It is a normal day for you, you are walking and you cross the street after checking that the traffic control signs say that you can.
Suddenly, he hears the sound of tires and a crash. Next, you're lying in pain. This is how most pedestrian accidents happen and they can be life changing. What's worse is that an insensitive and uncaring insurance agent will visit you in the hospital and try to intimidate you into accepting a nominal lump sum settlement.
However, professional Houston pedestrian accident attorneys can represent vulnerable victims before the at-fault drivers' insurance companies and fight for their legal rights to financial compensation, either through settlement negotiations or by filing lawsuits for personal injuries.
The experienced attorneys at Calhoun Meredith are here to protect your rights and fight for justice before a judge and jury, if necessary.
How likely is it that you are involved in a pedestrian accident?
The United States Department of Transportation gives a broad definition to the term pedestrian. According to the official document, a pedestrian is "any person on foot, walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting or lying down who is involved in a motor vehicle traffic accident." Therefore, there are many cases in which you may be the victim of a pedestrian accident, as defined by law, and you are entitled to fair compensation.
Unfortunately, statistical data shows that pedestrian and motor vehicle accidents occur with a high frequency in the state of Texas, and have very serious consequences.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2018:
- 5,952 pedestrians were victims of car accidents
- Of those, 660 pedestrians were killed in vehicle accidents.
- While 1,260 pedestrians suffered serious injuries
Therefore, pedestrians are very likely to be involved in accidents even through no fault of their own, and if you find yourself in such a situation, you should not delay in having professional pedestrian accident attorneys file a personal injury claim on your behalf. .
Injuries Suffered by Pedestrian Accident Victims
For every Houston personal injury attorney at Calhoun Meredith, each case represents a tragic life story due to someone's negligence, and we make sure the responsible driver pays for that. Pedestrian accidents result in serious to catastrophic injuries, such as:
- Neck and spinal cord injuries
- traumatic brain injury
- loss of limbs
- Serious injuries to internal organs
- fractured bones
- Paralysis
In each of these cases, the recovery is long and difficult and results in large medical bills. Your personal injury attorney will ensure that you are fairly compensated for these expenses, as well as any other economic and non-economic losses to which you are entitled.
Drivers responsible for these types of accidents tend to flee the scene or evade blame, but our personal injury attorneys know how to play tough so you don't have to worry about a thing.
Types of compensation you are entitled to receive
The driver at fault for the accident that resulted in your injuries and possibly lifelong disability must cover all losses recognized by law.
There are two types of such losses:
Economic losses
Economic or financial losses refer to any expenses you incur as a result of the pedestrian accident and any income owed that you are unable to generate and collect.
These are:
- Present and future medical care
- Lifetime care in case of disability or incapacity
- lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Property damage.
non-economic losses
This is generally the part of the compensation that the large insurance companies will try to minimize and exclude from your claim. However, being hit by a car is a traumatic experience for anyone, leaving them in physical pain and mental suffering.
A Houston pedestrian accident attorney will fight on your behalf and take your case to court if the driver's auto insurance company refuses to sign an out-of-court settlement.
What to do after a pedestrian accident
call an ambulance
Your safety and well-being are the most important thing. Call 9-1-1 or have someone else do it for you if you can't. Keep in mind that it is important to do exactly what the paramedics tell you, including being taken to the hospital. Otherwise, the insurance agency will try to minimize the extent of your injuries and pain, referring to your decision to go against medical advice.
Report the accident to the Police
Any auto or bicycle accident that results in injury should be reported to the Texas State Police, the Houston Police Department, or any nearby law enforcement agency. The authorities will conduct a thorough investigation at the scene of the accident and prepare a report that will be very helpful to the attorney handling your personal injury case .
Contact a Houston Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Since car-pedestrian accidents can take place at any time, the legal team at Calhoun Meredith is available for case evaluations 24/7. After you hire us, we will begin negotiations with the at-fault driver's insurance agency. If we are unable to obtain a fair settlement for you, we will prepare the case for trial, where we will fight for the maximum compensation under the law.
Let The Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Handle Your Case
After an initial consultation with you and obtaining all the information he can give you, the personal injury lawyer will further solidify your claim by conducting a private investigation of the accident and then proceeding with your claim.
This will involve:
- read the police report
- Contact eyewitnesses to obtain their statements and any photos they have taken with their mobile phone
- Determine the culprit of the accident
- Contact the driver's insurer and file a claim for compensation on their behalf.
Can You Afford a Houston Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
The answer to this question is a definite yes!
At Calhoun Meredith we work on a contingency basis. This means that you only pay us at the end of the case if we successfully obtain fair compensation for you. Therefore, you do not have to pay any fees upfront or start saving money. Instead, we are paid a percentage of your settlement. This motivates us to fight for your justice and win the maximum compensation the court can award.
We won't stop until justice is done!
Calhoun Meredith, PLLC puts the customer first in everything it does. Our work ethic is only surpassed by the compassion we show for every injured person who trusts us to get them justice.
Our track record allows us to confidently handle even complex cases and take on large insurance companies and ensure they pay a fair amount for your pain and suffering.
Call us: 832-737-8477!
