Pedestrian Injury

pedestrian injury

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more pedestrian deaths occur in California than any other state. The NHTSA also reports that in 2010, 4,280 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes and approximately 70,000 pedestrians were injured. Pedestrian Deaths make up about 13% of all traffic fatalities and pedestrian injuries make up about 3% of all traffic injuries resulting from motor vehicles.

The most common cause of a vehicle striking a pedestrian is that the driver is not paying attention. There are a number reasons why a driver might not be paying attention, including adjusting the radio or dialing a phone number. Speeding is also a very significant factor in causing pedestrian injuries.

Pedestrian Injuries are far more likely to occur in cities rather than rural areas. It is very common for pedestrian injuries to occur at twilight, when visibility is reduced, especially if a driver does not have his lights on. Unfortunately, many drivers do not yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. Collisions with pedestrians occur most often in crosswalks or intersections. Pedestrians have the right of way at crosswalks, and at some intersections, yet it seems that many drivers do not yield the right-of-way because they expect that the pedestrian will not walk in front of their car. At the same time, pedestrians often believe that drivers will do the right thing and yield the right-of-way.

Pedestrian injury also occurs when a vehicle rides up onto the sidewalk and strikes a pedestrian. However, this is less common than collisions at an intersection or crosswalk because cars travel through intersections and crosswalks all day, and only occasionally ride up on sidewalks.

As with any other type of accident, an injured victim is entitled to recover compensation for lost wages, medical bills, and emotional distress and his family may be entitled to recover for loss of consortium. But before a victim of a pedestrian injury can recover, it is necessary to show that the person who hit the injured party was at fault.

Hiring a Los Angeles Pedestrian Injury Attorney

If you have suffered a pedestrian injury it is imperative that you contact an attorney right away. Collisions between a vehicle and a pedestrian cause less damage to the vehicle than a collision between two vehicles. As a result, there is often less physical evidence available to reconstruct the cause of the pedestrian injury. Therefore, it is necessary to send an investigator to the scene of the incident as soon as possible to photograph evidence that may disappear. For example, skid marks from tires can disappear in a short amount of time, and this may be the only evidence that a driver was speeding. It is also necessary to interview witnesses as quickly as possible. Waiting until the case is in progress, which may be months away from the time of an accident, can often result in witnesses moving away or changing their phone numbers.

Proving a Pedestrian Injury case can be challenging and it is important to choose an attorney who will work aggressively to build your case early on. Our skilled Los Angeles pedestrian injury attorneys understand the complexities of personal injury cases and take a multi-pronged approach to the case: immediately engaging in investigation; interviewing witnesses; ensuring that the victim receives adequate medical treatment and physical therapy; assisting the victim to collect documents substantiating claims for lost wages; and interviewing members of the victims family and the victim’s friends in order to substantiate a claim by the victim for compensation for emotional distress.

Los Angeles Pedestrian Wrongful Death Claims

If your loved one has been killed in a pedestrian injury and you believe that another person is at fault for their death, our Los Angeles Wrongful Death Attorneys can help you to determine if you a wrongful death suit is appropriate. Our Los Angeles Wrongful Death Attorneys have years of experience representing the families of wrongful death victims. We understand the complexity of Pedestrian Wrongful Death cases and frequently work with investigators and expert witnesses to ensure that we build a strong case. We will never push for a quick settlement, but will seek to obtain compensation for every loss you have suffered.

Contingency Fee

We take Pedestrian Injury and Wrongful death cases on a contingency basis, which means that we are not paid unless we obtain a favorable verdict or settlement for you. If you win, our fees are paid as a percentage of the award. If we don’t get you anything we do not get anything, so is in our best interests to ensure you get the maximum award possible. Litigation expenses may be paid from the client’s percentage of any recovery or as otherwise agreed between the client and attorney. It’s vital that you contact an Los Angeles pedestrian injury lawyer right away if you have been the victim of a pedestrian accident.