Pedestrians have no protection when a vehicle strikes them. No airbags, no seatbelts, no steel frame absorbing impact. When a driver’s negligence causes a pedestrian accident, the injuries are almost always severe — and the legal fight that follows requires attorneys who are prepared to take the case to trial.
Key Trial Lawyers represents pedestrians and their families across Texas who have been seriously injured or killed by negligent drivers. Our pedestrian accident attorneys handle these cases from investigation through verdict, building each case as if it will be tried before a jury. That preparation is what forces insurance companies to pay full value — because they know we will not back down.
Texas roads are among the most dangerous in the country for pedestrians. The Texas Department of Transportation reports thousands of pedestrian crashes each year, with hundreds resulting in fatalities. Distracted driving, speeding, failure to yield, and impaired driving are the leading causes. If you or someone you love was hit by a vehicle while walking, crossing a street, or standing on a sidewalk, you have the right to pursue full compensation for your injuries.
We take pedestrian accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Table of Contents
- Why Clients Choose Our Firm
- Types of Pedestrian Accident Cases We Handle
- Common Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents
- What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident
- How We Build Your Pedestrian Accident Case
- Compensation Available in Pedestrian Accident Cases
- Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Pedestrian Accident
- Texas Pedestrian Accident Laws
- Serving Clients Across Texas
- Contingency Fee — No Upfront Cost
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Clients Choose Our Firm
Trial-Ready From Day One
Every pedestrian accident case we accept is prepared for trial. We do not treat litigation as a last resort — we treat it as the standard. Our attorneys develop each case with the expectation that a jury will hear it, which means thorough investigation, strong evidence preservation, and aggressive discovery from the outset. Insurance companies recognize when a firm is willing to go to court, and they adjust their offers accordingly.
Focused on Serious Injury Cases
Pedestrian accidents frequently result in catastrophic injuries. We handle cases involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, multiple fractures, internal organ damage, and wrongful death. Our team has the resources and experience to retain medical experts, accident reconstructionists, and life care planners who can establish the full scope of damages.
Experience Against Insurance Company Tactics
Insurance carriers employ strategies designed to reduce or deny pedestrian claims. They may argue the pedestrian was at fault, claim injuries are pre-existing, or pressure victims into fast settlements that cover only a fraction of their actual losses. Our attorneys have seen every tactic and know how to counter them effectively — in negotiations and in front of a jury.
Types of Pedestrian Accident Cases We Handle
Crosswalk and Intersection Accidents
Pedestrians are struck at marked and unmarked crosswalks more frequently than in any other location. Drivers who fail to yield the right of way, run red lights, or make turns without checking for pedestrians cause devastating collisions. We investigate signal timing, driver behavior, and intersection design to establish liability.
Distracted Driving Pedestrian Crashes
A driver looking at a phone, adjusting a GPS, or otherwise distracted cannot react in time to avoid a pedestrian. We subpoena phone records, in-vehicle data, and surveillance footage to prove distraction and hold these drivers accountable.
Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accidents
When a driver flees the scene after hitting a pedestrian, the injuries are compounded by the challenge of identifying the responsible party. Our team works with law enforcement, reviews traffic cameras and nearby business surveillance, and pursues uninsured motorist claims when the driver cannot be identified.
Parking Lot and Driveway Accidents
Low-speed impacts in parking lots and driveways can still cause serious injuries to pedestrians, particularly children and elderly individuals. These cases often involve backing vehicles, obstructed sightlines, and drivers failing to look before moving.
DUI and Impaired Driving Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians struck by intoxicated drivers often suffer the most severe injuries because impaired drivers are less likely to brake or take evasive action. These cases may involve both civil claims and criminal proceedings, and we coordinate our civil case strategy to maximize our client’s recovery.
Accidents Involving Commercial Vehicles
When a commercial truck, delivery vehicle, or rideshare driver strikes a pedestrian, additional parties may bear liability — including the driver’s employer, the vehicle owner, and the company that contracted the route. We identify every responsible party and pursue claims against each.
Common Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians struck by vehicles sustain injuries that are often life-altering:
- Traumatic brain injuries from impact with the vehicle or pavement
- Spinal cord injuries resulting in partial or complete paralysis
- Broken bones and fractures including pelvis, legs, arms, and ribs
- Internal organ damage from blunt force trauma
- Severe road rash and soft tissue injuries
- Crush injuries when a pedestrian is pinned by or under a vehicle
- Wrongful death when injuries prove fatal
These injuries require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing care. We work with medical professionals to document every aspect of our clients’ injuries and project future treatment needs.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident
The steps you take after being struck by a vehicle can significantly affect your ability to recover compensation:
- Seek immediate medical attention. Even if you believe your injuries are minor, get evaluated. Some serious injuries — particularly head trauma and internal bleeding — may not show immediate symptoms.
- Call 911 and file a police report. A police report creates an official record of the accident, including the driver’s information and any citations issued.
- Document the scene if possible. Photographs of the accident location, vehicle damage, your injuries, traffic signals, and road conditions can become critical evidence.
- Get witness contact information. Bystanders who saw what happened may provide testimony that supports your case.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the driver’s insurance company. Adjusters will use your words against you to minimize your claim. Speak with an attorney first.
- Contact a pedestrian accident attorney. An experienced lawyer can begin preserving evidence, communicating with insurers on your behalf, and building your case immediately.
How We Build Your Pedestrian Accident Case
Our approach to pedestrian accident litigation is methodical and evidence-driven.
We begin with an independent investigation of the accident scene. This includes obtaining the police report, reviewing traffic camera and surveillance footage, photographing the location, and measuring distances and sightlines. When necessary, we retain accident reconstruction experts who can recreate the collision and determine exactly how it occurred.
We gather all available evidence against the at-fault driver — cell phone records, driving history, vehicle maintenance records, and any prior traffic violations. For commercial vehicle cases, we also pursue corporate records, driver logs, and hiring and training documentation.
Our medical team reviews all treatment records and works directly with your treating physicians to document the nature and extent of your injuries. For cases involving long-term or permanent disabilities, we retain life care planners and vocational rehabilitation experts to calculate the full cost of your future needs.
Every piece of evidence is organized and prepared for presentation to a jury. This level of preparation is what separates a case that settles for policy limits from one that settles for a fraction of its value.
Compensation Available in Pedestrian Accident Cases
Texas law allows injured pedestrians to recover compensation for all damages caused by a negligent driver. This includes:
- Medical expenses — emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, prescription medications, and future medical costs
- Lost wages — income lost during recovery, including future earning capacity if a permanent disability prevents return to work
- Pain and suffering — physical pain, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement and scarring — compensation for permanent physical changes
- Loss of consortium — damages for the impact of injuries on family relationships
- Wrongful death damages — funeral and burial costs, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and mental anguish for surviving family members
The value of a pedestrian accident claim depends on the severity of injuries, the clarity of liability, available insurance coverage, and the strength of the evidence. We assess each case individually and pursue the maximum recovery available.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Pedestrian Accident
Liability in pedestrian accident cases extends beyond the driver in many situations:
- The driver — for speeding, distracted driving, running signals, failure to yield, or driving under the influence
- The driver’s employer — when the driver was operating a vehicle within the scope of employment
- Vehicle owners — when a vehicle is loaned or rented to a negligent driver
- Government entities — when dangerous road design, missing crosswalks, broken traffic signals, or inadequate lighting contributed to the accident
- Commercial carriers and contractors — when delivery trucks, rideshare vehicles, or fleet vehicles are involved
- Bars and restaurants — under Texas dram shop laws, establishments that serve alcohol to visibly intoxicated individuals who then cause a pedestrian accident may be held liable
We investigate every potential source of liability and insurance coverage to maximize the compensation available to our clients.
Texas Pedestrian Accident Laws
Statute of limitations. Texas imposes a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death claims. If you do not file a lawsuit within two years of the accident, you may permanently lose your right to recover compensation. Claims against government entities have shorter notice deadlines — sometimes as little as six months.
Modified comparative fault. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001, a pedestrian can recover damages as long as they are not more than 50 percent at fault for the accident. However, the recovery is reduced by the pedestrian’s percentage of responsibility. Insurance companies routinely argue that pedestrians share fault, even when the evidence does not support it. Our attorneys fight these allegations aggressively.
Right-of-way laws. Texas Transportation Code requires drivers to yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections. Drivers who violate these laws and cause injury face civil liability for the resulting damages.
Dram shop liability. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 2.02 allows claims against bars and restaurants that serve visibly intoxicated patrons who then injure pedestrians while driving.
Serving Clients Across Texas
Key Trial Lawyers represents pedestrian accident victims throughout the state of Texas. We handle cases in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, and communities of all sizes across the state. Our attorneys travel to where the case requires us to be — whether that means investigating an accident scene in a rural county or trying a case in a metropolitan courthouse.
No matter where in Texas your pedestrian accident occurred, we are prepared to represent you.
Contingency Fee — No Upfront Cost
We represent pedestrian accident clients on a contingency fee basis. That means:
- No retainer fees
- No hourly billing
- No upfront costs of any kind
- We advance all case expenses
- You pay attorney fees only if we recover compensation for you
This arrangement ensures that every injured pedestrian has access to aggressive legal representation, regardless of their financial situation. Our interests are aligned with yours — we only get paid when you do.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident lawsuit in Texas?
Texas law provides a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death claims. This deadline begins on the date of the accident. If a government entity is involved, shorter notice requirements may apply. Contact an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.
What if I was partially at fault for the pedestrian accident?
Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule. You can still recover damages as long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible for the accident. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies frequently overstate pedestrian fault to reduce payouts, and our attorneys challenge these claims with evidence.
What compensation can I recover after a pedestrian accident?
You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, future medical costs, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of quality of life. In wrongful death cases, family members can recover funeral costs, loss of financial support, and mental anguish damages.
What if the driver who hit me left the scene?
Hit-and-run cases are still viable claims. We work to identify the driver through surveillance footage, traffic cameras, and law enforcement investigation. If the driver cannot be found, you may be able to recover compensation through the uninsured motorist coverage on your own auto insurance policy.
How much does it cost to hire a pedestrian accident attorney?
There is no upfront cost. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only collect a fee if we secure compensation for you. All case expenses are advanced by our firm and repaid from the recovery.
