Fort Worth Pedestrian Accident

Attorney Doug Goyen has handled thousands of injury cases, including pedestrians hit by cars, and has recovered millions of dollars in judgments and settlements. For our clients, the Law Office of Doug Goyen provides experienced, aggressive, and powerful representation. The first step on the road to recovery is to contact a Fort Worth pedestrian accident attorney who will protect your rights, seek the compensation you deserve, and ultimately help guide you through your case with the experience, expertise, and desire for justice that your case deserves. Call our Fort Worth personal injury attorney at (972) 599 4100.

WHY HIRE A FORT WORTH PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT ATTORNEY?

According to studies, when pedestrian accident victims are represented by an attorney rather than attempting to deal with an auto insurance company on their own, they recover more in damages. Following a pedestrian accident with a car, a Fort Worth pedestrian accident attorney can offer a variety of services aimed at recovering the most money for you and your family. These services include:

• We help our clients recover the costs of their ambulance ride, hospital stay, emergency room doctors, and other medical expenses incurred as a result of the accident.
• If our clients are unsure where to go for treatment, we help them find a medical facility that can treat their injury.
• If our clients are unable to afford the treatment they require for their injury, we will assist them in locating a medical facility that will defer billing the client while they receive treatment.
• Assuring that our clients’ lost income is recovered from their auto insurance company if they were unable to work due to their injury.
• Helping clients obtain payment for vehicle damage, towing bills, storage fees, and rental car expenses.
• Assisting our clients in recouping their accident-related out-of-pocket expenses.
• Negotiating with the auto insurance company aggressively.

We help our clients obtain the maximum settlement amount for their pain and suffering, physical impairment, disfigurement, and other accident-related damages.

No Fee Unless You Win! Call (972) 599 4100

Laws Concerning Pedestrians in Texas

The Texas Transportation Code Chapter 552 governs pedestrians and traffic.

Section 552.001 states that unless otherwise directed by a special pedestrian control signal, a traffic light with green, red, and yellow lights applies to pedestrians. Unless the only green signal is a turn arrow, a pedestrian facing a green signal may proceed across the roadway within a marked or unmarked crosswalk. A pedestrian may not enter the roadway if he or she is facing a red signal or a steady yellow.

Section 552.002 states that if a pedestrian approaches an intersection with a “Walk” signal, the pedestrian may cross the roadway in the direction of the signal and any vehicle must yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian. If the “Don’t Walk” or “Wait” signal is displayed while the pedestrian is crossing, the pedestrian must proceed to the sidewalk or to the safety island.

According to Section 552.003, a vehicle operator must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing a roadway in a crosswalk if there is no traffic signal in place or in operation and the pedestrian is on the half of the roadway the vehicle is traveling or approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway that the pedestrian is in danger.

Part (b) of 552.003 states that a pedestrian may not abruptly leave a curb or other place of safety and proceed into a crosswalk into the path of a vehicle that is so close that the vehicle cannot yield.

Part (c) of 552.003 states that a vehicle may not pass another vehicle that is yielding to a pedestrian at a crosswalk.

Pedestrians should, if possible, stay to the right of the crosswalk, according to Section 552.004.

Section 552.005 deals with crossing at locations other than a crosswalk. According to Part (a), a pedestrian must yield the right of way to a vehicle on the highway when crossing at a location other than a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection or where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided.

Part (b) of section 552.005 states that pedestrians may only cross in the marked crosswalk at adjacent intersections with traffic controls that are in operation. Part (c) states that pedestrians may only cross an intersection diagonally if a traffic control device permits it.

Section 552.006 states that pedestrians are not permitted to walk along or on a roadway if an adjacent sidewalk is available and accessible to the pedestrian. If a sidewalk is not provided, a pedestrian walking along and on a highway shall, if possible, walk on the left side of the roadway or on the highway’s shoulder, facing oncoming traffic.

Vehicles exiting or entering an alley, building, private road, or driveway must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian approaching on the sidewalk, according to Section 552.006.

According to Section 552.008, a motor vehicle operator must exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian on the roadway, provide warning by sounding the horn if necessary, and exercise proper precaution when observing a child or obviously confused or incapacitated person on the roadway.

Call us to speak with a Fort Worth accident attorney about your case. Pedestrian injuries are often fatal. Pedestrians hit by vehicles may sustain spinal cord, head, neck, or paralysis injuries, as well as broken bones or limb loss. We understand your desire to have your medical bills paid, as well as to be compensated for lost wages, as well as to compel the insurance company to pay for all aspects of your injury in all ways that it has harmed you. We will discuss your case with you, assist you in determining the best course of action for your situation, and work to ensure that the insurance company and any other parties involved are compelled to meet your needs appropriately and promptly.

If you have been injured as a pedestrian in an accident, call (972) 599-4100 for a FREE consultation about your case.

Call For A Free Case Review (972) 599 4100

FORT WORTH PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT ATTORNEY CHECKLIST AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT

The following is a list of things “to do” following a pedestrian accident in order to protect your rights, especially if there is an injury. At the scene of the accident, you should do the following:

1. Examine yourself for any injuries. Examine yourself for any injuries. Accidents involving pedestrians are traumatic, unexpected, and sudden events. Many people are in shock following an accident and are unaware of the extent of their injuries. Before you start moving around a lot, you should check yourself to make sure you don’t have any injuries.

2. Call 911 if you are injured. Call 911 if anyone has been injured. Notify the dispatcher of any injuries on the scene. The police will investigate the accident, and paramedics will treat anyone who has been injured. Inform the officer that you have been injured. Some larger cities will not write police reports if there are no injuries. Notify the officer if you are in pain so that the accident can be investigated and a report can be written. When the person who caused the accident leaves, they may say one thing and then say something completely different. The accident report documents what was said at the scene of the accident.

   If you are injured, allow the paramedics to examine you. Because their hearts are racing, people may not realize how serious their injuries are immediately following a collision. A medical professional is required to assess the severity of your injury.

3. Gather information from eyewitnesses. Obtain the names, addresses, and phone numbers of any witnesses. You should not rely on volunteers. Witnesses frequently stop to help, but when the cops arrive, they feel free to leave. You need the witness’s contact information in case the driver changes their story to the officer or, later, to the insurance company. If a witness is needed, you must provide the witness information to your lawyer.

   The fact that the driver admits responsibility at the outset does not guarantee that they will continue to do so. Some people begin to justify and make excuses for their actions after the initial shock of the accident, even blaming you. They could be concerned about their insurance rates, or they could change their story after speaking with their spouse or friends. You must obtain any witnesses’ contact information.

   NOTE: If you are injured and unable to perform any of these steps, call a friend or family member to come to the scene and do so for you.

4. Drivers must exchange insurance and identification with the person they hit. People involved in accidents in Texas are required to exchange identification and automobile liability insurance information. This information must be shared by all drivers involved. Using your cellphone, take photos of everyone’s identification and auto insurance paperwork.

   Most people at the accident scene are willing to provide this type of information. Once you leave the scene, your ability to gather this information diminishes. Some people refuse to provide this information after leaving the scene of the accident, making it more difficult to obtain information from their insurance company.

5. Give the officer your statement. Cooperate with the police officer on the scene. They will speak to each individual separately, away from the others, in order to obtain each individual’s statement about what happened. The statements provided will aid the officer in the preparation of his accident report. You must ensure that your statement is given so that the officer knows what you saw at the time of the accident and that it is included in the report.

6. Do not speak with the insurance company if you were injured in the accident. If you are injured in an accident, the insurance adjuster’s job is to pay as little money for your claim as possible. They will refuse to pay your claim if they have the option to do so. Insurance adjusters are trained and experienced in gathering information that will allow them to deny part or all of a claim. They will question you in order to elicit a response that will allow them to deny a portion or all of your claim. Allow your attorney to represent you in dealings with the insurance company. A pedestrian accident attorney will know how to answer any insurance adjuster’s questions in a way that protects your claim.

7. Speak with a personal injury lawyer who specializes in pedestrian accidents. Before hiring a lawyer, you should conduct an interview with them. Do not hire a law firm if you are unable to speak with the lawyer but can only speak with the case manager. You must meet with the lawyer who will be representing you. Make it a point to ask questions about anything that interests you. Only hire a lawyer after speaking with them and feeling confident in their ability to handle your case.

Call For A Free Case Review (972) 599 4100

FREE CONSULTATIONS

Call today for a free phone consultation and strategy session with a Fort Worth auto accident attorney about your personal injury case. A summary of the facts in your case, legal issues identified during the strategy session, and identification of those legal issues that will help maximize recovery in your case are all part of the free strategy session. We will send you an email with a copy of this strategy session for your records. Please contact us at (972) 599 4100.

HOW MUCH WE CHARGE – CONTINGENCY FEE

There is no fee unless and until you win! If we work on your case, we charge a contingency fee, which means that if we don’t win, we don’t get paid. The better we serve you, the better we are compensated – our interest is the same as yours.

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