Texas Highway Construction Zone Accident Attorney
Have you or someone you love been injured in a highway construction zone crash in Texas? Construction zones are more than an annoyance for drivers; they’re incredibly dangerous for construction workers and motorists. If you have been hurt in a construction zone accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers has more than 45 years of combined legal experience representing accident victims in Texas. Contact our Texas law office today for a free consultation, give us a call at (713) 500-5000 to speak with a Texas highway construction zone accident attorney who can help you.
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How Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Highway Construction Zone Accident in Texas
Highway work zones are inherently dangerous to motorists and road workers. Sadly, thousands of construction zone accidents happen every year due to distracted drivers and negligent construction companies. If someone caused your accident, you should not have to fight an uncaring insurance company for the compensation you deserve.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers will put decades of experience to work on your case. Founding attorney Brian White is a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer and has achieved numerous multi-million-dollar awards and settlements for his clients.
Choose our Texas personal injury lawyers to represent you in your accident case, and we will:
- Give you the legal advice and personal attention you need
- Conduct a careful investigation into your crash
- Identify all parties who may share liability for your accident
- Work with specialists to value your damages
- Negotiate on your behalf to seek a fair settlement offer
- Present your case to a jury if the insurance company refuses to treat you fairly
You do not need to fight the insurance company alone. Call our law office today to speak with a Texas highway work zone accident lawyer ready to help you.
How Common Are Highway Construction Zone Accidents in Texas?
Highway work zones are inherently dangerous—for workers and motorists. Nearly 85% of fatalities in construction zone crashes are motorists, not construction workers. Nearly 1,000 people are killed in work zone accidents across the U.S. every year. Thousands more suffer serious injuries.
Texas has more work zone fatalities than any other state, with about 150 deaths per year. At any given time, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has over 1,000 active work zones along more than 79,000 miles of highway. On average, motorists encounter a highway work zone every 60 to 70 miles in Texas.
In 2020, work zone fatalities in Texas increased 9% from 2019, even with fewer cars on the road due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were over 22,000 work zone crashes in Texas, with 186 fatalities. Most of these deaths were motorists and passengers. Four were road workers, and 35 were pedestrians and bicyclists.
What is My Construction Zone Accident Case Worth?
Unfortunately, there is no way to estimate the value of a construction zone accident case without careful consideration of the unique factors in your case.
The biggest factors affecting the value of your case include:
- Whether you share blame for the accident
- The insurance coverage available
- The severity of the injuries you sustained
- The circumstances of the accident
- Whether you are able to return to work
- Whether you suffered disfigurement, impairment, or disability
The best way to assess the value of your work zone accident case is through a free case review with a Texas personal injury attorney. Contact our law firm today to schedule a free consultation to discuss what your case may be worth.
What Damages Are Available for Construction Zone Accident Victims in Texas?
After a highway construction zone crash, you may be entitled to compensation for your economic damages and non-economic damages.
A successful claim allows you to seek money for your:
- Property damage
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future lost earnings due to diminished or lost earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
If you were injured in a work zone on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits do not allow you to seek non-economic losses like pain and suffering. However, you can recover benefits for lost wages, medical expenses, occupational training, and more.
Can I Still Recover Compensation if I’m Partially at Fault for a Highway Construction Zone Accident in Texas?
Construction zone crashes often involve shared fault. If you are partially to blame for your crash, you can still recover damages under Texas’s modified comparative negligence rule. However, your compensation will be reduced according to your share of assigned fault.
Importantly, you can only recover damages if you are 50% or less at fault. If you are assigned 51% or more fault, you will be barred from recovering anything. Note that failing to mitigate damages after your accident can also influence your share of blame.
If you are being blamed for your accident, contact Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers to fight back against these tactics.
We Will Fight for the Compensation You Deserve for Your Construction Zone Accident Injuries
We understand the full impact a work zone crash can have on your life.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers will pursue maximum compensation for all the injuries you sustained, including:
- Brain injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Broken bones
- Traumatic amputation
- Crush injuries
- Facial injuries
- Eye injuries
- Organ damage
- Nerve damage
Do not let an insurance company minimize the impact your accident has had on your life. Contact our law office for a free consultation to discuss how we will fight for you.
What Causes Most Texas Highway Construction Zone Accidents?
Work zone crashes happen for many reasons. During road construction, traffic flow patterns may be different than drivers expect.
The following are some of the most common causes of work zone vehicle crashes related to construction site design and safety:
- Poor traffic control
- Poorly marked construction lanes
- Damaged or unlevel roads
- Inadequate lighting
- Improper placement of signs and barricades
- Warning and detour signs that are not accurate or visible
- Poor design of the construction zone
- Failing to follow Texas and federal guidelines for work zones
In reality, most construction zone accidents are caused by motorists.
Common causes are:
- Motorists ignoring construction signs or barricades
- Drivers attempting to go around barricades, construction cones, or through blocked lanes
- Failing to merge
- Failing to heed warnings
- Failure to observe work zone speed limits
- Speeding while approaching a work zone
- Failing to see traffic stopped ahead
- Failure to see merging construction vehicles
Inattentive driving and distracted driving are perhaps the most common causes of Texas highway work zone accidents. Motorists who are not paying attention when approaching a work zone may fail to recognize changes in traffic patterns or that traffic has slowed or stopped. They may not have enough time to react to construction vehicles or workers on or near the road.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Construction Zone Crash in Texas?
Multiple parties may share liability, depending on the cause of your crash. This includes the construction company or someone managing construction projects. Other drivers often cause construction zone crashes due to inattentive or distracted driving.
To prove negligence and recover damages for your accident, you will need to show:
- The other party owed you a duty of care. This may have been as basic as the duty of care all motorists owe others to exercise caution and obey traffic laws.
- The party breached their duty. The at-fault party may have been speeding or distracted when they breached their duty.
- This breach caused your accident. This means the other party’s behavior was the primary cause of your crash.
- You suffered damages.
A Texas personal injury attorney will explore many avenues to prove negligence and build the strongest case possible.
Evidence of negligence in a work zone crash may include:
- Witness statements
- Police reports
- Photos of the damage to vehicles and accident scene
- Records for the work zone
- Expert testimony on factors like the construction zone and route design, maintenance, and safety regulations
- Cell phone records for suspected distracted driving or texting while driving
Construction zone crashes can be complex, and multiple parties may be at fault. It’s crucial to work with experienced Texas work zone accident lawyers to give your case the personal attention it needs.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Highway Construction Zone Crash in Texas?
The Texas statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is just two years from the date of the crash. However, this statute of limitations may be shorter depending on who is liable. If you have a claim against TxDOT or another government entity, you must notify the department within six months of the accident.
In some cities, municipal governments have a shorter deadline to file proper legal notice. In Austin, it is just 45 days, while Houston has a 90-day deadline.
If you are pursuing workers’ compensation benefits as an injured construction worker, you have different deadlines. You must generally notify your employer within 30 days of your accident. After that, you must file your workers’ compensation claim within one year of the accident.
Contact a Texas Highway Construction Zone Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation
A highway construction zone crash can change your life forever. If you were injured as a motorist or a road worker, you deserve fair compensation to help you cover your bills, lost earnings, and medical care. Contact Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation with a Texas highway construction zone accident attorney. We will fight for compensation on your behalf with no out-of-pocket costs.
