Crosswalks should be safe places for pedestrians. They should allow pedestrians to cross the street without worrying about oncoming cars. Unfortunately, crosswalks in most cities – including Dallas – are not safe at all. Instead, they are the locations of catastrophic and deadly vehicle-pedestrian collisions. In 2018 alone, the National Center for Health Statistics recorded an estimated 7,680 pedestrian deaths. About 25% of these pedestrian traffic deaths occurred at intersections.
If you or a loved one has been in a crosswalk accident in Dallas, please contact the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert for a free legal consultation. Our pedestrian accident lawyers may be able to help you demand fair compensation from the at-fault party. This could be a driver or the government agency that designed the unsafe crosswalk depending on the circumstances of your accident. Call (214) 200-4878 to schedule your case review in Dallas today.
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Why Choose Our Dallas Crosswalk Accident Lawyer?
- Our Dallas personal injury lawyer believe in the importance of dedicating personal attention to each case we accept. Our clients benefit from one-on-one care and customized legal services.
- We fight hard to protect the rights of the injured in Dallas. If this means taking defendants to trial for maximum compensation, we can do so in Dallas County.
- We have one of the only attorneys in Texas (one of less than 2%) who are Board-Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law.
- We will not charge clients during Dallas crosswalk accident claims unless we succeed in securing them compensation. We are a contingency-fee based personal injury law firm.
What Makes Crosswalks in Dallas So Dangerous?
While crosswalks aren’t taken seriously in a lot of cities, in Dallas and much of the Dallas area we do take them seriously – but in the wrong way.
Many of the crosswalks in Dallas are nearly invisible to drivers and pedestrians, whether due to design or due to lack of maintenance. The brown/gray brick patterns on black asphalt just doesn’t cut it for pedestrian safety. And even when a more visible pattern is used, many cities in North Texas do not spend the resources to re-paint the crosswalk patterns until the paint is severely faded. In the end, a lot of money is spent on the design and upkeep of our crosswalks in Dallas and surrounding cities, yet no significant changes in design have been made in the last twenty years to make intersection crossings more visible.
While many people complain that Dallas is not pedestrian walkable because of sprawl and suburban style urban design with little sidewalk connection between areas, this is only part of the problem. The cities in north Texas need to start valuing neighborhoods which are already walkable by supporting pedestrian comfort and safe with better crosswalk design.
A better design currently exists for crosswalks that has been proven a safer alternative to designs used in Dallas. Dallas should install install continental crosswalks throughout the city. The “continental” uses two-foot-widestripes which are more visible to approaching drivers. Paired with a limit (stop) line set back five feet from the crosswalk, continental markings better delineate pedestrian space and discourage vehicles entering the crosswalk.
Additionally, cities in North Texas have slowly started replacing signal lights at crosswalks with "countdown" lights for pedestrians. These signal lights show a countdown timer while the pedestrian "walk" figure is displayed so that that pedestrians crossing the street know exactly when they must be out of the roadway.
How Do Crosswalk Accidents Occur?
Crosswalk accidents occur for two main reasons: dangerous street designs and human error. If you hire a lawyer from the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, we can investigate your pedestrian accident case to determine its cause. We can look for signs of an unreasonably dangerous crosswalk design, such as the issues in Dallas listed above. If we find evidence that the City of Dallas reasonably should have done more to ensure the safety of its crosswalks, the city government could be liable for your injuries. Otherwise, the defendant could be a negligent driver. Negligent drivers cause many deadly pedestrian accidents in Dallas.
- Distracted driving
- Cellphone use behind the wheel
- Drowsy or fatigued driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Speeding
- Ignoring traffic signs
- Failing to yield to pedestrians
- Running red lights
- Making unsafe left-hand turns
- Making illegal U-turns
As a pedestrian, you may be able to prevent an accident by being aware of your surroundings. Always be on the lookout for a driver who is negligent, reckless or breaking roadway rules. Do not assume it is safe to enter a crosswalk until you have looked both ways – even if you have the right-of-way. Do not walk while distracted, especially by a cellphone. If you notice hazards in the design or maintenance of a crosswalk in Dallas, report it to the city. A record of maintenance requests could help an injured pedestrian build a claim against the city for a dangerous crosswalk in the future. It could also pressure the city to repair its crosswalks for greater pedestrian protection.
Why You Need a Crosswalk Accident Lawyer in Dallas
Your crosswalk accident case may seem simple or straightforward in the beginning. For example, a distracted or negligent driver struck you and should owe you financial compensation under Texas’ fault-based insurance laws. A pedestrian accident case can quickly become complicated, however – especially since most insurance companies will try their hardest to avoid paying claimants. It is important to protect your rights as an injured pedestrian by hiring an attorney in Dallas to take over your case.
A crosswalk accident lawyer can help you stand up to insurance companies that may try to downplay your injuries or undervalue your claim. Your lawyer can handle negotiations in a way that will demand maximum recovery for your losses. A lawyer can also help you with things such as finding the right doctor and collecting evidence of the defendant’s negligence. When you hire an attorney to take care of legal processes for you, you can focus on healing from your serious injuries while a professional fights for positive case results. At the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, we can help pedestrians with all types of injuries from traffic accidents.
Types of Injuries in accidents involving pedestrians
Pedestrians have no protection from injury in a collision with a motor vehicle, and the injuries they suffer are often serious, catastrophic or even fatal. Common injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI).
- Spinal cord injury.
- Limb loss and traumatic amputation.
- Internal injuries.
- Disfigurement.
- Fractures, such as a broken leg, arm, rib or pelvis.
- Neck and back injuries.
- Sprained or torn ligaments.
- Contusions, lacerations and abrasions.
In the unfortunate event of an Dallas crosswalk accident between a pedestrian and a motor vehicle, pedestrians will suffer severe bodily injury or even death. If you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident in Dallas or other Texas city, Board Certified Attorney Aaron A. Herbert can help. The personal injury dallas crosswalk accident lawyers at the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert have helped injured pedestrians or surviving family members hold negligent parties accountable for recklessness or wrongdoing. Please do not wait to contact us if you or someone you care about has been involved in a pedestrian accident in Texas. There is a specific amount of time in which you can take legal action and you do not want to forfeit your rights by waiting too long to speak with a lawyer. Contact Us today for a free, confidential consultation.