Midland Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Our western Texas city of Midland is home to over 130,000 inhabitants, many of whom are drawn to the area to work in oil production, cattle ranching, natural gas, and other industries. In addition to work obligations, residents appreciate the area’s unique semi-arid climate, which allows them to spend more time outdoors, often on walks alone or with loved ones. There are dangers associated with doing this, however, including the risk of being struck by a motor vehicle while traveling on foot. A Midland pedestrian accident lawyer is here to provide you with a free consultation to discuss your right to compensation for your injuries if someone hit you, leaving you with serious injuries while walking.

Where Walkers Get Hit in Midland, TX

Reviews of news stories in recent years have shown where Midland pedestrian accidents have occurred along the following stretches of roadways:

• Near the intersection of Midkiff Road and Wall Street
• Close to where Mockingbird Lane and Magellan Street intersect
• Eastbound on East Front Street
• West Loop 338 at Yukon Road
• Any intersection with I-20

While many of the perpetrators of these crashes stick around after these incidents occur, many do not.

The area’s news stories reveal there’s a hit-and-run problem in our area despite it being an unlawful act.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from 2021 show the following statistics regarding pedestrian accidents that year:

• 84% of fatal pedestrian strikes occurred in rural areas
• 75% of pedestrian fatalities occurred at non-intersections
• 16% of pedestrian deaths happened at intersections

Additionally, National Safety Council statistics show that the deadly pedestrian-involved crashes that occurred in 2021, happened at the following times of the day:

• Dusk, dawn, etc.: Over 6%
• Daylight: More than 19%
• Dark (lighted): In excess of 39%
• Dark (unlit): 35% plus

Other NSC stats also show pedestrian fatalities were highest on certain days (and times of the day), with the most happening on Fridays and Saturdays when it was dark outside. Mid-week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) at dusk and dawn saw the lowest pedestrian death rates.

Further, a Smart Growth America report from 2022 shows that deaths among walkers have, in general, steadily increased over the years, with an estimated 7,265 pedestrians losing their lives in 2021.

The non-profit’s data also shows that individuals belonging to the following races or ethnic groups have the following death rates per 100,000:

• Pacific Islanders or Asians: 2
• Non-Hispanic Whites:5
• Latinx or Hispanics:8
• African Americans or Blacks:0
• Alaskan Natives or American Indians: 8

That same data reflects how those who live in depressed economic areas or who have a lower socioeconomic status are more vulnerable to being struck and dying than those in more affluent areas. Texas is listed in 12th place among the states that are the most dangerous for pedestrians.

And, according to a local news report from 2021, pedestrian strikes, and deadly ones at that, are becoming more common.

That report chronicled how Midland sees four deadly auto-pedestrian collisions annually; however, they’d already had four in a single month – an all-time record high.

Reasons Why Midland Pedestrians Get Hit

There are a multitude of reasons that pedestrians in Midland get struck. Some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents include:

• Poor visibility: This is a catchall category that can include someone walking wearing dark clothing and a motorist failing to turn on their headlights to illuminate their path.
• Reckless driving: This, again, is a broad category that can include dangerous or careless operation of a vehicle, including speeding, failing to yield to one’s right of way, improper lane changes, drugged or drunk driving, fatigued driving, and distracted driving.
• Pedestrian behaviors: Distractions like listening to music using earphones, talking on the phone or with a companion in person, stopping and standing still and not being observant, alcohol intoxication and jaywalking are all examples of actions walkers may take that may endanger their safety and lives when walking.
• Poor road design or maintenance: The paint that originally identified a crosswalk may have faded, there may not be any shoulders or sidewalks, forcing walkers to share the roadway with drivers, or parking may lead right up to the curb, making it challenging to see anyone waiting to cross the street at the curb.
• Vehicle design, maintenance issues, or defects: If you’ve been around electric or hybrid cars, you know just how quiet they can be. This can make it challenging for those on foot to hear them approaching. A car in disrepair, such as one with warn tires that cause a blowout and a motorist’s loss of control of their vehicle, could also cause them to crash into an unsuspecting pedestrian.
• Weather conditions: Inclement weather, including rain, ice, or snow, can impact braking distances and cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles and collide with those walking. Fog can impair visibility even at short distances, leaving walkers vulnerable to being struck as well.

Injuries Sustained by Individuals Struck When Walking

Each Midland pedestrian accident lawyer on our team has seen different adverse outcomes occur when a car and a person come into contact with each other. Injuries such as the following may happen:

• Head injuries: A blunt force trauma injury such as this may occur if a person’s head is struck by the moving vehicle at an angle or there’s impact with the hood or windshield. These types of injuries can leave someone with a traumatic brain injury that affects their lives on multiple levels.
• Spinal cord injuries: Just the right amount of external force at a certain angle can cause a person’s spinal cord to be severed, leaving them with an incomplete or complete spinal cord injury, which, depending on the type, impacts the extent of a person’s paralysis and affects their ability to recover any feeling in their limbs.
• Broken bones: Pedestrians have the potential to break virtually any bone in their body when struck by vehicles. This includes their skull if they suffer a blunt force head injury, facial bones if the impact of the strike causes them to fall flat on the ground face first, pelvic, hip, and thigh bones as they are struck at waist level by the automobile, and much more.
• Internal organ damage: Not all physical injuries are readily visible, but they can be particularly deadly. Examples of this are injuries resulting in internal organ damage like ruptured spleens, severed livers, etc. These can cause internal bleeding that can immediately threaten a patient’s life if not addressed right away.

It’s worth noting that certain injuries, like bone fractures, can be so severe that the surgical insertion of a rod to stabilize a joint is needed. However, when coupled with blood vessel damage, the limb may be deemed so significantly damaged by doctors that they may need to perform an amputation to preserve the patient’s life.

All of the above-referenced injuries can be costly to treat and take a significant amount of time to heal from, causing victims to incur hefty medical bills, requiring them to miss substantial amounts of time from work, and sustain other notable losses.

Compensation Available to Injured Pedestrians in Texas

Pedestrian injuries tend to be catastrophic, meaning they’re far more serious than cuts, bruises, strains, sprains, or concussions. Instead, walkers who are struck often have to deal with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), broken bones, amputations, and spinal cord injuries, all of which can leave behind lasting, permanent disabilities with life-altering consequences.

Recovering maximum compensation after you suffer injuries like these can be critical to ensure that you receive the best possible care and an optimal quality of life, given the circumstances. As such, you’ll be relieved to learn that you may be able to recover some of the following accident-related expenses by filing an insurance claim or lawsuit against the person who hit you:

• Current and future medical costs
• Outstanding and forecasted lost earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of employment benefits
• Transportation costs associated with traveling to doctors’ appointments
• Home renovation costs, if needed, to accommodate a wheelchair
• Assistive device purchases (e., prosthetics, shower chairs, and lifts)

In addition to these, if you’ve lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the above expenses incurred by your family member while still alive, as well as any cost associated with their demise, including:

• Funeral or burial costs
• Losses of consortium, counsel, and other others

Seeking Help in Building a Strong Case as an Injured Pedestrian

Your road to recovery is bound to be long and arduous if you have been struck while out on a walk.

Much of your time is going to be focused on your recovery, so let us at Barrera Law Group focus on doing what we do best- identifying negligent parties, finding out who their insurance carrier is and what their limits are, and securing your medical records and others necessary information to build a strong case.

Our work together begins with a free initial consultation during which we can discuss your case, your rights, and your legal options. We work on a contingency basis, meaning you won’t owe us anything for our representation unless we recover a settlement for you.

So, contact our law office now to speak with a Midland pedestrian accident lawyer. It’s your first step toward seeking justice for your accident.