Fort Worth Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

If you were struck by a vehicle while walking, you deserve aggressive representation from attorneys who understand how devastating these injuries can be.

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Pedestrian Accidents in Fort Worth

Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable road users in any city, and Fort Worth is no exception. Texas consistently ranks among the most dangerous states in the nation for pedestrians, and the Tarrant County area sees dozens of serious pedestrian injuries and fatalities every year. When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle — even at relatively low speeds — the consequences can be catastrophic or fatal.

Unlike vehicle occupants, pedestrians have no protection at all. There are no seat belts, no airbags, and no crumple zones — just a human body absorbing the full force of a multi-thousand-pound vehicle. The resulting injuries frequently require emergency surgery, extensive hospitalization, and months or years of rehabilitation. Many victims are left with permanent disabilities that alter every aspect of their lives.

Patterson Law Group's Fort Worth pedestrian accident attorneys understand the unique legal challenges these cases present. Drivers and their insurance companies routinely attempt to shift blame onto the pedestrian, claiming they were jaywalking, not paying attention, or acting unpredictably. We know how to investigate these crashes, identify the evidence that establishes driver fault, and build cases that withstand the insurance industry's most aggressive defenses.

30+

Years of Experience

$100M+

Recovered for Clients

500+

5-Star Google Reviews

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

The majority of serious pedestrian accidents are caused by driver negligence, not pedestrian error. Our attorneys investigate every case to identify the specific conduct that caused the crash and the evidence that proves it.

Distracted Driving Texting, using a navigation app, adjusting the radio, or any other form of distracted driving significantly reduces a driver's ability to perceive and react to pedestrians. A driver looking down at a phone for even five seconds at 35 mph has traveled the length of a football field without watching the road — more than enough distance to miss a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Failure to Yield at Crosswalks Under Texas Transportation Code §552.003, drivers must yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks and at intersections where the pedestrian has the right of way. Failure to yield is one of the leading causes of pedestrian fatalities in Texas, and it constitutes clear negligence.

Speeding Higher vehicle speeds dramatically increase both the likelihood that a driver will fail to react in time and the severity of injuries when a collision does occur. A pedestrian struck at 40 mph is far more likely to suffer fatal injuries than one struck at 20 mph.

Running Red Lights and Stop Signs Drivers who run traffic control devices are among the most dangerous hazards pedestrians face, particularly at urban intersections where pedestrians are crossing legally with the light.

Driving Under the Influence Alcohol and drug impairment impair a driver's reaction time, judgment, and perception — making DUI a major contributing factor in pedestrian fatalities. DUI-related pedestrian accidents may also give rise to punitive damages claims.

Left and Right Turn Failures Drivers making turns at intersections often focus on oncoming vehicle traffic and fail to check for pedestrians crossing the intersecting street. These accidents are particularly common when drivers are in a hurry or when pedestrians are partially obscured.

Backing and Parking Lot Accidents Vehicles backing out of parking spaces, driveways, or parking lots frequently strike pedestrians who are walking behind them, especially in areas with limited visibility.

Texas Law and Pedestrian Rights

Texas law provides pedestrians with significant legal protections. Under the Texas Transportation Code, drivers must yield to pedestrians lawfully crossing in a marked crosswalk or at an intersection. Drivers are also prohibited from passing another vehicle that has stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, and they must exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian on a roadway — even if the pedestrian is not in a crosswalk.

When a pedestrian is struck while crossing legally — in a marked crosswalk, with a pedestrian signal, or at an intersection — the legal presumption strongly favors the pedestrian. However, even in cases where a pedestrian was crossing outside a crosswalk (often called "jaywalking"), Texas law does not automatically excuse the driver. Drivers have an independent duty to exercise reasonable care to avoid collisions with pedestrians, and a driver who was speeding, distracted, or otherwise negligent can still be held fully liable.

Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §33.001). If an insurance company argues you were partly responsible for the accident — for example, by crossing outside a crosswalk — your recovery may be reduced by your percentage of fault. However, as long as you are found to be no more than 50 percent at fault, you can still recover compensation. Our attorneys aggressively challenge comparative fault arguments by demonstrating that the driver's negligence was the primary cause of the collision.

The statute of limitations for pedestrian accident claims in Texas is generally two years from the date of the accident (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003). If your accident involved a government-owned vehicle or took place on government property, different notice requirements and deadlines may apply, making it even more important to consult an attorney promptly.

Types of Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents produce some of the most severe injuries seen in personal injury practice. The complete lack of protection for the pedestrian means that the full kinetic energy of the vehicle is transferred to the human body. Our attorneys regularly represent victims with injuries including:

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) TBI is among the most common and most serious consequences of pedestrian accidents. When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle and thrown onto the road, head impacts can cause concussions, diffuse axonal injury, subdural hematomas, and other brain damage. TBI can cause permanent cognitive, physical, and behavioral changes that affect a victim's ability to work and care for themselves.

Spinal Cord Injuries Fractures and dislocations of the vertebrae during a pedestrian collision can damage the spinal cord, resulting in partial or complete paralysis. The level of the injury determines which body functions are affected. High cervical injuries can result in quadriplegia; lower injuries may cause paraplegia or chronic pain syndromes.

Multiple Bone Fractures Pedestrians struck by vehicles commonly suffer fractures of the legs (tibia, fibula, femur), pelvis, hip, arms, and ribs. These fractures often require surgical stabilization with rods, plates, or screws, followed by extended physical therapy. Comminuted fractures may result in permanent deformity or chronic pain.

Internal Bleeding and Organ Damage The blunt force of a vehicle impact can rupture organs, tear blood vessels, and cause life-threatening internal bleeding. Injuries to the liver, spleen, kidneys, and lungs may require emergency surgery and can result in long-term complications.

Soft Tissue Injuries Severe muscle tears, tendon and ligament ruptures, and nerve damage are common in pedestrian accidents and can cause chronic pain and functional limitations that persist long after other injuries have healed.

Death Unfortunately, many pedestrian accidents result in fatalities. When a pedestrian is killed due to a driver's negligence, surviving family members may have a wrongful death claim under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71.

What to Do After Being Hit by a Car

The aftermath of a pedestrian accident is often chaotic and frightening. If you are physically able to act, the following steps can protect both your health and your legal claim.

1
Call 911: Report the accident immediately. Police will respond, document the scene, and generate a crash report that is critical evidence in your case. An ambulance will be dispatched to evaluate your injuries.
2
Stay at the scene if you can: Do not leave before police arrive. Get the driver's name, license plate, insurance information, and driver's license number. If there are witnesses, get their contact information before they leave.
3
Do not minimize your injuries: Do not tell the driver, police, or bystanders that you are "fine" or "okay" when you may not know the extent of your injuries. Adrenaline routinely masks serious pain in the minutes following a collision.
4
Document the scene: If you are able to do so safely, photograph the vehicle, your location in the roadway or crosswalk, traffic signals, road conditions, and any visible injuries. These photos become valuable evidence.
5
Get immediate medical evaluation: Go to an emergency room or urgent care facility right away — even if you feel you were not badly hurt. Internal injuries and TBI often have delayed symptom onset, and a gap in medical treatment will be used against your claim by the insurance company.
6
Do not give a recorded statement: The driver's insurance company will contact you quickly and ask for a recorded statement. Do not give one until you have spoken with an attorney. Anything you say can be used to reduce your compensation.
7
Contact Patterson Law Group: Call us immediately. We can begin investigating your accident, securing surveillance footage before it is deleted, and protecting your right to full compensation.

How We Investigate Your Pedestrian Accident Case

Pedestrian accident cases require thorough, prompt investigation. Physical evidence — skid marks, debris fields, damage to the vehicle — begins to change or disappear quickly. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses or traffic cameras is typically overwritten within 30 to 90 days. Our attorneys act immediately when retained to secure this evidence before it is gone.

We obtain the police crash report and all related documentation, send evidence preservation letters to the driver and their insurance company, and subpoena any available surveillance footage. We interview all witnesses and, where appropriate, retain accident reconstruction experts to analyze the physical evidence and create a professional reconstruction of how the collision occurred and why the driver was at fault.

We work with your treating physicians to document the full scope of your injuries, treatment history, and prognosis. For serious injuries with long-term consequences, we retain medical experts, life care planners, and economic experts to calculate the full lifetime cost of your losses — not just what you've spent so far, but what you will need in the future.

Throughout the process, we handle all communications with the insurance company and manage every aspect of your case. Our job is to remove the legal burden from you so that you can focus entirely on recovering. If the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer, we take your case to trial.

Damages You Can Recover

If you were struck by a vehicle due to a driver's negligence, Texas law entitles you to seek compensation for the full range of losses the accident has caused you. These damages can be substantial in pedestrian accident cases given the severity of injuries typically involved.

→ All medical expenses — emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, imaging, rehabilitation, and future care

→ Lost wages for all time missed from work due to your injuries and recovery

→ Loss of future earning capacity if your injuries permanently limit your ability to work

→ Pain and suffering — the physical pain caused by your injuries and medical treatment

→ Mental anguish, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other psychological consequences

→ Loss of enjoyment of life — the inability to participate in activities and relationships you valued before the accident

→ Permanent disfigurement or disability

→ Punitive damages in cases involving DUI, reckless conduct, or intentional misconduct

Why Patterson Law Group for Pedestrian Accidents

Patterson Law Group has represented injured Texans for over 30 years, and we have seen firsthand the devastating impact that pedestrian accidents have on victims and their families. We understand that behind every case file is a person whose life has been profoundly disrupted — and we take that responsibility seriously when we agree to represent you.

We have recovered more than $100 million for our clients, and we bring that same level of commitment and resources to every pedestrian accident case we handle. We are a true trial firm — not just a settlement shop — and insurance companies know that we will take cases to a Tarrant County jury if they refuse to pay fair value. That willingness is often what produces the best results for our clients without ever setting foot in a courtroom.

We handle all pedestrian accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we win your case, and your initial consultation is always free. If you or a loved one has been struck by a vehicle in Fort Worth or the surrounding area, call us at (817) 784-2000 today. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Fort Worth office — local attorneys who know pedestrian-crash law

Our Fort Worth office at 2409 Forest Park Boulevard handles pedestrian-injury cases regularly. We know that PIP and UM/UIM on your own auto policy generally apply to a pedestrian struck by an at-fault driver — a coverage path many pedestrians and their families never realize they have. When you cannot come to the office, we come to you — at the hospital, at home, by phone, or by Zoom.

Fort Worth pedestrian-crash hot spots

Pedestrian crashes in Fort Worth cluster in entertainment districts, dense surface-street corridors, and along arterials that pedestrians regularly cross. The locations below show up repeatedly in our case files:

Sundance Square & downtown. Convention-center traffic, restaurant-district drop-offs, and the surface-street grid mix pedestrians with vehicles constantly.
West 7th Street & the Cultural District. Fort Worth's main bar-and-restaurant corridor. Pedestrian-vs-vehicle crashes cluster at the West 7th/University Drive intersection.
TCU campus perimeter and Berry Street. University foot traffic crossing arterial streets.
Camp Bowie Boulevard. Mixed pedestrian/vehicle traffic through the Cultural District and along the museum corridor.
Magnolia Avenue and the Near Southside. Restaurant, brewery, and event-venue drop-offs create constant pedestrian volume.
Hulen Street and South Hulen retail corridor. Shopping-center crossings and parking-lot pedestrian incidents.
The I-30/I-35W mixmaster surface ramps. Where pedestrians cross at intersections under and around the freeway interchanges.
Texas Health Harris Methodist and JPS hospital perimeters. Hospital pedestrian traffic where visitors and staff cross between parking and entry.

Where Fort Worth pedestrian accident cases are heard

Tarrant County

Civil personal injury cases in Tarrant County are heard at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 100 N. Calhoun Street, downtown Fort Worth. The 17th, 48th, 67th, 96th, 141st, 153rd, 236th, 322nd, 325th, 342nd, 348th, 352nd, 360th, 393rd, and 432nd District Courts handle the civil docket.

Surrounding counties

Cases from Dallas County are heard at the George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Dallas. Denton County (Trophy Club, Roanoke, Argyle) cases go to the Denton County Courthouse, 1450 E McKinney Street. Johnson County (Burleson, Cleburne) cases go to the Johnson County Guinn Justice Center, 204 S Buffalo Avenue.

Federal court (N.D. Tex.)

Cases with diversity of citizenship or substantial federal-law issues can be filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, Eldon B. Mahon Federal Building, 501 W 10th Street.

Most pedestrian accident cases settle and never see a courtroom — but we file in the proper venue and build every case as if it will, which is part of why insurance companies settle them fairly.

Other Fort Worth injury cases we handle

Common questions from Fort Worth pedestrian accident clients

What is the deadline to file a Fort Worth pedestrian accident lawsuit?

Two years from the date of the crash under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003. If a pedestrian was killed, the wrongful-death statute of limitations is also two years from the date of death (§16.003(b)). Don't wait — evidence at a pedestrian scene disappears quickly.

Can I recover if I was crossing outside a crosswalk in Fort Worth?

Yes, in many cases. Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §33.001 applies a modified comparative-fault rule: you can recover as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Drivers in Texas still owe a duty of reasonable care to avoid pedestrians, including those crossing mid-block. The carrier will argue otherwise; we push back with the physical evidence.

What if the driver who hit me had no insurance?

Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage on a pedestrian's own auto policy generally applies — even though the pedestrian wasn't in a car when struck. A resident relative's UM policy may also cover the claim. We trace every available policy before settling.

Where will a Fort Worth pedestrian case be filed?

Tarrant County District Courts at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building, 100 N. Calhoun Street, downtown Fort Worth. Cases involving city-owned property or vehicles may also implicate the Texas Tort Claims Act, which has a short notice deadline — sometimes as little as six months.

Are there special damages available if my loved one was killed as a pedestrian?

Yes. Texas wrongful-death law under Civil Practice & Remedies Code Chapter 71 allows the surviving spouse, children, and parents to recover for loss of love, companionship, and financial support. A survival action under §71.021 also belongs to the estate for the pain, suffering, and medical bills the deceased experienced before death.

Does PIP on my own auto insurance cover pedestrian injuries?

Yes. Texas PIP coverage applies to the named insured and resident relatives whether they were driving, riding as passengers, or struck as pedestrians. PIP is no-fault — it pays medical bills and a portion of lost wages without regard to who caused the crash.

How much does it cost to hire Patterson Law Group for a pedestrian case?

Nothing up front. We take pedestrian-injury cases on contingency — you pay no attorney fees unless we recover for you. The consultation is free and confidential. We have offices in Fort Worth, Arlington, and San Antonio. Se habla español.

Legally reviewed by Travis Patterson, Managing Partner of Patterson Law Group.