EspañolHouston Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Have You Been Involved in a Pedestrian Accident in Houston?
Numerous factors go into pedestrian accidents. When you look at the statistics provided by the CDC, you receive alarming information – pedestrian accidents occur once every two hours or less. Every day, roughly 14 Americans are killed as a result of pedestrian accidents, comprised mostly of elderly and small children under the age of 15.
Pedestrian accidents are mislabeled; over 34% of all pedestrian accidents in 2016 were related to alcohol abuse on behalf of the driver. While multiple organizations continually attempt to reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities through distracted driving and substance abuse campaigns, death and injury still occurs every single day, due to no fault of the pedestrian.
Pedestrian Accidents are All Too Common in Houston
Pedestrian accidents are rarely an accident. While some form of substance use accounts for 45% of the statistics in either pedestrians or drivers, negligent driving plays a major role. Whether it’s texting and driving, (which is still an epidemic despite numerous public service announcements and advertisements), eating, or performing mundane tasks that can wait until the vehicle comes to a stop, they all play a role in negligent driving.
Pedestrian accidents happen in highly-populated areas, but what most people don’t know is that the numbers compiled by the CDC reports are only a percentage of what actually occurs. The truth is, it’s impossible to know how many of these cases actually occur, because they either become a hit and run, or the information comes out years later when a pedestrian was just happy to escape that situation with their life. Pedestrian accidents are more problematic than the general public realizes.
Trauma You Face From a Pedestrian Accident
There are three primary types of trauma or distress you experience after being in any accident, regardless of the type. Some instances will increase the severity, but one fact remains: you have suffered trauma as a result of another human being. They include:
- Psychological: This trauma occurs after an extremely stressful event, such as the shock of being hit by a vehicle when you were simply trying to cross the street. Even if you sustain the most minimal of injuries, signs of psychological stress could still be widely prominent, altering your life and disrupting the quality of life you enjoyed on a daily basis.
- Emotional: Much like psychological trauma, this is brought on by extreme stress, shock, and in some cases, disturbing imagery that you’re forced to endure as the result of being involved in a pedestrian accident. Instances of these include the moment you are hit, as well as intrusive thoughts from your injury recovery period, whether it is surgery or vivid imagery of your injuries.
- Physical: When you sustain injuries that affect your quality of life, function, mobility or otherwise, you’ve been the victim of physical trauma. These can often last a lifetime, which is exactly why we fight to get you full compensation. You may have appointments and physical therapy for years; where will your copayments or out-of-pocket expenses come from? Your compensation.
These incidents are never your fault. You’ve experienced varying degrees and types of trauma; it’s time for you to begin your road to recovery.
What Should I Do After I’ve Been Hit by a Motorist?
Much like car accidents or trucking accidents, provided your health is well enough, you should immediately gather information to utilize in a court of law, should it come to that. Please remember that your health is our number one concern – while it is best to contact our office immediately following a pedestrian accident, see to your injuries before anything else. You are not ineligible to receive compensation by not following these steps; we will be certain of that.
To aid in your claim, you may:
Take Photographs: Take as many pictures of your injury, the assailants vehicle, and anything else relevant to the incident. These may be used in police reports, or statements from emergency services tending to your injuries.
Talk to Witnesses: Most pedestrian accidents occur in areas populated by a consistent stream of foot traffic. Chances are that someone was nearby, and witnessed what happened. If you were able to speak to a witness, ensure you get:
- Name and address to corroborate information.
- Write down, in their words, what they saw.
- Phone number to contact should they be required to testify in a court of law.
Take Down Information: The driver must stay around. Take down every piece of their information, verified by their driver’s license. Don’t leave a single detail out, from their license plate number, down to their contact information for your personal injury attorney Houston office representatives to use at a later date.
What If the Insurance Company Offers me a Settlement?
It shows that they are scared of the potential outcome. While no case is 100% evident, when insurance companies offer a substantially lower monetary figure than what you may be expected to receive, it shows fear that they may lose the case. Insurance companies are designed to retain every single penny that they possibly can, but we see through their tactics.
We’ve fought for numerous pedestrian accident injuries in the past, and have only gained momentum. With nearly fifteen years in business and decades of mutual experience, we’re equipped to bring the fight to the insurance companies, and ensure you get complete compensation, no matter what.
Contact Our Houston Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Whether through wrongful death or sustained injuries, you are entitled to compensation for your grievances. At the Houston personal injury lawyer office of Hilda Sibrian, we’re dedicated to aggressively pursuing legal action to ensure you receive the appropriate compensation for this disruption to your life.
Send us a message in the 24/7 chat system, or give us a call today to schedule a no-risk, no-obligation consultation. From the moment you walk into our office, you’re family. Come and see why we’re the injury lawyers Houston turns to in difficult times. We put every legal power possible on your side to ensure maximum compensation for your injuries and duress.