Crashes at Wilcrest & Westheimer.

Why this intersection is dangerous

A high-volume west Houston intersection where Westheimer's six-lane configuration meets dense residential and retail cross-traffic on Wilcrest. Recent Houston traffic-fatality reports have highlighted this intersection specifically in connection with the city's record 2024 traffic death toll.

Crash patterns our attorneys see at this intersection

Pedestrian fatalities have been notably elevated here. Angle collisions at the signal phases, rear-end crashes in congestion, and left-turn collisions from the protected/permissive signal phases.

Common injury types

Severe pedestrian injuries reflecting higher vehicle speeds. Driver injuries from angle collisions including cervical spine injury and traumatic brain injury.

Evidence that needs to be preserved — fast

This intersection has drawn attention from Houston's Vision Zero program and local media. Municipal records — including prior complaint history, signal-timing reviews, and pedestrian-safety studies — can become relevant evidence in severe cases.

Every injury case is stronger when evidence is locked down early. We send preservation letters to every business within line-of-sight of the crash, request dashcam footage from rideshare platforms, subpoena traffic engineering records where relevant, and obtain the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report (CR-3) as soon as it becomes available through TxDOT's Crash Records Information System.

What to do right now if you were injured here

• Get medical care even if you feel okay — adrenaline masks injuries, and gaps in treatment are the #1 argument insurance companies use to reduce claims.
• Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company without an attorney. You are not legally required to.
• Do not sign a release or accept a quick settlement offer in the first days or weeks. Early offers are almost always far below case value, and signed releases are permanent.
• Document everything: photos of the vehicles, the intersection, debris, skid marks, traffic signals, weather, and any visible injuries.
• Call an attorney before insurance pressure builds. Consultations are free — a bad early statement costs tens of thousands in recovery.

Texas law that will shape your case

Two-year statute of limitations

Under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003, most personal-injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the date of injury. Claims against government entities — for example, if a signal malfunction is part of the case — can require notice in as little as 90 days under the City of Houston charter. Read our full statute of limitations guide →

Modified comparative fault — the 51% bar

Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule: if you are 50% or less at fault, you recover damages reduced by your fault percentage. At 51% or more, you recover nothing. Insurance adjusters push fault onto victims aggressively to trigger the 51% cliff. How the 51% bar works →

Stacking coverage beyond the at-fault driver's policy

At high-volume intersections like Wilcrest & Westheimer, catastrophic injuries frequently exceed the at-fault driver's minimum Texas liability limits (30/60/25). Our firm maps every potentially available policy — the at-fault driver's personal policy, any employer coverage if the driver was on the job, commercial umbrellas, your own UM/UIM coverage, and in drunk-driver cases, potential dram shop liability against bars that over-served.

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Information on this page about crash patterns and frequency at this intersection is drawn from publicly available sources including the Texas Department of Transportation Crash Records Information System (CRIS), City of Houston ARC-GIS data, Houston-Galveston Area Council reports, and widely-reported news coverage. This page is general information, not legal advice for your specific case.