Failure To Yield
Drivers who fail to yield when required can place pedestrians directly in the path of a moving vehicle.
Dallas–Fort Worth Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Pedestrians have the
right to be safe.
When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, the injuries can be devastating. The person on foot has virtually no physical protection from the force of the collision.
The Piri Law Firm represents injured pedestrians across Dallas–Fort Worth and North Texas. We investigate how the collision happened, examine driver conduct and roadway evidence, identify potentially responsible parties, evaluate insurance coverage, and document the full effect of serious injuries.
Pedestrian Rights
Examine right of way and driver duties
Evidence
Preserve available crash evidence
Liability
Identify potentially responsible parties
Serious Injuries
Document long-term consequences
North Texas
Dallas · Fort Worth
Direct Answer
What should you do after a pedestrian accident in Texas?
After a pedestrian accident, obtain appropriate medical care, report the collision when required, document the scene and your injuries when possible, gather witness and insurance information, preserve available evidence, and be cautious about recorded statements or quick settlement offers before the full extent of the injuries is known.
Common Pedestrian Collisions
A moment of driver inattention can cause life-changing injuries.
Pedestrian collisions can happen in crosswalks, intersections, parking areas, residential streets, commercial districts and other locations. Determining responsibility requires examining the actual traffic conditions, right of way, visibility and conduct of the people involved.
Distracted Driving
Phone use, navigation systems and other distractions can prevent drivers from recognizing pedestrians until it is too late.
Unsafe Turns
A turning driver may focus on approaching vehicle traffic and fail to properly observe a pedestrian crossing the roadway.
Speeding
Excessive speed reduces reaction time and stopping distance while increasing the force of impact when a pedestrian is struck.
Backing Vehicles
Parking lots, driveways and other areas can become dangerous when drivers fail to adequately check behind their vehicles before reversing.
Poor Visibility
Lighting, weather, roadway design, obstructions and other visibility conditions may become important when reconstructing a collision.
The Evidence Matters
Build the case with facts, not assumptions.
Pedestrian cases can involve disputes about visibility, right of way, traffic signals, speed, driver attention and exactly where each person was immediately before impact. The evidence should be used to reconstruct what actually happened.
01Scene and injury photographs
02Witness statements
03Surveillance or traffic-camera evidence when available
04Physical evidence and vehicle damage
05Medical records and financial documentation
Building The Case
A serious pedestrian claim requires a complete investigation.
The claim should connect the collision evidence to legal responsibility, the medical evidence to the injuries, and the financial evidence to the losses caused by those injuries.
Investigate the scene.
Review reports, photographs, traffic controls, roadway conditions, witness information, available video and other physical evidence.
Analyze responsibility.
Evaluate right of way, driver conduct, pedestrian conduct, visibility, vehicle movement and other facts relevant to liability.
Document the injuries.
Medical records, treatment, rehabilitation, restrictions and prognosis help establish the consequences of the collision.
Evaluate insurance and losses.
Identify potentially applicable insurance coverage and document qualifying medical expenses, lost income and other recoverable losses.
Serious Pedestrian Injuries
The consequences may continue long after the roadway is cleared.
Pedestrians struck by motor vehicles can suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, fractures, internal injuries, orthopedic trauma, nerve damage, scarring, disfigurement, amputations and permanent physical impairment.
A serious-injury claim may require evidence concerning future medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain, physical impairment, disfigurement and other losses supported by the facts and applicable law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Texas pedestrian accident questions.
Do I have a claim if I was not in a crosswalk?
Being outside a crosswalk does not by itself answer every liability question. The location of the pedestrian, driver conduct, visibility, traffic controls, right of way and other circumstances must be evaluated under the applicable law.
What if the driver says I walked into traffic?
A driver's statement does not determine fault. Witnesses, photographs, video, physical evidence, traffic controls, roadway conditions and other evidence can be examined to determine how the collision actually occurred.
What if I was partly responsible for the accident?
Texas uses proportionate-responsibility rules. A claimant's recovery can be reduced according to the claimant's percentage of responsibility, and recovery is generally barred when that percentage is greater than 50 percent.
What if the driver left the scene?
A hit-and-run collision can create additional investigative and insurance issues. Police reports, witnesses, surveillance footage, vehicle information and potentially applicable insurance coverage should be evaluated promptly.
What damages may be available after a pedestrian accident?
Depending on the evidence and applicable law, damages may include qualifying medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain, impairment, disfigurement and other losses resulting from the injuries.
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident lawsuit in Texas?
Texas generally applies a two-year limitations period to personal-injury claims, subject to exceptions. Other deadlines or notice requirements can apply in particular circumstances, so the applicable deadline should be evaluated for the individual case.
Confidential Consultation
Injured In A Pedestrian Accident?
Tell us where the collision happened, what you remember about the vehicle and driver, what injuries you suffered, what treatment you have received, and what the insurance companies have told you.
Start with what happened.
Crash photographs, witness information, police records, medical records, bills, insurance correspondence and documentation of missed work can help begin the evaluation.
Request a Consultation → Call 833-FOR-PIRIContacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.