Pedestrian Injuries

cartwrightlaw - October 10, 2022 -

When a car or truck strikes a pedestrian, the pedestrian may fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries. Unlike car and truck occupants, pedestrians do not have a thick metal shell or outer covering surrounding them in an accident. Rather, they experience direct exposure to their surrounding environment.

In most instances, pedestrian accidents happen because of driver negligence. If you or someone you care about suffered injuries in a pedestrian collision, you have legal options available to you. In addition to seeking prompt medical treatment at a hospital ER or urgent care facility, you should talk with a knowledgeable California pedestrian accident attorney right away. 

The skilled legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. can determine your eligibility for filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit. If you are eligible, we can help you pursue the monetary damages you deserve. 

Types of Injuries

Whenever a car or truck forcefully strikes a pedestrian, the pedestrian may fall to the ground and suffer debilitating injuries. These injuries may require hospitalization, surgical procedures, and ongoing physical therapy. In some instances, pedestrian accident victims suffer permanent impairments. These injuries are unlikely to improve over time. 

The specific injuries that a pedestrian accident victim suffers will depend upon the force of the impact and how they fall to the ground – including which body parts they strike. Common pedestrian accident injuries include:

• Traumatic head and brain injuries
• Soft tissue contusions
• Broken bones
• Internal organ damage
• Spinal cord injuries 
• Paralysis injuries
• Death

If you suffered injuries in a pedestrian crash, it is important that you seek same-day medical treatment at an emergency facility. The medical provider on duty can take the necessary MRIs, CAT scans, and x-rays to determine your medical condition. If you need to undergo an emergency surgery or other procedure, the hospital physician can arrange that. Finally, the physician can recommend follow-up medical treatment if your symptoms worsen. For example, you may need to follow up with an orthopedic doctor, neurosurgeon, or physical therapist.

While you focus on recovering from your pedestrian accident injuries, a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. can begin advocating for you. Our legal team can start gathering your medical records and bills, assembling a settlement demand package on your behalf, and pursuing the monetary compensation you deserve for your injuries.

How Pedestrian Accidents Happen 

When a pedestrian is walking in a marked or unmarked crosswalk, they have the right-of-way. Therefore, drivers have a duty to be on the lookout for pedestrians at all times. When drivers fail to do this – and they inadvertently strike a pedestrian – both they and their insurance companies may be responsible for the resulting damages.

In most instances, pedestrian accidents result from driver error. When drivers operate their vehicles in a careless and reckless manner, they increase their chances of causing a serious accident. Some of the most common causes of pedestrian collisions include:

• Speeding — Many drivers are in a hurry to get to their final destination. When they exceed the posted speed limit, especially around traffic intersections, they may not see a pedestrian who is lawfully present in the crosswalk, causing their vehicle to strike the pedestrian and injure them.
• Aggressive driving — When drivers are in a hurry and operate their vehicles aggressively, they may miss a pedestrian on a nearby sidewalk or in a crosswalk, negligently striking them and causing them to fall.
• Failing to yield the right-of-way — Some negligent drivers fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are lawfully present in a crosswalk. At other times, a driver might run a yellow or red traffic light in a hurried attempt to get through a traffic intersection. In the process, they may negligently strike a pedestrian.
• Distracted driving — A distracted driver is one who fails to watch the road carefully. Electronic devices in vehicles, such as cellular phones, tablets, and GPS navigation systems, may distract a driver from watching the road. Moreover, loud music playing in a vehicle, as well as disruptive passengers, can prove distracting. When a driver looks down or turns their head away from the road, they may not see a pedestrian and negligently strike them. While these types of accidents may occur near traffic intersections, they can also happen in parking lots and parking garages where pedestrians are present.
• Intoxicated driving — Passenger vehicle drivers are legally intoxicated if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.08 percent. Minors who are under 21 years old and commercial vehicle drivers, including tractor-trailer operators, must follow stricter standards. Alcohol often impairs a driver’s vision and delays their reaction time. Consequently, an impaired driver may not see a pedestrian or be able to stop their vehicle in time to avoid an impact.

Filing a Timely Claim or Lawsuit

If you suffered injuries in a pedestrian crash, it is important that you retain a knowledgeable California pedestrian accident attorney at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. to represent you as soon as possible. This is because pedestrians only have a limited period of time in which to file a claim or lawsuit for damages. Specifically, in pedestrian accident cases, victims only have two years from their accident date to seek monetary compensation. If they file their claim or lawsuit even one day late, they waive their right to recover the damages they deserve.

Our experienced legal team can help you file a timely personal injury claim and negotiate a favorable settlement offer with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Potential Damages

The damages that a pedestrian accident victim may recover in their claim or lawsuit typically depend upon various factors. Those factors include the nature and extent of their injuries, the medical treatment they underwent for those injuries, and the cost of their treatment. Generally speaking, the more serious your injuries and extensive your medical treatment, the higher the medical compensation you may recover in your case.

First, pedestrian accident victims could recover compensation for their related medical expenses, including the costs associated with doctor visits, medical procedures, and physical therapy. Moreover, if the accident victim had to miss time from work, they might be eligible to recover their lost wages – or make a successful claim for loss of earning capacity.

In addition to these economic damages and out-of-pocket costs, a pedestrian accident victim could recover damages for their past and future pain and suffering, mental distress, loss of earning capacity, loss of the ability to use a body part, loss of life enjoyment, and loss of spousal companionship. Our experienced team of California pedestrian accident attorneys will do everything possible to help you maximize the compensation you recover in your claim or lawsuit.

Contact a California Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a person you care about sustained injuries in a pedestrian accident, it is important that you retain experienced legal counsel to represent you as quickly as possible.

The experienced legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. can help you negotiate a favorable settlement from the insurance company and pursue the full amount of damages you deserve. If the insurance company will not take your case seriously, your lawyer can file a lawsuit in court and represent you at all legal proceedings, including settlement conferences, arbitration hearings, and jury trials. 

To schedule a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a knowledgeable California pedestrian accident lawyer, please call us at (415) 851-6486 or contact us online today. 

When a car or truck strikes a pedestrian, the pedestrian may fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries. Unlike car and truck occupants, pedestrians do not have a thick metal shell or outer covering surrounding them in an accident. Rather, they experience direct exposure to their surrounding environment.

In most instances, pedestrian accidents happen because of driver negligence. If you or someone you care about suffered injuries in a pedestrian collision, you have legal options available to you. In addition to seeking prompt medical treatment at a hospital ER or urgent care facility, you should talk with a knowledgeable California pedestrian accident attorney right away. 

The skilled legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. can determine your eligibility for filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit. If you are eligible, we can help you pursue the monetary damages you deserve. 

Types of Injuries

Whenever a car or truck forcefully strikes a pedestrian, the pedestrian may fall to the ground and suffer debilitating injuries. These injuries may require hospitalization, surgical procedures, and ongoing physical therapy. In some instances, pedestrian accident victims suffer permanent impairments. These injuries are unlikely to improve over time. 

The specific injuries that a pedestrian accident victim suffers will depend upon the force of the impact and how they fall to the ground – including which body parts they strike. Common pedestrian accident injuries include:

• Traumatic head and brain injuries
• Soft tissue contusions
• Broken bones
• Internal organ damage
• Spinal cord injuries 
• Paralysis injuries
• Death

If you suffered injuries in a pedestrian crash, it is important that you seek same-day medical treatment at an emergency facility. The medical provider on duty can take the necessary MRIs, CAT scans, and x-rays to determine your medical condition. If you need to undergo an emergency surgery or other procedure, the hospital physician can arrange that. Finally, the physician can recommend follow-up medical treatment if your symptoms worsen. For example, you may need to follow up with an orthopedic doctor, neurosurgeon, or physical therapist.

While you focus on recovering from your pedestrian accident injuries, a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. can begin advocating for you. Our legal team can start gathering your medical records and bills, assembling a settlement demand package on your behalf, and pursuing the monetary compensation you deserve for your injuries.

How Pedestrian Accidents Happen 

When a pedestrian is walking in a marked or unmarked crosswalk, they have the right-of-way. Therefore, drivers have a duty to be on the lookout for pedestrians at all times. When drivers fail to do this – and they inadvertently strike a pedestrian – both they and their insurance companies may be responsible for the resulting damages.

In most instances, pedestrian accidents result from driver error. When drivers operate their vehicles in a careless and reckless manner, they increase their chances of causing a serious accident. Some of the most common causes of pedestrian collisions include:

• Speeding — Many drivers are in a hurry to get to their final destination. When they exceed the posted speed limit, especially around traffic intersections, they may not see a pedestrian who is lawfully present in the crosswalk, causing their vehicle to strike the pedestrian and injure them.
• Aggressive driving — When drivers are in a hurry and operate their vehicles aggressively, they may miss a pedestrian on a nearby sidewalk or in a crosswalk, negligently striking them and causing them to fall.
• Failing to yield the right-of-way — Some negligent drivers fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are lawfully present in a crosswalk. At other times, a driver might run a yellow or red traffic light in a hurried attempt to get through a traffic intersection. In the process, they may negligently strike a pedestrian.
• Distracted driving — A distracted driver is one who fails to watch the road carefully. Electronic devices in vehicles, such as cellular phones, tablets, and GPS navigation systems, may distract a driver from watching the road. Moreover, loud music playing in a vehicle, as well as disruptive passengers, can prove distracting. When a driver looks down or turns their head away from the road, they may not see a pedestrian and negligently strike them. While these types of accidents may occur near traffic intersections, they can also happen in parking lots and parking garages where pedestrians are present.
• Intoxicated driving — Passenger vehicle drivers are legally intoxicated if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.08 percent. Minors who are under 21 years old and commercial vehicle drivers, including tractor-trailer operators, must follow stricter standards. Alcohol often impairs a driver’s vision and delays their reaction time. Consequently, an impaired driver may not see a pedestrian or be able to stop their vehicle in time to avoid an impact.

Filing a Timely Claim or Lawsuit

If you suffered injuries in a pedestrian crash, it is important that you retain a knowledgeable California pedestrian accident attorney at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. to represent you as soon as possible. This is because pedestrians only have a limited period of time in which to file a claim or lawsuit for damages. Specifically, in pedestrian accident cases, victims only have two years from their accident date to seek monetary compensation. If they file their claim or lawsuit even one day late, they waive their right to recover the damages they deserve.

Our experienced legal team can help you file a timely personal injury claim and negotiate a favorable settlement offer with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

Potential Damages

The damages that a pedestrian accident victim may recover in their claim or lawsuit typically depend upon various factors. Those factors include the nature and extent of their injuries, the medical treatment they underwent for those injuries, and the cost of their treatment. Generally speaking, the more serious your injuries and extensive your medical treatment, the higher the medical compensation you may recover in your case.

First, pedestrian accident victims could recover compensation for their related medical expenses, including the costs associated with doctor visits, medical procedures, and physical therapy. Moreover, if the accident victim had to miss time from work, they might be eligible to recover their lost wages – or make a successful claim for loss of earning capacity.

In addition to these economic damages and out-of-pocket costs, a pedestrian accident victim could recover damages for their past and future pain and suffering, mental distress, loss of earning capacity, loss of the ability to use a body part, loss of life enjoyment, and loss of spousal companionship. Our experienced team of California pedestrian accident attorneys will do everything possible to help you maximize the compensation you recover in your claim or lawsuit.

Contact a California Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a person you care about sustained injuries in a pedestrian accident, it is important that you retain experienced legal counsel to represent you as quickly as possible.

The experienced legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. can help you negotiate a favorable settlement from the insurance company and pursue the full amount of damages you deserve. If the insurance company will not take your case seriously, your lawyer can file a lawsuit in court and represent you at all legal proceedings, including settlement conferences, arbitration hearings, and jury trials. 

To schedule a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a knowledgeable California pedestrian accident lawyer, please call us at (415) 851-6486 or contact us online today. 

Our successful case results are a reflection of the values and virtues we believe in and uphold at Cartwright Law Firm. Nothing stops us from pursuing justice on behalf of those who need it.

Robert E. Cartwright Jr.
Founder and Managing Partner