Pedestrian Accident Attorneys in Houston

Helping Pedestrian Accident Victims Pursue Justice and a Fair Settlement in Houston, TX

Pedestrian accidents are more common than we’d ever like to think. In 2022 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported approximately 55,000 pedestrians sustained injuries in auto-pedestrian accidents, and more than 6,000 pedestrians were fatally injured in such accidents.

Unfortunately (and wrongly), many motorists are not looking for pedestrians on the roads. Nor are most drivers looking for cyclists or motorcycles. Motorists, through repetition and experience, spend most of their time keeping an eye out for fellow motor vehicle drivers. They can easily miss or overlook a pedestrian out for a stroll or a cyclist walking their bike on the side of the road. The crosswalks, which are meant to be the safe place for pedestrians to cross the street, are where a lot of pedestrians are struck by motor vehicles. It’s a frustrating matter, one in need of dramatic change and new safety measures.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a Houston pedestrian accident, it’s important for you to know that you may have the opportunity to take legal action in pursuit of financial recovery for your injuries and other losses. Dodson Law Firm is uniquely qualified to handle personal injury cases, including pedestrian accident cases in the Houston area. With our Houston pedestrian accident attorneys in your corner, we confidently believe that we can help you recover a fair settlement for your pedestrian accident injuries. Contact us for a consultation today.

What Should You Do Following an Auto/Pedestrian Accident?

If you are a pedestrian hit by a car or other motor vehicle, the immediate aftermath is likely to be full of panic and worry. How bad are your injuries? Was anyone else hurt? Will someone help me? If you can, it’s important to remain calm.

The first thing you must do following any pedestrian crashes is to call 911 to report the car accident to law enforcement and paramedics. It is essential that you receive emergency medical attention without delay. Not only is your medical care important to saving your life and reducing the impact of your injuries, but it can also be a vital part of your personal injury claim.

The at-fault driver should exchange contact information and their driver’s insurance company provider information with you. In addition to this, you should contact your insurance company when you are able later.

Attempt to document the accident scene and your injuries in photographs and video. This evidence will prove incredibly valuable to your pedestrian accident case.

When the police arrive at the pedestrian accident scene, provide them with your honest police report. The police reports, medical records, photographic evidence, witness statements, the testimonies of expert accident reconstructionists, and other evidence will prove essential to winning your pedestrian accident lawsuit.

After receiving medical attention, you should contact a Houston pedestrian accident attorney. We recommend our law firm for your legal services. We pride ourselves on providing legal care with a holistic approach, taking the burden off the shoulders of injured victims of pedestrian accidents so that they can recover from their injuries while we help take their cases through the legal process.

Are Houston Pedestrian Accidents Common?

Florida, New Mexico, and Arizona are the deadliest states for pedestrians in the country. And it should be no surprise that, in every state, most pedestrian accidents happen in cities and densely populated metropolitan areas. The more pedestrians there are, the higher the chances of pedestrian accidents.

Pedestrian accidents are becoming more common across Texas. The rate of pedestrian accidents in Texas went up 30% between 2018 and 2022. Nowadays, pedestrian accidents account for one in five of all traffic accident fatalities across the state. In fact, 2022 was the deadliest year in the past 41 years on record for pedestrians struck and killed in accidents.

There were 122 pedestrians killed in motor vehicle collisions in the year 2022. While Texas has 2.78 pedestrian accident fatalities per 100,000 people, Houston has nearly double that number, at 5.16 per 100,000.

The belief is that Houston drivers are driving faster than before. Pedestrians are twice as likely to be killed when a motor vehicle is moving at 30 mph as compared to when that same vehicle is moving at 20 mph or less. They are five times as likely to die in a pedestrian crash when the motorist is driving at 40 mph or more.

What Causes Pedestrian Crashes?

There is no one cause for pedestrian accidents in Houston. Usually, all it takes is one negligent driver to get distracted at the worst time possible for a pedestrian accident to occur.

Common causes for pedestrian accidents in Harris County, Texas, include:

Child pedestrians not understanding safety on the roads.
Disobeying traffic laws.
Distracted driving.
Driving under the influence of marijuana, stimulants, and other drugs.
Drowsy driving and driver fatigue.
Drunk driving.
Failure to make space for a pedestrian along the side of a road.
Failure to obey traffic signs.
Failure to yield to the right of way.
Hopping the curb and driving onto the sidewalk in the path of a pedestrian.
Improper turns.
Malicious acts of intentional harm.
Negligent drivers.
Night walks in dark clothing.
Reckless driving.
Running red lights or stop signs.
Speeding
Talking on a cell phone while driving.
Texting while driving.
Unsafe lane changes.

What Are Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries?

Because of the difference in size, weight, and power of most motor vehicles compared to pedestrians, when they come into violent contact with pedestrians in auto-pedestrian accidents, the damage can be absolutely devastating to the individual on foot.

Common pedestrian accident injuries can include the following:

Back and neck injuries.
Broken bones and bone fractures.
Complete or partial paralysis.
Crushing injuries.
Dislocated joints and dislocated limbs.
Head injuries, including concussions.
Hematomas.
Hemorrhages.
Internal bleeding and organ damage.
Loss of hearing or sight.
Loss of limbs and limb amputations.
Loss of mobility.
Lower body and hip injuries.
Road rash.
Soft tissue injuries like abrasions, deep cuts, contusions, and lacerations.
Spinal cord injuries.
Torn ligaments and muscles.
Traumatic brain injuries.

Whatever your personal injury, be it serious injuries or something minor, you deserve justice and financial compensation. We would be proud to lend legal guidance through the complexities of your personal injury claim in pursuit of financial recovery.

Can a Houston Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Help You Recover Fair Compensation for Your Personal Injury Case?

Your Houston pedestrian accident attorney can help you pursue compensation for your injuries and other losses. This compensation may come in the form of economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages may include:

Emergency medical care costs.
Lost income earning capacity.
Lost wages.
Memorial, funeral, and burial expenses in the event of a wrongful death.
Past medical bills and future medical expenses.
Physical therapy cost.
Property damage.

Non-economic damages can help compensate you for the following:

Disability
Disfigurement.
Emotional distress.
Loss of companionship or consortium.
Lost quality of life.
Mental anguish.
Pain and suffering.
Wrongful death.

How Long Do You Have to File Your Pedestrian Accident Claim?

Under Texas law, you have two years to file a personal injury claim before your pedestrian accident claims are dismissed due to the statute of limitations expiring.

It is important that you do not delay the filing of your personal injury lawsuit, or else you may forever lose the chance to recover compensation for your injuries and losses.

What if You Lost a Loved One in a Fatal Pedestrian Collision?

If you lost a family member in a wrongful death accident, we offer our sincerest condolences. As your Houston pedestrian accident attorneys, we can help you by filing a wrongful death claim in pursuit of financial recovery for your loss.

While no financial settlement can ever help to return your loved ones to you, we hope that any settlement may help reduce the burden left behind due to the loss of your family members.

Schedule a Consultation with Houston Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Today

Dodson Law Firm has extensive experience representing complex and deadly pedestrian accidents in the Harris County, TX, area. It’s important for you to understand that it is enormously difficult to file a personal injury lawsuit, especially when you are still recovering from your injuries or the loss of a loved one.

As your Houston pedestrian accident lawyers, we will contend with the insurance companies, the defense for any negligent drivers, and the complexities of the legal proceedings involved in your case.