A pedestrian car accident occurs when a vehicle collides with someone who is walking, running, or standing. These incidents represent some of the most serious traffic-related injuries, often resulting in devastating consequences for victims and their families. Understanding what constitutes a pedestrian accident and its legal implications is crucial for anyone who has been injured or knows someone who has experienced such a traumatic event.
The severity of these accidents stems from the fundamental imbalance between a moving vehicle and an unprotected human body. When thousands of pounds of metal meet flesh and bone, the results are typically catastrophic, making immediate medical attention and legal guidance essential.
While your doctor focuses on helping you heal after an accident, legal guidance is essential to securing the compensation you deserve. Without it, medical bills can quickly become overwhelming. Recovery often means time away from work and difficulty caring for yourself, making fair compensation critical. The car accident attorneys at Jacobs & Dow, LLC can help.
The defining characteristic of a pedestrian accident is the direct physical contact between a moving vehicle and a person on foot. This can involve cars, trucks, motorcycles, buses, or any other motor vehicle. The impact typically occurs when the vehicle strikes you, the pedestrian, though accidents can also happen when a pedestrian falls or is thrown into the path of oncoming traffic.
Unlike drivers and vehicle occupants who benefit from safety features like airbags, seatbelts, and crumple zones, you, as the pedestrian, have no protection against the force of impact. This vulnerability leaves you highly susceptible to serious physical trauma, including broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and internal organ injuries.
Pedestrian accidents can occur anywhere vehicles and people on foot share space. Common locations include:
The location often plays a significant role in determining liability and the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The legal foundation of most pedestrian accident claims rests on proving negligence. Drivers have a legal duty to exercise reasonable care while operating their vehicles, which includes watching for pedestrians and taking steps to avoid striking them. When a driver fails to meet this standard of care, they may be held liable for resulting injuries.
While drivers must generally yield to pedestrians, the specific circumstances of each accident matter. Pedestrians also have responsibilities, such as using crosswalks when available and obeying traffic signals. Courts should consider whether both parties followed applicable traffic laws when determining fault.
Liability in pedestrian accidents isn’t always limited to the driver. Potential defendants may also include:
Drivers using cell phones, eating, or engaging in other distracting activities pose significant risks to pedestrians. Even a brief lapse in attention can result in a devastating collision.
Excessive speed impairs a driver’s ability to react to pedestrians and increases the severity of injuries when accidents occur. Reckless behaviors, such as aggressive driving, increase these risks.
Many pedestrian accidents happen when drivers fail to yield the right-of-way at crosswalks, intersections, or other designated crossing areas.
Accidents frequently occur during dawn, dusk, or nighttime hours when visibility is reduced. Weather conditions like rain, snow, or fog can also contribute to these incidents.
Victims of pedestrian accidents may be entitled to various forms of compensation, including:
This covers:
Given the severity of most pedestrian injuries, medical costs can quickly reach tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Injured pedestrians often cannot work during recovery, resulting in lost income. Compensation may also cover reduced earning capacity if permanent disabilities affect future employment prospects.
Beyond economic losses, victims may receive compensation for physical pain, emotional trauma, and diminished quality of life resulting from their injuries.
When pedestrian accidents result in fatalities, surviving family members may pursue wrongful death claims to recover funeral expenses, lost future earnings, and compensation for their emotional suffering.
Serious injuries from a pedestrian accident can have lasting consequences. At Jacobs & Dow, LLC, our experienced attorneys are dedicated to protecting your rights and ensuring you receive fair compensation. Every pedestrian injured by a motor vehicle deserves a full and careful investigation of their case.
Our New Haven pedestrian accident lawyers have an impressive record of verdicts and settlements. We can help get you the medical care you need and the financial compensation you deserve. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
If you have been injured while walking on the street or in a parking lot, protect your rights by calling us today. Open during weekly business hours and Saturday mornings, we also offer weekend and evening hours by appointment. Contact us today online or by calling (888) 309-5678 to schedule a free initial consultation.
