As a pedestrian, you should feel safe to walk or run without the fear of getting hit by a motor vehicle. At Golden State Accident Lawyers, our attorneys are sympathetic to your situation and want you to recover, no matter how your accident occurred. We also understand that the average victim may not have the resources, time, and money to pursue a claim on their own. This is where we can help.
At our San Francisco law firm, our team is trained to help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries and other losses related to your accident. Here are more reasons to hire us:
- No Fee, No Risk: Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning our clients don’t pay a dollar unless we win them financial compensation.
- We Get Results: We have helped clients recover millions of dollars in settlements and we maintain a 99% success rate.
- We Represent Victims, Not Corporations: Some firms represent large corporations that have billions to spend and not much to lose. We only represent victims of auto and pedestrian accidents.
- Our Door Is Always Open: Whether you walk into our office or call us, we are always open and available to speak about your case.
A collision can cause severe injuries to a pedestrian, such as broken bones, head trauma, or internal bleeding. Even if the physical injuries are not serious, the pedestrian may suffer from emotional distress and PTSD. According to the CDC, pedestrians who are at a higher risk of injury or death are children and adults over the age of 65. Below are some of the most common types of pedestrian accident injuries:
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Internal injuries
- Upper extremity injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputation
- Dental injuries
- Eye injuries
Recovering from any of these injuries takes time and patience. While you recover, it’s important to reach out to an experienced personal injury lawyer who can help you calculate your losses and file a personal injury claim.
The main goal of a pedestrian accident case is to restore the victim’s life through financial compensation. Determining what compensation you qualify for depends on the severity of your injuries, your quality of life, the other party’s insurance company policy, and more. You may be entitled to recover compensation for the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Disability and disfigurement
- Loss of earning capacity and future wage loss
- Loss of consortium
- Personal property damage
Our San Francisco pedestrian accident attorney knows how to obtain the maximum compensation according to each client’s needs. Let us help you get your life back to normal.
To have a successful pedestrian accident claim, you will need to prove that the other driver’s negligence caused your injuries. To do this, you need to show:
1. Duty of Care
The other party owed you a duty of care to act reasonably and safely. For example, drivers have a duty to obey traffic laws and watch out for pedestrians.
2. Breach of Duty of Care
The other party breached their duty of care by acting carelessly or recklessly. For example, drivers breach their duty when they speed, run red lights, text while driving, or drive under the influence.
3. Causation
The other party’s breach of duty caused your injuries. For example, you were hit by a driver who ran a red light and suffered a broken leg.
4. Damages
You suffered actual harm or losses as a result of your injuries. For example, you incurred medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and reduced quality of life.
Proving liability can be challenging, especially if the other party tries to blame you for the accident or minimize your damages. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced San Francisco pedestrian accident attorney. A lawyer can help you gather important evidence, like the police report and witness statements, to prove the other driver was negligent and caused you pain.
What If I Was Jaywalking?
Even if you were injured while jaywalking, you may still be able to seek compensation. California is a pure comparative fault state, which means that you can obtain compensation even if you are 99% at fault. The amount of compensation depends on how much each party contributed to the accident. For instance, if the pedestrian was 40% responsible and the driver was 60% responsible, the pedestrian can still obtain 40% of their total damages.
Despite adopting the Vision Zero policy, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths on its streets by 2024, the San Francisco Bay Area continues to have a higher rate of pedestrian injuries and fatalities than the national public health target. In 2022, 37 people were killed on San Francisco streets – the highest number since 2014.
According to the same study, many of the most dangerous intersections in the city are along Market Street and in the Mission District. Other traffic-related injuries occur in the Tenderloin and SoMa neighborhoods.
Pedestrian Laws in California
Both drivers and pedestrians must obey the rules of the road to keep themselves and others safe. Some of the most important pedestrian laws in California are:
- Pedestrians have the right-of-way at intersections with a marked or unmarked crosswalk. They should obey Walk and Do Not Walk signs.
- Pedestrians must not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.
- Pedestrians must not cross the street outside a crosswalk if there is one nearby, except when it is safe to do so.
- Pedestrians must not cross a street between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic signal devices or by police officers, except in a crosswalk.
You may be feeling hopeless in your pursuit of justice after a pedestrian accident. You are also likely to be experiencing physical and emotional pain. Our experienced San Francisco pedestrian accident attorneys will help you on your path to financial recovery and accountability for the at-fault party. We work day and night to ensure our clients receive the best possible outcome after a difficult situation. We hope you never have to go through this again. Our legal team is available 24/7 to discuss your case in a free case evaluation. Schedule your initial consultation today by calling (415) 636-6474 or filling out this online form.