THE WOODLANDS PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS
The Woodlands Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Maida Law Firm represents people hit by vehicles while walking or jogging in The Woodlands, and the relatives of people killed that way. We work from our Houston office, at 8313 Southwest Freeway; there is no Woodlands office. The Woodlands has no police department of its own, so the first job after a pedestrian crash here is finding out which county agency wrote the report.
Talking to us about a pedestrian injury in The Woodlands costs nothing: (713) 785-9484. Our fee comes only out of money we recover.
The short version
- The Woodlands has no city police: the Montgomery County Sheriff (District 6), Harris County Constable Pct. 4 or DPS writes the pedestrian crash report, depending on where it happened.
- KPRC 2 reported a man killed on Woodlands Parkway near East Panther Creek (Dec. 2019) and a child hit by a driver who fled on Wendtwoods Drive (Mar. 2023).
- A driver leaving a driveway or parking lot must yield to a pedestrian on a crossing sidewalk (§ 552.006(c)); the Township has 220+ miles of pathways.
- A pedestrian found more than 50% responsible recovers nothing (§ 33.001); drivers must use due care and extra caution around children (§ 552.008).
- Hit-and-run claims usually run through household uninsured motorist coverage (§ 1952.101); suit is generally due within two years (§ 16.003), in Montgomery or Harris County.
WHO INVESTIGATES
Who investigates a pedestrian crash in The Woodlands?
It depends on which side of the county line, and which road, the person was hit on. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office covers the Montgomery County part of the Township and Harris County Constable Precinct 4 the Harris County part; Texas DPS troopers also take some crashes, as they did with the sheriff on Woodlands Parkway in 2019.
The Woodlands is a township, not a city. Its own site says law enforcement is a county responsibility and that the Township pays the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Harris County Constable’s Office, Precinct 4, for added patrols (The Woodlands Township, Law Enforcement). The sheriff’s District 6, based at 9200 Grogan’s Mill Road, patrols the roughly 44-square-mile Township (Montgomery County Sheriff, South Patrol). Two news reports show the split. On December 6, 2019, DPS said troopers and sheriff’s deputies were investigating a pedestrian struck on Woodlands Parkway near East Panther Creek Drive; just under an hour later DPS reported that the man had died (KPRC 2, December 6, 2019). On March 28, 2023, it was Precinct 4 constable deputies who answered a call in the 300 block of Wendtwoods Drive, where a driver in a gray sedan hit a child and drove off; the child was reported fine and EMS was called as a precaution (KPRC 2, March 28, 2023).
TxDOT’s crash tables cannot give a pedestrian count for The Woodlands: they do not split pedestrians out by city, and the Township is unincorporated. Statewide in 2025, 695 people on foot were killed and 5,965 crashes involved a pedestrian (TxDOT, Pedestrian and Pedalcyclist Injuries and Crashes, 2025, opened November 5, 2026). The trauma center closest to most of the Township is Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center, 9250 Pinecroft Drive, a Level II trauma center by its own account (Memorial Hermann). For Texas right-of-way rules in general, see our Houston pedestrian accident page.
PATHWAYS AND DRIVEWAYS
Who had the right of way on a Woodlands pathway, crosswalk or driveway?
A driver pulling out of a driveway, parking lot or private road must stop and yield to a pedestrian approaching on a sidewalk that crosses it. In a crosswalk with no working signal, the driver must yield to a pedestrian on the driver’s half of the road. Elsewhere the pedestrian must yield, but every driver still owes due care.
The Township counts more than 220 miles of pathways (The Woodlands Township, Parks), and many of them cross shopping-center entrances, neighborhood streets and the big parkways. Texas law makes the driver yield at those crossings when coming out of an alley, building, private road or driveway onto a sidewalk (Transportation Code § 552.006(c)), and at an unsignalled crosswalk (§ 552.003(a)). Whether a given pathway counts as a sidewalk under that rule is a question we check against the location, not something to assume.
The insurer’s arguments usually run the other way. A pedestrian may not walk in the roadway where an accessible sidewalk is provided (§ 552.006(a)), must yield when crossing outside a crosswalk (§ 552.005(a)), and may not step off the curb in front of a car too close to stop (§ 552.003(b)). Those points go to the pedestrian’s share of fault, and a person found more than 50 percent responsible recovers nothing (Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001). Against them stands § 552.008: a driver must exercise due care toward any pedestrian on a roadway and take proper precaution on seeing a child, which matters on residential streets like Wendtwoods Drive.
When the driver is identified, the claim goes first to that driver’s liability policy, which in Texas may be as little as $30,000 per injured person (§ 601.072(a-1)). When the driver leaves, as in the Wendtwoods case, the driver has broken the duty to stop and help (§ 550.021), and payment usually comes from uninsured motorist coverage on an auto policy in the injured person’s household, which every Texas policy includes unless it was rejected in writing (Insurance Code § 1952.101(c)). How that coverage treats a household member who was on foot depends on the policy.
THE WOODLANDS PEDESTRIAN QUESTIONS
The Woodlands Pedestrian Accident Lawyer FAQs
First learn which agency responded. On the Montgomery County side it is usually the Sheriff’s Office (non-emergency 936-538-5900); on the Harris County side, Constable Precinct 4 (281-376-3472); on a state highway it may be DPS. The deputy or trooper’s card, or the case number on it, tells you which. We request the report and any supplemental investigation from that agency.
A driver coming out of a driveway, building entrance or private road has to stop and yield to a pedestrian approaching on a sidewalk that crosses it (Transportation Code § 552.006(c)). The driver’s insurer may still argue you came into view too suddenly. Photos of the crossing, sight lines, and any store or HOA camera footage taken that week usually decide that argument.
Get medical care first, even if the child seems fine; some injuries appear later. Keep the responding agency’s case number, photograph the street, and ask neighbors for doorbell video before it is recorded over. Texas requires drivers to take proper precaution on seeing a child on a roadway (§ 552.008), and a claim for a child’s injuries has its own timing rules, so speak with a lawyer before giving the driver’s insurer a statement.
Usually a court in the county where the crash happened. On the Montgomery County side that means the district courts in Conroe, at the Montgomery County Courthouse (207 W. Phillips and 301 N. Main). On the Harris County side it means the Harris County Civil Courthouse at 201 Caroline St in Houston. Which county applies can change with the defendant and the facts.
Texas generally allows two years from the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit, and two years from the death for a wrongful death suit (Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003). An auto policy can require notice of a hit-and-run much sooner, and a claim involving a government vehicle has a written-notice deadline of six months or less (§ 101.101).
Nothing up front. The fee is a percentage of what we recover, set out in writing before work begins, and there is no fee if there is no recovery. Call (713) 785-9484.
Hit While Walking in The Woodlands?
Woodlands Parkway, Research Forest, Grogan’s Mill, a pathway crossing or your own street: tell us where it happened. We find out which agency has the report, ask nearby businesses and neighbors to keep their video, identify every policy that could pay and watch each deadline. Free consultation: (713) 785-9484.
The Woodlands car accident claims: key facts
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Law firm | Maida Law Firm — Houston personal-injury firm |
| Practice on this page | Houston Car Accident Claims |
| Area served | The Woodlands, Texas — served from the Houston office; the firm has no The Woodlands office |
| Office | 8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074 · (713) 785-9484 |
| Author | Sam A. Maida, Jr. — Texas Bar No. 00787950 |
| Reviewer | Bernard G. Johnson III — Texas Bar No. 00796832 |
| Consultation and fee | Free Consultation; Contingency Fee — no attorney’s fee unless there is a recovery |
| Google rating | 4.9 stars from 370 reviews (Google, 21 September 2026) |
| Deadline to file | Two years from the day the cause of action accrues — Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a) |
Who responds to a pedestrian crash in The Woodlands, by location
The agency that writes the report depends on the county and the road. Contact details are from the Township and Sheriff pages read for this page.
| Where the crash happened | Agency usually responding | Non-emergency contact | Court if a lawsuit is filed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County part of the Township | Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, District 6 (9200 Grogan’s Mill Rd) | 936-538-5900 | |
| Harris County part of the Township | Harris County Constable, Precinct 4 | 281-376-3472 | |
| Crashes DPS takes on (as on Woodlands Parkway in 2019) | Texas DPS troopers, with the sheriff | Through the responding agency |
Pedestrian strikes in The Woodlands reported by KPRC 2
Two reports, one on each side of the county line, showing which agency handled each. Victims are not named here.
| Date | Where | What was reported | Agency | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 6, 2019, reported about 4:11 p.m. | Woodlands Parkway near East Panther Creek Drive | Man hit by a vehicle; DPS reported his death just under an hour later | ||
| March 28, 2023, about 6 p.m. | 300 block of Wendtwoods Drive | Child hit by a gray sedan; reported fine, EMS called as a precaution |
Source: KPRC 2 Click2Houston (December 6, 2019; March 28, 2023); read November 5, 2026
Questions people ask after a Woodlands crash
Tap a question to open it.
What should I do in the days after being hit while walking in The Woodlands?
See a doctor and keep every record and bill. Write down the deputy’s or trooper’s name and case number, photograph your injuries and the exact crossing or pathway, keep the shoes and clothing you wore, and note any store, office or home camera that faced the spot. Tell your own auto insurer about the crash, since your policy may pay even when you were on foot, and speak with a lawyer before you give the driver’s insurer a recorded statement.
Does it matter whether I was hit on the Montgomery County or Harris County side?
Yes, in practical ways: a different agency holds the report, and a lawsuit is usually filed in a different county’s courts. The Texas traffic rules and fault rules are the same on both sides. The case number and the responding agency tell us which side the crash was recorded on.
Can a family bring a wrongful death claim after a pedestrian is killed in The Woodlands?
Yes. The spouse, children and parents of the person killed may bring the claim (§ 71.004), generally within two years of the death (§ 16.003). The driver’s liability policy is the first source; when it is small or the driver is unknown, the family’s own auto policies are checked for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
I was jogging in the street because the pathway was closed. Does that hurt my claim?
It can be raised against you, because a pedestrian may not walk on a roadway where an accessible sidewalk is provided (§ 552.006(a)). A closed or blocked path is not an accessible one, so photographs of the closure, signs and detour matter. Any share of fault reduces the recovery; only more than 50 percent bars it (§ 33.001).
How is a pedestrian claim different from a car accident claim in The Woodlands?
Injuries are usually worse because nothing stood between the person and the vehicle, and the pedestrian often has no car of their own involved, so we look at the driver’s coverage first and then at each auto policy held by anyone in the pedestrian’s home. Claims between two drivers are covered on our The Woodlands car accident page.
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Where we are in Houston
Maida Law Firm
8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074
We are on the Southwest Freeway, minutes from the 610 Loop and Sharpstown, and we see clients from across Harris County.
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About the authors
Sam A. Maida, Jr.
Owner and Managing Attorney
Sam A. Maida, Jr. has represented injured Texans in the greater Houston area since the firm opened in 1993.
State Bar of TexasAvvoMartindale-HubbellLawLinkThatCarHitMeLinkedIn
Bernard G. Johnson III
Litigation Managing Attorney
Bernard G. Johnson III is a board certified trial lawyer licensed in Texas since 1996 and a graduate of South Texas College of Law.
Areas We Serve
Maida Law Firm has represented injured Texans across the greater Houston area since 1993. Beyond The Woodlands, we handle cases in:
- Baytown — ExxonMobil refinery workers, Houston Ship Channel mariners, and accident victims.
- Galveston — Jones Act, cruise injury, Longshore Act, and offshore platform claims.
- Katy — Cinco Ranch, Cross Creek Ranch, Cane Island, and surrounding master-planned communities.
- Pasadena — Refinery, petrochemical, workplace, and auto accident claims.
- Sugar Land — Serving Sugar Land and Fort Bend County.
Serving The Woodlands from our Houston office
Maida Law Firm
8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074
We take The Woodlands cases from this Houston office. There is no The Woodlands branch — the consultation is free, and nothing is owed unless we recover for you.
Which court handles a Woodlands injury case?
The Woodlands lies in parts of 2 counties — Montgomery and Harris. A Texas injury suit is normally filed in the county where the crash or incident happened or where the defendant lives, so the courthouse that handles your case depends on which side of the county line you were on.
| County | Courthouse | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | Montgomery County Courthouse | 207 W Phillips St, Conroe, TX 77301 |
| Harris County | Harris County Civil Courthouse | 201 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77002 |
Texas injury deadlines and limits at a glance
| Question | Texas rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline to file most injury lawsuits | Two years from the day the cause of action accrues. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a) |
| Deadline when an injury causes death | Two years, running from the date of death. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(b) |
| If you were partly at fault | You recover nothing if your share of responsibility is greater than 50 percent. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001 |
| Claim against a city, county or state agency | The governmental unit must receive notice within six months of the incident — and a city charter may require notice sooner. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101 |
| Cap on exemplary (punitive) damages | The greater of $200,000, or twice economic damages plus noneconomic damages up to $750,000. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.008(b) |
| Cap on noneconomic damages against a physician or provider | $250,000 per claimant on a health care liability claim. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 74.301(a) |
Where a Woodlands case is filed
Montgomery County Courthouse
207 W Phillips St, Conroe, TX 77301
The Woodlands sits in Montgomery County and 1 more — see the table above, so this is normally where a suit arising there is filed.
Deadlines are shorter than most people expect, and some are shorter than the two years above. The figures here are the general statutory rules, verified against the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and are general information — not legal advice about your case. Ask a lawyer about your own deadline before you rely on any of it.