Pedestrian Accident Attorney

John T. Flood is a Corpus Christi pedestrian accident attorney who focuses on pedestrian accidents. Call (361) 654-8877 today to get compensation for your injury. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 6,283 pedestrians were killed in auto pedestrian-related accidents in 2018 alone, with more pedestrian deaths than any year since 1990. A pedestrian is unfortunately no match for a motor vehicle in the event of an accident, and even a minor incident can inflict serious and life threatening injuries on pedestrians. As the number of auto pedestrian accidents increases each year, drivers must ask themselves what they can do to ensure the safety of all who share the road.

Causes of Auto Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrians face many hurdles when sharing the road with motor vehicles. While cities can equip streets with pedestrian friendly infrastructure such as clearly visible signage and metered crosswalks, efforts fall short when drivers disobey traffic laws. The biggest threat to pedestrian safety, however, is distracted driving.

Distracted Driving

NHTSA reported a pedestrian death resulting from an auto accident occurred at a rate of one every 88 minutes. Driving while distracted is a modern day problem on roads and highways across the country. When drivers divert their attention from the road to other activities, they risk the lives of everyone on or near the road, especially pedestrians.

Distracted driving behaviors include:

• Texting while driving
• Talking on the phone
• Changing the radio station
• Checking social media
• Talking to other passengers in the car
• Eating and drinking

These behaviors may seem routine, but they can be deadly. While it may take only a few seconds to check a text message, a pedestrian could be crossing the street or walking alongside the road during that time period. Drivers who are not paying attention to their surroundings – including those on the road with them – will not be able to react or give a pedestrian enough time and space to safely cross.

Driving Impaired

No one, under any circumstances, should get behind the wheel of a vehicle while impaired; unfortunately, drivers put pedestrians’ lives at risk every year by doing exactly that. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 47% of all auto pedestrian-related accidents involved alcohol; 17% of drivers had a blood alcohol level at or near the legal limit. Additionally, most auto pedestrian accidents occur in urban areas at night.

Speeding

Speeding is one of the most dangerous driving behaviors. When drivers speed, they not only accelerate their vehicles, they increase the potential damage and devastation caused by their reckless actions if they were to be involved in an accident. Due to the impact of force from a speeding vehicle and a lack of protection from the elements, pedestrians who survive being struck by a vehicle experience injuries such as:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Spinal cord injuries
• Severe burns or road rash
• Paralysis
• Deep lacerations or cuts

These injuries can dramatically reshape the course of a person’s life forever, all because of preventable driver behavior. Drivers who speed are less likely to leave sufficient stopping distance between their vehicle and others on the road, subsequently inflicting serious injuries or death.

Poor Infrastructure

Pedestrians rely heavily on their cities’ infrastructure to protect them and keep them safe while sharing the road with motor vehicles. Poor infrastructure fails pedestrians in various ways, including but not limited to:

• Unmarked or inaccessible crosswalks
• Non-metered crosswalks
• Lack of proper and adequate lighting
• Lack of sidewalks

Cities can improve the lives of many, including those without access to public transportation or other means of transportation, by ensuring pedestrian safety. When cities invest in quality infrastructure, they keep citizens safe.

Frequently Asked Questions Pedestrian Accidents

Is a driver always at fault when hitting a pedestrian?

A driver is not always at fault when hitting a pedestrian, but they are almost always at fault. There are scenarios in which a pedestrian can be found partially at fault, but the driver will almost also always be at fault when hitting a pedestrian. Pedestrian-related accidents are generally the result of a driver’s negligent behavior.

How much compensation do you get for a pedestrian accident?

The amount of financial compensation an injured party can receive after a pedestrian accident can vary. Many factors determine the value of each individual’s case, including the type and severity of the injuries sustained. Compensation will consist of medical expenses, lost wages, future medical treatment, loss of earning capacity, and more. Online settlement calculators or estimators cannot provide an accurate estimate of the value of your case.

What happens if someone walks in front of your car?

If someone walks in front of your car and you hit them, many factors will determine what happens, including the location of the collision. If a pedestrian is jaywalking, drunk, or otherwise contributes to the accident, they may be found partially at fault; however, the driver always has a duty of care to watch out for pedestrians and so some portion of the liability will generally fall on the person driving the vehicle.

Is the pedestrian ever at fault in an accident?

There are times when a pedestrian’s actions cause car accidents, making the pedestrian at least partly at fault. While pedestrians have significant protections when they are in or around the roadway, they are still required to obey all traffic signals and to only cross streets safely. Some examples of situations in which a pedestrian might be found at fault include crossing roadways with no crosswalk, walking under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol as an impaired pedestrian, or acting recklessly by running out into traffic.

How much should I settle for getting hit by a car?

If you are hit by a car, only an experienced personal injury lawyer can estimate the value of your case. Many aspects – especially the type and severity of your injuries – will factor into how much you should settle your claim for. You should be compensated in a pedestrian injury settlement for financial harm, physical harm, emotional harm, and impairment, among other damages. Some of the costs you should be repaid include medical bills, lost income and benefits, and pain and suffering, among others.

Does car insurance cover hitting a pedestrian?

Car insurance will usually cover you if you hit a pedestrian with your vehicle. If you are found at fault and need to pay for damages, your personal injury protection or MedPay will be exhausted first if you have that type of car insurance coverage. If you exhaust those or do not have them, your bodily injury liability insurance will cover any medical expenses of the hit pedestrian.

Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Pedestrians deserve to safely walk and arrive at their destinations. Unfortunately, when drivers disregard traffic laws and fail to give pedestrians the right of way or yield to them, pedestrians are seriously injured and killed each year. If you or a loved one was seriously injured or killed due to an auto pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Were you injured in an auto pedestrian accident in Corpus Christi, TX? Call attorney John Flood at (361) 654-8877 today for a free initial case evaluation. There is a limited time to act in Texas, so contact us today.