Who Can Be Held Liable for a Pedestrian Accident?
Pursuing compensation for your injuries after a pedestrian accident requires evidence to establish who was at fault. Motorists are responsible for safely operating their vehicles. Failing to meet this standard and causing significant injuries to a pedestrian may make the driver liable for expenses the injured party incurs in the accident’s aftermath.
Evidence in the form of photographs, police reports, witness statements, and medical records can go a long way in helping to prove the driver was careless and is responsible for returning you to the same financial condition you were in prior to the accident.
So how do you determine who can be liable for a Houston pedestrian accident? Determining responsibility is not always clear-cut and takes intensive investigative work from your attorney. These kinds of accidents can be complicated, and several parties may ultimately be partially or wholly responsible for causing them.
Who can be held liable for a pedestrian accident? Potentially, one or more of the following:
- A motorist
- Truck driver
- Trucking company
- Government entity
- The pedestrian
Involving a Houston pedestrian accident attorney in your case is the best way to identify all potentially liable parties.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Pedestrian Accident?
Pedestrians have nothing to protect them from the devastating impact of a 3,000-pound passenger vehicle. They are the most vulnerable class of road users in Houston. Because of this, a pedestrian accident victim could face long-term physical and emotional struggles following a collision. What happens if your injuries leave you disabled or unable to return to work? Do you feel confident that an insurance company will look at the whole picture and compensate you accordingly?
A pedestrian accident tends to be more complicated than other types of injury claims simply because injuries tend to be more severe and expensive. The value of your pedestrian accident claim depends on the severity of your injuries and the cause of the accident. Other factors may also play into the overall value of your claim.
For example, if a personal injury lawsuit becomes the best path forward for recovering the money you deserve, Texas’s modified comparative negligence system could impact your compensation. This law stipulates that your compensation can be reduced based on your percentage of responsibility for causing an accident. Pedestrians cannot recover compensation if their share of responsibility exceeds 50 percent.
Modified comparative negligence rules bind the Texas court system but not insurance companies. However, insurers use the same rules to help them establish the value of a pedestrian claim and how much they should offer in a settlement.
An attorney can evaluate your unique claim and offer a fair assessment of how much compensation you could recover for your financial losses. Although every case is different, in general, you may be able to seek money for the following:
- Existing and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
You can help your attorney arrive at a fair compensation assessment by keeping copies of your medical expenses, pay stubs, and out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident.
Benefits of Hiring a Houston Pedestrian Accident Law Firm
After a significant pedestrian accident, many individuals only see dollar signs. Money is going out the window for medical expenses and is lost while the individual is out of work. Pedestrian accidents can send you spiraling into debt and financial instability. The last thing on your mind is spending money to hire an attorney. Yet, individuals with legal assistance tend to recover more money than individuals who attempt to navigate the claim process alone.
A Houston pedestrian attorney isn’t an excessive expense. It is a necessity. Why? Consider the numerous benefits of discussing your situation with an experienced Houston pedestrian accident law firm. An attorney can:
- Thoroughly investigate the cause of the pedestrian accident
- Collect vital evidence before it is lost or destroyed
- Manage communication between you and the insurer
- Aggressively negotiate on your behalf for maximum compensation
- Prepare a court case when necessary
A skilled lawyer is your advocate and can help you through this challenging time. At Fibich, Leebron, Copeland & Briggs, we’ve already helped our Houston clients recover over $1 billion in settlements and verdicts. We’re more than prepared to fight for you.
Still worried that you don’t have the money to pay for a lawyer? We believe that everyone is entitled to high-quality legal services, so we operate on contingency-fee basis. That means you won’t pay anything upfront, and we don’t collect a fee unless we get compensation for you. If you don’t get money, you won’t owe us anything.
