Pedestrian Accidents

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 145 million adults include walking as part of their physically active lifestyle. While walking gives us many benefits, it still comes with great risks, namely, pedestrian accidents.

Whether you are walking for your health, walking to school, or to run an errand, there are some serious risks associated with being a pedestrian. Unfortunately, these risks greatly increase in large urban areas with lots of traffic and roadways.

The pedestrian accident attorneys at Ramos James Law, PLLC., wants to encourage the citizens of Austin – and all throughout Texas – to enjoy their active lifestyles but to remain vigilant when out to ensure that you are not involved in this type of serious and often fatal accident.

However, if you have fallen victim to a pedestrian accident, then you need a pedestrian accident attorney who has the experience, determination, and ability to help you navigate this challenging situation. With a decade of experience protecting the rights of personal injury victims, attorney Laura Ramos James is ready to provide the care and legal support you need.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 5,987 pedestrian deaths in the United States in 2016. Sadly, this group of road users was one of the few groups to experience an increase in fatalities.

A 2018 report from the NHTSA also highlighted a number of other staggering statistics including:

• On average, one pedestrian was killed every 1.5 hours in 2016.
• Pedestrian deaths accounted for 16% of traffic fatalities in 2016.
• 26 percent of fatalities occurred between 6 and 8:59 p.m.
• One-fifth of pedestrians killed were 14-years-old and younger.
• One-in-five were killed in a hit-and-run.
• Around 49% of all pedestrian deaths involved alcohol.

These tragic statistics show frequently pedestrian accidents occur and highlight the importance of pedestrian safety.

Pedestrians are extremely vulnerable in auto accidents because of the sheer force, weight, and size of vehicles. The likelihood of a pedestrian-auto accident greatly increases at dusk or at night when it becomes much more difficult for drivers to see pedestrians who may be on the street.

The injuries you may suffer as a pedestrian will vary based on the speed of the car, the size of the vehicle, and the area where your body was hit. Some of the most common injuries pedestrians suffer include:

• Broken bones and fractures to the arms, legs, ribs, hips, and pelvis
• Brain injuries including concussions, hemorrhages, and swelling
• Cuts and scrapes
• Severe bruises to the body
• Spinal cord injuries
• Fatal injuries

Determining fault is necessary when fighting for compensation. It is an important part of the decision-making process that governs how much you are awarded. It all boils down to which party acted negligently. Negligence, as defined in the state of Texas, is the failure to administer sufficient care and safety that society expects in order to minimize harm to yourself and others.

Some variations of how drivers can act negligently include:

• Running a red light
• Speeding
• Distracted driving (smartphone use, eating while driving, etc.)
• Not coming to a full stop at a stop sign (a rolling stop)
• Drunk driving
• Not stopping at a crosswalk

Don’t let another person’s negligence go unchecked. If you have been injured by another party’s irresponsible behavior, you deserve to have justice and the compensation you need to get your life back in order.