Pedestrian accidents cause serious injuries or fatalities every day throughout the Fort Worth area. At The Texas Law Dog, we see that these victims are in critical need of support. You have so much on the line. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you have injuries and losses from being hit, our pedestrian accident lawyer in Fort Worth is ready to work with you. Request a free consultation with a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer to get answers.
Why Hire a Fort Worth Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Every year, many pedestrians are injured due to motor vehicle accidents. The primary cause of injury in a legal context is typically negligence, which may take the form of driving under the influence, failure to obey traffic laws, or even distracted driving. When an injury results from negligence, the injured individual may be eligible to seek compensation.
Following an accident, injured individuals should speak to a Fort Worth pedestrian accident lawyer for legal help. A skilled personal injury lawyer could answer your questions if you are unsure of the validity of your claim, help you determine the best legal recourse, and work with you to seek compensation from the negligent party.
These cases typically have complexities to them, such as long-term and serious injuries, loss of life, and multiple at-fault parties. By hiring our legal team, you do not have to face insurance companies working overtime to limit your recovery for damages. Let us become your advocate.
Why Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Fort Worth
Pedestrian accidents are nearly always the driver’s fault. Whenever it is possible, drivers must do all they can to avoid striking a pedestrian. This includes yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks and exercising reasonable care even when pedestrians are outside designated crossings. There are limited situations in which a person darts out into the roadway, and the driver cannot react. More commonly, these accidents happen for reasons such as:
- Driver distraction: A driver is using a phone, eating or drinking, or otherwise engaged in activities that take their attention off the roadway. They then cannot react to the pedestrian fast enough.
- Fatigued driving: Many pedestrian accidents happen in the early morning hours or late at night. Fatigued driving can make it more challenging to react to a pedestrian, especially when visibility limitations exist.
- Speeding: Drivers operating a vehicle at high speed have far less time to react to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- Turns at intersections: Drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks, but often try to rush through, even as people are crossing the street.
- Impaired driving: Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs may be unable to make quick decisions. Their judgment and coordination are also restricted, making it hard to avoid a pedestrian accident.
- Poor road design: Not all intersections are well marked, and in some cases, a driver’s visibility of people moving through the intersection may be limited. This can increase the risk of accidents. Missing sidewalks and long crossing distances are often major factors.
- Backing accidents: When a driver backs up, even with a camera or rear-view mirror to guide them, the risk of striking a pedestrian is much higher. This happens more readily in driveways and parking lots.
As your pedestrian accident attorneys in Fort Worth, we will gather as much evidence as possible to determine the factors behind the accident. The more information we have, the more likely we are to seek fair compensation to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Fort Worth Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
Evidence We Use to Build Your Pedestrian Accident Case
Many cases come down to what the driver and the pedestrian say happened. We believe most cases have additional information that could be vital in understanding what happened. Your pedestrian accident lawyer will gather as much data as possible to prove who is at fault, including:
- Eyewitness information about what happened
- Collaborating with your side on the evidence at the location
- Surveillance footage in the area
- Evidence from dashboard cameras
- Accident reconstruction professionals
Aggressive legal action is nearly always a critical factor in building your case and claim. At The Texas Law Dog, we fight for your rights by gathering as much data as possible. Expect us to be thorough in our investigation, going beyond what the police report says to identify all parties at fault.
Common Serious Injuries in an Accident Where Someone is Hit by a Vehicle
Each pedestrian accident case is unique. While some victims are able to walk away from an incident with minor scratches, plenty more are in the hospital for days or weeks, coping with the aftermath. Common injuries reported by pedestrians struck by a vehicle include:
- Contusions
- Concussions
- Permanent scars
- Broken bones and fractures
- Knee damage
- Back trauma
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Death
In each of these situations, you may have physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial complications that could follow you for years to come. We look at whether you can fully recover from this accident and what you stand to lose.
We then work aggressively to build a claim that incorporates all of your losses. Having these funds available to you may mean the difference between getting the care and support you desperately need.
How to Recover Damages After a Fort Worth Pedestrian Accident
To recover compensation, an attorney working on behalf of the person who was injured while walking needs to have strong evidence proving that someone else was responsible for the accident, since Texas is a fault state. Gathering evidence at the scene is often the first step to bringing forward an injury claim.
Evidence such as photographs, video footage, witness statements, and the official police report could also help prove a case. After gathering relevant evidence, an experienced attorney could compile a list of the injured claimant’s losses and calculate the type of damages for which they may be eligible to recover.
Pedestrians may be able to seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost wages and earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, and physical disfigurement.
The severity of injuries, the likelihood of future medical costs for recovery, and the extent to which the victim’s life has been affected by the accident should also be evaluated when determining available damages. Enable our pedestrian accident attorney in Fort Worth to investigate your case and build a claim that includes all losses. We will handle the insurance company and fight for truly fair compensation.
Deadlines for Pedestrian Injury Claims in Fort Worth
Time is of the essence for injured claimants to file a claim. Injured pedestrians have a maximum of two years from the date of the accident to file their personal injury claim in Texas, according to Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003.
If their claim is not filed within the deadline, injured claimants may be unable to recover compensation from the responsible party. It is often best to speak to a knowledgeable pedestrian injury attorney in Fort Worth to ensure that a claim is filed correctly and promptly.
There are some exceptions to this rule, especially for children under 18 who are struck as pedestrians, who may have more time to act after their 18th birthday. However, if a city official or government entity is at fault, you may have no more than six months to take action. In all cases, speak to our attorney immediately so we can start working to build your case.
Where Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Fort Worth
Our team has helped victims facing accidents in residential areas, commercial districts, and local parks. We see these accidents happen in school zones as well as along walking trails. Some of the highest-risk areas in Fort Worth for pedestrian accidents often include the following:
- East Lancaster Avenue: This is one of the most common areas for pedestrian accidents, from Riverside Drive to Cooks Lane, a long, seven-mile stretch. Numerous accidents happen here, many of which are fatal.
- Hemphill Street: This area is also a common concern, mainly because of the numerous intersections along the area. Some of the worst are Rosedale Street and Allan Avenue, where drivers often fail to stop for pedestrians.
- East Berry Street: The significant amount of commercial activity here leads to a variety of accidents, including those along sidewalks, at intersections, and in parking lots.
Your accident may happen in one of these areas or any other. The risk of serious injury is very high, even in a slow-moving accident. That is why our team works diligently with you to fight for truly fair compensation. You deserve aggressive representation.
What Happens If You Are Partially at Fault for a Pedestrian Accident
There are some situations where the victim of a pedestrian accident could be responsible for the injury and losses sustained at least in part. In these situations, the police officer, court, or insurance company places a percentage of fault on you, meaning you contributed to the accident to some degree. Under Texas’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can still seek legal action.
Under this rule, you cannot seek compensation for your injuries if you are found to be 51% or higher at fault for the accident. That means you are mostly at fault, and you are barred from seeking any compensation. Your recovery drops to $0.
However, if you are found to be 50% or less at fault, you can still seek compensation for your losses. The value of your claim drops by the percentage of fault attributed to you. For example, if you are 20% at fault, you can only seek damages for 80% of the total value of your losses.
How We Can Help You in These Cases
Even if you are found to be at fault initially, allow our Fort Worth pedestrian accident lawyer to provide you with a free consultation to review your case. There are many instances in which we can reduce your percentage of fault by finding evidence to substantiate your claim in a pedestrian accident claim, where there is so much at risk. You deserve at least a review of your case from our legal team.
Pedestrian Laws That You Need to Know
Understanding pedestrian laws may help you see where drivers or others made mistakes that put you at risk. In each situation, you can expect our Fort Worth pedestrian accident attorney to fully examine what occurred in-depth to determine who was at fault. Consider the following critical pedestrian laws in Texas:
- Right of way: Pedestrians have the right of way in all crosswalks. Drivers have to stop and wait for a pedestrian to cross in either a marked or unmarked crosswalk when traffic control signals permit them to cross.
- Traffic signals: Pedestrians must obey traffic signals, such as walking on the “walk” signal and not on the “don’t walk” signal. However, drivers must still be cautious and attempt to avoid pedestrians walking against the signal.
- School zones and residential areas: In these areas, speed limits are purposefully lower to prevent drivers from striking pedestrians who are more likely to be on the roadway. Some areas of Fort Worth lack sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street. Drivers must slow down to avoid risks.
- Sidewalk use: When a sidewalk is available, pedestrians must use it. When there is no sidewalk, a pedestrian can walk on the roadway as close to the curb as possible. They should walk facing traffic.
Violations of these rules often result in accidents that did not have to happen. As your Fort Worth pedestrian accident lawyer, we will do all we can to maximize your compensation after an accident, but we encourage you to do all you can to avoid them. For many, the risks of serious losses are very high.
What to Do If Your Family Member Loses Their Life in a Pedestrian Accident
Victims struck by a car or truck may succumb to their injuries even with the best medical care possible. When this happens, families face devastation and uncertainty. Our Fort Worth wrongful death attorney becomes an advocate for you in these challenging cases. We will help you seek legal action. The family of victims has the right to seek damages for:
- Any medical care and costs associated with the accident and after
- All final burial and memorial costs
- Lost wages and benefits that the individual was contributing to the household
- Loss of companionship
- Pain and suffering incurred by the victim as well as the family
Victims are not the only ones who suffer in these cases, and long-term implications can be hard to put a value on. Our pedestrian accident attorney in Fort Worth knows what is on the line, and we know how to build a strong case and claim to hold all parties accountable for what they did to your family.
Why You Need a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in Fort Worth
Avoid trying to settle your pedestrian accident claim on your own, and instead hire an attorney to guide you through the legal process. Pedestrian accidents involving serious injuries and losses face numerous complications and limitations on recovery that we can help you avoid. We strongly recommend an attorney for the following reasons:
- You have serious injuries: Victims with traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, loss of hearing or vision, or chronic pain face a critical need to maximize compensation. These injuries follow you throughout your lifetime.
- Insurance companies will work against you: Their profit margins are on the line in serious accidents like this, and they will do all they can to limit the amount paid out. We make sure they are not taking advantage of you even further.
- Disputes over fault can drastically hurt your ability to recover: Insurance companies want you to take some of the blame, often unfairly, to lower their compensation responsibility. We make sure they cannot do that.
- You have a long journey ahead of you: Let us negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and build a strong case so you can heal.
- Your case may go to trial. Though it is rare, having legal representation if it does can prove critical.
Set up a free consultation with a proven Fort Worth pedestrian accident lawyer. Let us investigate your case and claim, seek evidence to build your case, and negotiate with the insurance company. Let our Fort Worth wrongful death lawyers provide you with a no-risk consultation now. If we do not win your case, you pay us nothing.
Speak to a Fort Worth Pedestrian Accident Attorney for Help Now
In the wake of recovering from a major incident, an injured pedestrian may not have the time, energy, or financial resources to bring a claim on their own. If this is the case for you, a Fort Worth pedestrian accident lawyer could review your situation and negotiate for a fair settlement on your behalf.
Let a dedicated attorney help you protect your rights and seek fair compensation. Call The Texas Law Dog today to learn about the protections available to you under the law.
