Pursuing Compensation After a Pedestrian Accident in Texas

 Posted on July 07, 2023 in Personal Injury

When you are on foot traveling as a pedestrian, you become the most vulnerable of all road users. As a result, pedestrian accidents can often have devastating consequences, including catastrophic injuries or even wrongful death. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2021, 5,366 crashes involved pedestrians. Several things can cause a pedestrian accident, such as stormy weather conditions or poor road design. However, for this blog, we will be delving deeper into pedestrian accidents caused by driver negligence and the resulting pursuit by injured pedestrians to obtain  just compensation for their injuries and damages related to the accident.

A driver can be negligent in various ways when operating a motor vehicle. For example, if a driver texts while driving, is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or is speeding, these are examples of driving negligently. When operating a vehicle, drivers must pay attention to not only vehicles around them, but also to pedestrians walking along or crossing roads. If you were a pedestrian who was injured by a negligent driver, seeking a qualified personal injury attorney is the first step you should take in order to be made whole for your injuries and other damages.  

The Importance of Hiring Legal Counsel After a Pedestrian Accident

At the core of a pedestrian accident claim is proving that the driver’s operation of his or her vehicle was the cause of your injuries. A good personal injury law firm will evaluate the liability, damages and injury causation aspects of your case, and develop evidence to prove all three components of your injury claim.  Such evidence may include security camera footage of your accident, police reports, vehicle downloads, eye witness testimony, accident scene evidence, medical records and bills.  A qualified injury law firm will also retain the necessary experts such as accident reconstruction experts, life care planners, economists, orthopedists, neurologists, neuroradiologists, etc. to prove liability, damages, and injury causation.  

Statute of Limitations in Texas

Under Texas law, you have two years from the date of your accident to pursue compensation (specifically to file and make diligent attempts to serve the lawsuit) against the negligent party. You must not miss the two-year statute of limitations, as once the two years have passed, you will likely be denied any rights to financial compensation. Additionally, many victims who try to handle injury claims on their own make significant mistakes such as giving recorded statements to adjusters, failing to understand the form in which medical records and bills must be obtained, and not understanding the applicable laws at issue). Therefore, if you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, do not wait to pursue the compensation you may be entitled to maximize the claim value.

Contact a Collin County Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Being injured in a pedestrian accident can flip your life upside down. To ensure that you can pursue compensation, contact the esteemed McKinney pedestrian accident attorneys with Burress Injury Law. Call us at 214-726-0016 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

Source: 

https://www.txdot.gov/content/txdotreimagine/us/en/home/safety/traffic-safety-campaigns/pedestrian-safety.html

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm