Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in San Antonio
Going out for a walk should not result in an accident, but when it does, there can be consequences that affect the rest of your life. You could be severely injured, stuck with piles of costly medical bills, in pain for years, or even permanently disabled. If the injury you suffered because of the accident was a result of someone’s negligence or recklessness, you may be able to collect compensation to cover your damages through an injury lawsuit.
There are a few common causes of pedestrian accidents in San Antonio that we see at our law firm. An experienced attorney knows how to handle pedestrian accident cases. When you contact us, we can help you figure out your best legal options.
Pedestrians Getting Struck by a Vehicle
When a motor vehicle hits a pedestrian, typically, two impacts could leave the pedestrian injured. The first impact comes from the vehicle hitting the pedestrian. This could lead to broken bones, internal injuries, neck injuries, and more. The second impact occurs when the pedestrian hits the ground. If the pedestrian was aware enough to react to the first impact, they may try to catch themselves with their hands, which can lead to broken wrists, severe burns on the hands and arms, and shoulder injuries. If the first impact sent the pedestrian flying through the air, the second impact could result in many types of severe injuries or even death.
Although there are infinite reasons why a pedestrian could get struck by a motor vehicle, some common causes of walking accidents in San Antonio include:
- Aggressive drivers who are going too fast and not obeying traffic laws
- Tired drivers who are nodding off at the wheel instead of focusing on the road
- Impatient drivers who fail to give the right of way to pedestrians who are crossing the street
- Drivers under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or certain medications, causing them to drive recklessly
- Drivers backing out of driveways or parking spaces without first checking to see if someone is behind them
- Distracted drivers concentrating on phones, food, makeup, or children in the backseat instead of watching where they are going
- Drivers making left turns at busy intersections and paying more attention to the oncoming traffic than the pedestrians in the crosswalk
A pedestrian who is injured because a driver was reckless or negligent should contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
Pedestrians Slipping, Tripping, and Falling on Sidewalks
Sometimes, pedestrian accidents in San Antonio are caused by defective sidewalks. A pedestrian could be walking, jogging, or rollerblading along a sidewalk, slip or trip on a cracked or broken sidewalk, and fall and injure themselves. Not all pedestrians who fall on the sidewalk can file a lawsuit. The sidewalk would need to be defective in some way. It might be broken up because of tree roots pushing on them, covered by debris from a nearby construction project, or cracked and inadequately lit at night.
An experienced lawyer can help determine if a sidewalk was defective and who may be liable for the defective sidewalk.
Call a San Antonio Attorney to Discuss Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
If you think your pedestrian accident was the result of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you can talk to a lawyer about pursuing compensation for your injuries.
We are here to help you understand the common causes of pedestrian accidents in San Antonio and the next steps to take in the civil lawsuit process. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.
