San Antonio Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Most Common Contributing Factors to Pedestrian Accidents in San Antonio, TX

The top 4 causes of pedestrian accidents in San Antonio in 2021 were responsible for 86% of pedestrian accidents in the city. In order of highest incidence, these included:

1. Driver Inattention

212 pedestrian accidents were caused by inattentive drivers crashing into pedestrians (35.7% of collisions with pedestrians). Inattentive drivers injured 184 pedestrians, causing 7 fatalities, 18 serious injuries, 112 minor injuries, and 54 possible injuries to pedestrians.

2. Pedestrian Did Not Yield to Vehicle

167 pedestrian accidents were caused by pedestrians not yielding to vehicles (29.3% of pedestrian accidents). Pedestrians not yielding to vehicles injured 131 pedestrians, causing 29 fatalities, 40 serious injuries, 72 minor injuries, and 19 possible injuries to pedestrians.

3. Driver Did Not Yield to Pedestrian

90 pedestrian accidents were caused by drivers not yielding to pedestrians in a crosswalk (14.9% of pedestrian accidents). Drivers not yielding to pedestrians injured 88 pedestrians, causing no fatalities, 8 serious injuries, 52 minor injuries, and 28 possible injuries to pedestrians.

4. Backed Out When Unsafe

36 pedestrian accidents were caused by drivers unsafely reversing their car and not checking for pedestrians in their rear view mirror (6.1% of pedestrian accidents). Drivers backing out unsafely injured 35 pedestrians, causing 2 fatalities, 2 serious injuries, 22 minor injuries, and 11 possible injuries to pedestrians.

Other Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

None of the other factors that contributed to pedestrian accidents in San Antonio accounted for more than 5% of pedestrian accidents. These factors included:

• Speeding
• Drinking and Driving
• Distraction in the Vehicle
• Had Been Drinking
• Failed to Drive in a Single Lane
• Unsafe Speed

If you were hurt in a pedestrian accident anywhere in Bexar County, call our San Antonio pedestrian accident lawyers today for a FREE CONSULTATION.

What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident in San Antonio, TX

The moments after a pedestrian accident are scary and hectic. Knowing what to do beforehand can help you remember the crucial steps. Getting immediate medical attention for your injuries is the most important action you can take. Document the scene if you can, but remember that your health is the top priority. An attorney can help you determine fault once you receive the necessary medical care.

If you are involved in a pedestrian accident in San Antonio, Texas:

• Call 911:  The police will be able to gather all the information from the at-fault driver on your behalf and create a San Antonio crash report, which our pedestrian accident attorneys can follow-up on later. The will also be able to call emergency medical technicians (EMT) to the scene to tend to your injuries.
• Seek medical treatment:  If you have been injured, ask for medical help and go to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. Even if you think you are not hurt, you should get checked out by your primary care providers. Many pedestrian accident injuries, such as herniated discs, are initially masked by adrenaline.
• Do not speak to an insurance adjuster:  Insurance adjusters will often try to gather information from you in the form of a recorded statement. Adjusters often try to say they need a statement in order to pay your medical bills, however, they are really trying to gather information they can later use to deny your claim.
• Contact our skilled San Antonio personal injury attorneys:  Our office is available 24/7/365 to provide you with a FREE CONSULTATION so you know your rights and options. Further, we charge NO FEEs unless we are able to obtain a settlement on your behalf. Call us today.

Once you have dealt with any injuries and filed your report, it is essential to contact a legal professional. A pedestrian accident attorney will use the free consultation to fill you in on your rights and get answers to critical questions about the accident and your injuries. At Thompson Law, we know that each case is unique. We will work with you to create a strategy that ensures the best outcome possible.

What Types of Compensation Are Available to Pedestrian Accident Victims?

If you were injured in a pedestrian accident, there are three general types of damages you may be able to claim:  special compensatory damages, general compensatory damages, and punitive damages.

Special Compensatory Damages

Special compensatory damages – often referred to in legal jargon as “economic damages”, “special damages“, or “specials” – are meant to compensate you for your monetary losses associated with a personal injury claim related to an accident. These monetary damages can include things such as:

Medical Expenses

You can claim reimbursement for medical expenses incurred as a direct result of your accident injuries. This can include medical expenses like ambulance and hospital bills, physical therapy, pain management treatments, surgeries, and related medical expenses incurred.

Lost Wages

You can make a claim for damages related to income you were unable to earn during the time you were recovering from your injuries. Typically you will have to be able to document these lost wages using paystubs or prior income data.

Damage to Personal Property

If you were carrying personal property when you were hit and that property was damaged, you can make a claim for the replacement cost of those possessions. In pedestrian accident cases this may include things like computers, mobile phones, watches, and other personal possessions that are often damaged in pedestrian accident cases.

General Compensatory Damages

General compensatory damages – often referred to in legal jargon as “non-economic damages” or “general damages” – are meant to compensate you for your non-monetary losses associated with a personal injury claim. These non-monetary damages are harder to quantify and prove, but can include things such as:

Pain and Suffering

The amount you can claim for pain and suffering varies depending on the type of injury, severity of injury, length of recovery, and permanence of the injury. Generally speaking, the more disruptive, severe, and permanent the injury is, the more you can claim for pain and suffering.

Mental Anguish (Often referred to as emotional distress outside of Texas)

Mental anguish refers to the degree of emotional pain and distress you were subjected to through the negligent actions of the person that hit you. Generally, this needs to be reflected in doctors notes related to your treatment, such as if you experience depression, anxiety, sleeping problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or sought grief counseling due to the loss of a loved one.

Future Lost Wages

In severe injury cases, you can also claim damages for expected loss of future income if you are no longer able to work, or have to take a lesser paying job. An example would be if you used to be a manual laborer working in a construction job paying $25/hour, and now you have to take a less physically challenging job that pays a lower hourly wage.

Future Medical Expenses

In severe injury cases, you can also claim damages for the cost of future medical care, such as future surgeries, medication, physical therapy, or rehabilitation expenses. This can also include increased living expenses due to the cost of care you require, such as if you have to enter an assisted living facility or nursing home, which can be documented in a life care plan.

Disfigurement

Damage for disfigurement is typically sought in severe injury cases. Examples would be when a person has lost a limb, has extensive scarring, or suffered a permanent injury that is outwardly noticeable to others.

Loss of Enjoyment of Life

If your pedestrian accident injuries prevent you from doing things you used to love, you may be able to make a claim for loss of enjoyment of life. For example, if you used to be an avid runner competing in marathons and you had a knee replacement that prevents you from doing so anymore, you would likely have a claim for loss of enjoyment of life.

Loss of Consortium

Loss of consortium claims are typically made in wrongful death pedestrian accident claims. This refers to the loss of companionship in interfamilial relationships, such as the loss of a spouse or a child. These claims are typically made by a spouse or child that was not involved in the accident, but the pedestrian accident led to the immediate or eventual death of their loved one.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are meant to punish drivers for egregious or grossly negligent behavior. A common example would be if the driver who hit a pedestrian was drunk at the time of the accident. They are more rarely claimed than special or general compensatory damages, because the behavior of the driver at the time of the accident must be particularly bad for these damages to apply.

If someone else’s negligence resulted in your injury, you deserve to be compensated for your losses. At Thompson Law, our San Antonio pedestrian accident lawyers know how painful and frustrating accidents are for victims. Pedestrians are vulnerable to serious injury with long-term effects, so high-quality medical care is essential. Avoiding critical treatment for fear of costly medical bills is unacceptable, and we will fight on your behalf.

If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a pedestrian accident in San Antonio, call Thompson Law today for a FREE CONSULTATION. We can discuss your case with you, and answer any questions such as what damages you might be able to claim.

Who is Liable for a Pedestrian Accident in San Antonio, TX?

If you or a loved one were hit by a car in Texas, a pedestrian accident attorney can help you get compensation for your injuries. In Texas, negligent drivers can be held responsible for the crashes they cause. But an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer knows these cases can be complex.

For example:

• If the driver was working while driving, their employer might be responsible
• If the driver is a commercial vehicle truck driver, the trucking company might also be responsible
• If a defective auto part caused the crash, a manufacturer might be responsible

Determining fault is not always straightforward. However, a knowledgeable pedestrian accident lawyer has years of experience advocating for victims. Insurance companies work hard to deny claims or push lowball offers. That is why having an attorney in your corner ensures the best possible outcome for your case.

If you are the victim of a San Antonio pedestrian accident, call Thompson Law today for a FREE CASE REVIEW. We can help you understand what parties may be liable for your accident while discussing your case with you.

Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries

Because pedestrian accident victims are not protected by a vehicle, pedestrian accidents can lead to devastating injuries. Injury patterns vary based on a variety of factors, including height, weight, and age of the victim. Further, injury severity is driven by factors such as speed of impact, angle at which the vehicle and pedestrian collide, the first body part impacted, height of the vehicle, and the center of gravity for the pedestrian.

For example, the center of gravity for an adult is typically above the front edge of the vehicle, whereas the center of gravity for a child is typically below the bumper. For an adult, the bumper hits their lower legs pushing them forward with the vehicle while their upper body falls onto the hood of the car.

Depending on the speed of impact, it may throw an adult pedestrian up onto the windshield or over the car. Conversely, children tend to be pulled up under the vehicle when hit by a car. Each of these factors affects the injuries most commonly seen in pedestrian accidents.

A study of pedestrian accident injuries by age showed that most trauma to adults is to the head, legs, pelvis, knees and brain. Common pediatric pedestrian collision injuries included traumatic brain injuries, musculoskeletal injuries, chest injuries, and abdominal injuries.

The study showed that head and neck injuries are more prevalent in children (34.6% in children versus 26.7%), whereas musculoskeletal injuries are more common in adults (22.2% in children versus 41.4% in adults). These injuries are consistent with the disparate centers of gravity between children and adults.

With regard to the impact of age on pedestrian accidents, another study analyzed five thousand pedestrians injured by motor vehicles over a 3 year period of varying age groups. This study found mortality rates increased with age, as would be expected, with mortality rates of 27.8% in the elderly, 8.1% in adults, and 3.1% in children. The pediatric group also had the lowest injury severity score in this study.

Some common injuries our San Antonio pedestrian accident attorneys see include:

• Injuries to the Extremities
  • Joint trauma, typically to the knees, hips, arms, wrists, and hands
  • Bone fractures, often to the tibia, fibula, femur, pelvis, radius, and ulna
  • Ligament and tendon injuries, most frequently to the knees and hips
• Neck, Face, and Head Injuries
  • Neck injuries, such as whiplash injuries
  • Injuries to discs in the neck, sometimes leading to paralysis
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), such as concussions
• Chest and Torso Injuries
  • Back injuries, such as fractured vertebrae
  • Broken ribs
  • Injuries to discs in the back
  • Facet joint injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries, sometimes involving paralysis
  • Internal injuries and internal bleeding
• Skin Injuries
  • Abrasions, lacerations, and bruising, often both where the bumper impacts the legs or when the pedestrian hits the road surface
• Death

No Upfront Fees With Our San Antonio Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Let Our San Antonio Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Help!

Our San Antonio pedestrian accident lawyers charge NO UPFRONT FEES. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only get paid out of a portion of your settlement. If for any reason we are unable to help, you will not owe our law firm us a penny.

We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to help you with legal advice after being hit by a motor vehicle in San Antonio, TX. Our San Antonio pedestrian accident lawyers can even get you signed up with one of our attorneys over the phone before the insurance companies try to reach out to you and fight your right to compensation.

Our staff is fully bilingual in Spanish and English, and our attorneys are standing by ready to help you get back on your feet after your truck accident.

If you do not need a San Antonio pedestrian accident lawyers today, it is still a good idea to have our contact information saved in your phone so you are not searching for “best pedestrian accident lawyers san antonio tx” after being hit by an automobile.

Remember, the Texas statute of limitations limits the time to file a claim after an accident to 2 years from the date of accident in most cases. Call Thompson Law‘s San Antonio pedestrian accident lawyers today for a FREE CASE EVALUATION. Protect your right to fair compensation after your pedestrian injury accident.