of motor vehicles. If you are involved in a pedestrian accident, then you are likely to have suffered a serious injury, as well as extreme mental anguish. The resulting medical costs of treating yourself can be beyond your means.
As a result, you need to seek the counsel of a top pedestrian accident attorney in Houston to move forward after sustaining injuries caused by the negligence of someone else. Compared to injuries suffered in other passenger vehicle accidents, pedestrians hit by a vehicle are more likely to face life-threatening injuries. Even with a car that travels at lower speeds, the momentum of a car can shatter bones and cause brutal injuries, which can take a lot to recover from.
Common Causes Of Pedestrian Accidents in Houston
What are the main causes of pedestrian accidents in Houston? While blaming the driver is common, there are other causes of pedestrian accidents you should be aware of. Some of these are explained better as follows:
Unmarked Crosswalks
No one can argue that "zebra" crossings save lots of lives annually. Their conspicuousness makes them very effective. Drivers are more likely to be attentive enough to be cautious anytime they see lights, as well as any street markings that can reveal any possible presence of pedestrians.
When these signs are not present - or available in an inconspicuous manner - drivers are less likely to pay attention to the presence of pedestrians, which might lead to accidents and serious injuries.
Distracted Driving
Over the past few decades, the possibility of distracted driving has multiplied significantly, thanks to the growing popularity of portable mobile phones. Texting while driving is strictly frowned upon in Texas. As a result, establishing negligence against such a driver becomes easier.
It is only appropriate to set up strict regulations, given that some drivers may travel several hundreds of meters without even focusing on the road. The use of mobile phones is not the only cause of distracted driving. Conversations with passengers or loud music can have drivers distracted.
It is also worth noting that pedestrians can also cause accidents by engaging in activities such as the use of cellphones on the road or listening to loud music, which can make it impossible to hear the sound of cars honking behind them.
Left Turns
Anytime a driver makes a left turn, it is important that they navigate the crossing of any opposing lane of traffic. This is something they don't have to do while making a right turn. As a result, focusing on cars only may make drivers ignore the pedestrians passing, which can be a recipe for disaster.
You should always assume that drivers making a left turn can't see you. Then, you can navigate your crossing accordingly.
Poor Visibility
Poor visibility is often a result of inclement weather and road conditions, as well as damaged headlights or improper use of headlights. For instance, by using a very bright headlight in foggy conditions, you only minimize your visibility further.
For this reason, you shouldn't assume, under any given condition, that a driver can see more clearly that you. Many trucks have the popular saying on their backs: “If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you.”
Weather Conditions
It is important to note that pedestrian accidents are not only caused by human errors. Sometimes, inclement weather can cause accidents, making it much harder to establish liability. Some ways in which bad weather can result in pedestrian accidents are listed as follows:
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Fog, sleet, or heavy rain/snow can reduce visibility significantly
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Wet or icy roads can elongate stopping distances and cause hydroplaning
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A wet roadside may cause a pedestrian to slip and fall into the road in the path of an onrushing vehicle.
Sadly, bad weather can force people to walk instead of driving. This is particularly true when a vehicle develops a fault on a highway when the weather is bad.
Ways to Minimize Pedestrian Accidents
While pedestrian accidents are all-too-common, it is important to generate different ideas on how to minimize these terrible occurrences. Some of these are introduced as follows:
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Drivers should drive defensively. Always assume that not all drivers can be as careful as you are. This ensures that you are not taken by surprise even if you inevitably run into a bad driver.
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Ensure that you do not cross the road with your earphones blaring loud music into your ears. A distracted driver and a distracted pedestrian will only mix into a deadly cocktail.
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Ensure that you walk on the sidewalk, and not the street. Avoid walking down roadsides with no sidewalks.
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Don’t jog on the roadside. Instead, go to a park if you wish to jog.
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If you are walking at night, ensure that you wear bright-colored clothing.
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Drivers should not be tempted to speed. This will afford you ample reaction time in case someone darts into the road.
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Don’t drive at night with damaged headlights.
Regardless of how careful you are, completely eliminating the possibility of a pedestrian is almost impossible. However, to reduce this odd while avoiding liability, you should be very careful.
Where Do Pedestrians Get Hit The Most?
Pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere, regardless of the time of the day. Be that as it may, there are specific locations where pedestrians are hit by vehicles the most. Some of these include:
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Areas on the road without intersections where pedestrians can safely cross. According to NHTSA, it has been discovered that 81% of all fatal pedestrian accidents occurred in urban areas.
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Roadsides and shoulders, especially those not specifically designed for pedestrian access
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Intersections
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Garages, parking lots, and other parking areas
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Rural highways
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Two-lane roads
As stressed earlier, even though there will always be a possibility for pedestrians (whether they walk, run, or jog) to be involved in pedestrian accidents, the risk is higher for certain pedestrians. Children are at increased risk and about 19% of all people killed in pedestrian crashes are not older than 14 years old. Besides children, the risks of older people getting involved in auto-pedestrian collisions cannot be ignored.
After all, their impaired ability to move quickly is a major disadvantage when it comes to moving quickly out of the way anytime they spot a careless driver charging at them. Intoxicated pedestrians are also at risk of getting hit by a vehicle. After all, inebriated pedestrians have their judgment compromised. This is similarly true for drunk drivers.
What You Should Do When You Are Hit By A Vehicle
If you are involved in a pedestrian accident, the important steps you need to take are introduced as follows:
Call 911
After getting hit by a vehicle, you should move away into a safer area if you can. After this, you should report the accident to the police while also gathering relevant information from the liable driver, as well as any witnesses that may be present. The responding officer will interrogate witnesses and all parties involved in the collision.
From there, they create a police report that explains how the accident happened and indicates if there is a liable party. You should get a copy of this report from the police department.
Get Medical Attention
More importantly, ensure you seek immediate medical attention. Injuries may only start becoming apparent several hours or even days after the collision. However, by seeking immediate medical checkups, any injuries may be revealed in time before they become worse. Besides this, taking a photo of your injury and videos will help your case.
You also need to contact a competent attorney to help you review the facts and gather the evidence you need to fight for your compensation.
Gather Relevant Evidence
Ensure that the driver does not flee the scene before the police arrive. Try to exchange contact and insurance information with the driver. Even after getting their relevant details, ensure that they remain at the scene. If the driver forces their way away from the site of the accident, make sure you snap them and their vehicle license plate.
A driver who hits someone and flees the scene before the arrival of the police is subject to criminal charges. Furthermore, if there are witnesses around, ensure that you get their statement and contact information. This can also help you build a strong case. You should also ask them to remain at the scene to give their statement to the police.
It is worth stressing that if there were any traffic signals or street signs that the driver may have neglected, take photos of them. While you wait for the police to arrive, you can document these pieces of evidence for safe storage:
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Your injuries
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The vehicle that hit you
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The driver of the vehicle
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Any evidence such as skid marks or inoperative lights or turn signals on the vehicle that hit you
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The surrounding area
Documenting evidence on your phone will facilitate safe storage before you can show it to the police, your attorney, or the liable driver's insurance company.
Hire An Attorney
Oftentimes, pedestrian accidents leave victims with severe injuries. As a result, the high medical bills can be daunting for many people to pay. This is the reason why pursuing compensation can significantly help your financial and physical recovery processes.
While you are under no obligation to hire a lawyer to represent you, doing so is your best bet. At Take That To Trial, our attorneys are experienced and well-versed in all important processes that must be taken to help you move on easily. Taking up the burden of legal proceedings all yourself without having resources can be too much for you to handle. Our firm is an industry leader and you can rely on us to work tirelessly as we fight for your compensation claim on your behalf.
How Much Is A Pedestrian Accident Case Worth?
Were you involved in a pedestrian accident? If so, reaching out to an experienced Houston pedestrian accident attorney is essential to determine your various options and rights. The general amount of money you stand a chance of winning as a settlement in such a case is dependent on certain factors, including:
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The number of medical bills accrued
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The severity of the injuries
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Pain and suffering
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The amount of lost income, if applicable
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Punitive damages of the car-pedestrian accident victims (which is applicable if the evidence supports a malicious action or complete recklessness from the defendant)
It should be stressed that the greater the severity of the injuries you sustain and the greater the effect it has on your life, the higher the amount you pursue in damages. As mentioned above, this can come in the form of medical bills needed for recovery, income lost, your pain and suffering, and more.
Our attorneys at Take That To Trial will work hand-in-hand with you to find the responsible parties in your case while presenting the right evidence you need to recover your losses.
Texas Pedestrian Accident Statistics
As Pedestrian accidents continue to rise in the state of Texas, it is important to know the numbers behind these horrible incidents. This can help in building patterns and possible solutions to tackle these accidents. Some top facts about Pedestrian Accidents in Texas include:
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According to figures by the NHTSA, 5,977 pedestrians were killed in pedestrian accidents in the United States in 2017. This averages at pedestrians dying every 88 minutes.
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In Texas, 617 pedestrians were killed in 2018. Texas is regarded as one of the most dangerous states in the United States for pedestrians.
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In 2021, there were 5,370 crashes involving pedestrians in the state of Texas, resulting in 1,467 people being seriously injured.
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Not all places in Texas are equally dangerous for pedestrians. Most pedestrian car accidents occur in large cities like Houston, Austin, and McAllen.
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Interstate 35 in Austin is considered to be one of the most dangerous roads in the state of Texas for pedestrians.
What You Can Expect From Us At Take That To Trial
The importance of seeking the expertise of a competent law firm cannot be stressed enough. Seeking legal counsel can help you take the best course of action as you recover from such devastating incidents.
Our lawyers at Take That To Trial understand the laws, regulations, and technologies that can help you understand what to do to get the right settlement you are entitled to. Our attorneys are characterized by certain top attributes, some of which are introduced as follows:
Our Comprehensive Knowledge is Second to None
Our lawyers at Take That To Trial can manage all types of accidents and injuries. We have the expertise and resources to handle pedestrian accident compensation claims. Our track record speaks for itself and millions have been won for our injured clients over the years.
We also know the right course of action at Take That To Trial, as well as all our clients have to do to maintain a strong case. Our attorneys have been representing accident victims for over 20 years combined. So, when it comes to experience and in-depth knowledge in seeking pedestrian accident compensation claims, Take That To Trial is your best bet.
Our Considerable Resources Will Work to Your Advantage
It is no strange news that pursuing a car accident claim can be time-consuming and complicated. As a result, you need to choose a pedestrian accident lawyer with sufficient resources to handle your case. This is what we offer you at Take That To Trial.
We have the resources to pursue thorough investigations to gather the evidence you need to build a strong case and hold all liable parties in your injuries responsible. We can afford to employ the services of medical experts, financial experts, and accident reconstructionists, which may be essential in proving fault, causation, and damages.
Our Lawyers Boast Good Communication and Listening Skills
What makes us an industry leader at Take That To Trial is our top qualities, which include Honesty, accessibility, and good communication. We understand the importance of our attorney-client relationships. When you meet with our lawyers for a free consultation, they will listen to you attentively as you explain how the event happened, as well as the injury it caused.
Our attorneys will also ask you pertinent questions that can help them understand your case better. After this, our attorneys will provide you with in-depth responses to the various questions you may have. Besides this, any follow-up questions will be duly answered. Our lawyers are always accessible to you as we provide you with details of the progress of your case.
We also understand the importance of reaching us without any hassle. For this reason, we provide various channels through which you can contact us. We respond to emails and phone calls.
We Go Through Client Reviews
On top of the wealth of experience we offer our clients at Take That To Trial, we understand how victims of pedestrian accidents think and what they deserve. We check reviews on the internet to empathize with victims of these accidents.
The conclusions we draw from these reviews help us understand what prospective and existing clients want from us even if different accident cases are treated specially. So, if you have been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident, we understand what you are going through and how difficult this must be for you. As a result, our lawyers will fight tirelessly to get you the compensation you are entitled to.
Our Services Are Affordable
Many people often think hiring pedestrian attorneys is unaffordable - that is completely wrong. You will find that most top law firms charge contingency fees to represent clients in pedestrian accident cases. What this implies is that there is no need for an upfront retainer fee.
You only pay us when we win your pedestrian accident cases and get you the compensation you deserve to move on. We only accept a certain portion of the compensation recovered for our attorneys’ fees. Regardless of the complexity of your case, we are affordable, active, and effective.
As you try to negotiate your compensation claim with the driver's insurance company, having a competent attorney by your side will be significant in helping your case. The various qualities we bring to the table at Take That To Trial make us the top choice to get the result you deserve.
Need An Attorney? Contact Us At Take That To Trial
We settle our clients' cases and get them the settlement they deserve. We have been around for more than 20 years and we have the right knowledge and experience needed to help you get the result you deserve. Our trial record speaks for itself.
For us, we deeply care about our clients, and their satisfaction comes first. This is why we are never afraid to take the fight to big organizations and insurance companies. Rest assured that your case will be handled by a team of competent attorneys who are dedicated to delivering results.
You can reach out to us via:
1401 Cleburne St, Houston, Texas 77004
Email: info@takethattotrial.com
Ph: (832) 770-6100
Fax: (832) 426-5798
We are the best at what we do and we can't wait to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I Pursue a Compensation Claim by Myself?
Ans: Yes, you can pursue a compensation claim by yourself. However, you need the right legal counsel and assistance to get the best results possible. At Take That To Trial, we have a team of attorneys that will get you the compensation that can significantly help your recovery process.
2. What Compensation Am I Entitled to After a Pedestrian Collision?
Ans: The compensation you are entitled to may include the following:
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Past and future medical costs
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Physical pain
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Loss of earning capacity
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Mental distress
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Disfigurement
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Physical limitations
3. How Long Do I Have to Take a Pedestrian Accident Case to Court in Texas?
Ans: The statute of limitations in the state of Texas is two years. This implies that if you wish to take a liable party - in a pedestrian accident that caused you an injury - to court, you must do so within two years of the incident.
4. Should I Accept the First Offer Made by Insurance Companies?
Ans: No, you must not accept the first offer a liable party's insurance company makes to you. Oftentimes, this amount is significantly lower than what you are actually entitled to. By employing our top attorneys at Take That To Trial, you have the legal representation that you need.