Americans enjoy walking for a variety of reasons. Whether we take a leisurely walk for recreation, run for exercise, or commute to work, walking is a physically and environmentally healthy mode of transportation. Yet, traveling on foot can be dangerous, and pedestrian accidents remain among the most dangerous of all traffic situations. If you were injured while walking, talk to a pedestrian accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, to learn about your legal rights.
Since pedestrians have no physical protection during a crash. When a car, truck, bus, or motorcycle strikes someone on foot, their injuries are often severe and sometimes catastrophic. Negligent or reckless drivers generally hit pedestrians because they don't pay attention, violate traffic laws, or simply don't give walkers the right of way when required. If you have suffered injuries in a pedestrian accident as a result of a negligent or careless motor vehicle driver, the law permits you to seek financial compensation in civil court.
The experienced pedestrian accident attorneys at Dolman Law Group are available to discuss your accident and injuries, determine your eligibility for compensation, and devise the best course of action for your individual circumstances. Call us today at 833-552-7274 (833-55-CRASH) for a free consultation.
When You Need a Pedestrian Accident Attorney Who Gets Results, You Need Dolman Law Group
The skilled legal team of personal injury lawyers at Dolman Law Group has extensive experience representing clients who have sustained injuries because of other people's negligence, including those who are injured in pedestrian accidents. The firm's dedication to client advocacy, case preparation, and pursuing justice for injured Americans has led to the recovery of more than $400 million in damages from settlements and verdicts.
Some recent case results include:
- $3.2 million for a client who suffered a brain injury in a truck accident
- $1.75 million for a client who suffered a shoulder injury and mild brain injury in a truck accident
- $1.58 million for a client when a car accident caused two herniated discs to pinch his spinal cord
- $750,000 for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a rear-end car accident
- $500,000 for a client who suffered a brain injury in a severe car accident
- $425,000 for a client who sustained a lower back injury after a car accident
- $165,000 for a client who suffered a herniated disc as a result of a motor vehicle accident
These results only serve as examples and cannot guarantee an outcome for your pedestrian accident case. Each claim has distinctive characteristics that can increase or decrease its value, making it impossible to predict a financial outcome.
Yet, when you partner with the experienced personal injury lawyers at Dolman Law Group, we will aggressively pursue the best outcome possible for your individual circumstances. In addition to investigating your case and negotiating with insurance companies and/or defendants, we can take your case to trial when settlement isn't an option.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
A wide array of scenarios might lead to a dangerous or fatal pedestrian accident, but negligent motorists are almost always responsible. Some common causes of pedestrian accidents include:
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
When drivers get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or taking drugs, they put everyone on the road at risk, including pedestrians. When drivers are impaired, they cannot process all the information that comes at them while driving. Similarly, they cannot react as quickly and struggle with judging distance. Even if a drunk or drugged driver sees a pedestrian in time to slow their vehicle, they might not be able to react in time to prevent an accident.
Failing to Yield to Pedestrians
Motor vehicle drivers have an elevated duty of care to pedestrians when they are behind the wheel. The vast majority of pedestrian accidents occur because drivers fail to uphold their duty and don't yield to pedestrians, potentially causing injury or death, especially at crosswalks.
Driving Distracted
Sometimes, the failure to yield to pedestrians occurs as a result of distracted driving. Recent nationwide crackdowns on texting and driving have led to an overall reduction in these accidents. Before the new laws, texting and driving was a secondary violation where law enforcement had to pull a driver over for something else, such as speeding or a broken taillight, before issuing a citation for driving while distracted. Now, most states consider distracted driving, especially cell phone use behind the wheel, a primary violation.
Unfortunately, cell phone use isn't the only distraction that can lead to a dangerous pedestrian accident. Some other culprits include:
- Adjusting vehicle features such as radios, seats, climate control, and sunroofs
- Eating or drinking
- Reaching on the floor or in the backseat for dropped items
- Tending to backseat passengers
- Having arguments or heavy conversations with occupants
- Personal grooming, such as brushing hair and putting on makeup
- Focusing on an event outside of the vehicle, typically a traffic accident
- Daydreaming
Any activity that takes a motorist's hands off the wheel, eyes off the road, or mind away from driving can lead to a traffic accident, putting pedestrians at risk for injury or death.
Driving Drowsy (Fatigued Driving)
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for regulating the trucking industry. This entity has devoted ample resources to studying the relationship between sleep and driving because truckers often have demanding schedules that interfere with a good night's rest. Regardless of whether a driver is operating a big rig or driving a personal vehicle, those who don't get enough sleep risk causing an accident.
The FMCSA found that 18 hours without sleep impairs a person's body to the same extent that a 0.08 blood alcohol level causes impairment. This means drowsy or fatigued drivers cannot react to pedestrians or might fall asleep at the wheel and cause a fatal accident. Fatigue and drowsiness can also be a result of untreated sleep disorders, poor health, and the improper use of prescribed medications.
Reckless Driving
Many different driving behaviors might fall under the umbrella of reckless driving, but each share the same characteristic—a complete disregard for the law and safety of others on the road. Reckless drivers may:
- Speed excessively,
- Refuse to slow down in inclement weather,
- Dart in and out of traffic
- Exhibit road rage and
- Generally ignore traffic regulations
These careless motorists risk striking a pedestrian and causing serious or catastrophic injuries.
In these situations, pedestrians usually don't see the accident coming and have little time to get out of the way and avoid injury. Because reckless and careless drivers don't pay attention to their surroundings, it's unlikely they are looking for pedestrians. If a pedestrian is suddenly present, the driver is traveling too fast or making dangerous maneuvers that don't give them the time to react and avoid striking someone on the road or even on a sidewalk.
Poor Road Maintenance
Some situations exist where those responsible for road maintenance might share liability for a pedestrian accident with one or more motorists. When roads are in disrepair and have potholes or sinkholes, a pedestrian might trip and fall when crossing traffic and suffer injuries after a vehicle strikes them. Or, when a vehicle strikes a pothole, the driver could lose control and veer into people standing on the side of the road.
Similarly, when traffic control devices, including signs and signals, are missing or not working properly, vehicles might not stop when they are supposed to and strike pedestrians crossing the road. Pedestrians always have the right of way, but when traffic control devices fail, drivers might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid an accident.
Defective Vehicles or Vehicle Parts
When a vehicle has a mechanical failure because of a defect, the driver can lose control, leading to a treacherous traffic accident. Automobile makers and automobile part manufacturers have a responsibility to put cars and car parts on the market that are safe for consumer use. Yet, sometimes defects occur during the design and manufacturing stages of a vehicle or vehicle part.
Often, it's too late to fix the defect, and manufacturers don't typically know about it until people have been hurt or killed. Some defects that might cause pedestrian accidents include failed braking systems or brake pads and defective tires that can lead to blowouts and loss of control.
Common Injuries Our Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Handle
We understand how devastating any vehicle crash can be. However, people involved in pedestrian collisions usually face more severe injuries, longer rehabilitation and recovery processes, higher medical expenses, and a greater impact on their lives than a typical car crash victim. A compassionate pedestrian accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group can help injury victims suffering from:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Broken/fractured bones
- Internal injuries and bleeding
- Soft Tissue Injuries
- Amputation
- Paralysis and
- Other debilitating and life-altering conditions
Let a Pedestrian Accident Attorney at Dolman Law Group Pursue Damages For You After a Pedestrian-Vehicle Crash
Sustaining injuries in a pedestrian accident gives you the right to bring an insurance claim or lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident. If our skilled injury lawyers negotiate an agreeable settlement or we convince the court to rule in your favor, you could receive compensation for many of the losses you are facing as a result of your accident and injuries.
Some common legal damages our pedestrian accident lawyers can demand include:
- Medical treatment costs, including ambulance and emergency services, hospitalization, X-rays and other diagnostic imaging, surgery, aftercare, travel to and from the doctor, and prescription medication
- Future medical costs when a pedestrian accident causes a severe injury requiring multiple surgeries, extensive recovery, or a permanent disability which requires the accident victim to receive continued treatment and care
- Rehabilitation costs to help an accident victim recover lost function(s) and learn how to cope with any permanent loss, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and mental health services
- Costs of assistive devices such as canes, wheelchairs, walkers, and artificial limbs
- Lost income for time away from work as a consequence of hospitalization, treatment, and recovery
- Lost earning capacity when a pedestrian accident causes a catastrophic injury, preventing an accident victim from returning to their job or seeking gainful employment in the future
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of consortium with a spouse
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Other economic and non-economic costs that might apply to specific cases
- Punitive damages when the pedestrian accident is a result of willful harm or gross negligence
If you lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident, you might be eligible for compensation from a wrongful death lawsuit. In general, the law entitles eligible survivors to recover some of the above damages as well as funeral expenses and burial or cremation costs. One of our wrongful death attorneys can explain more about your specific rights, answer any questions you might have, and advise you on the best course of action for you and your family.
Reach Out to a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer at Dolman Law Group to Learn More
The compassionate pedestrian accident lawyers at Dolman Law Group understand the challenges you might be facing in the aftermath of a pedestrian-vehicle crash. Our firm can help you hold at-fault parties accountable for their actions. We can handle the details of your claim, investigate the circumstances of your accident, and gather relevant evidence such as medical records and police reports.
We can also contact potential witnesses, take statements, and build the strongest case possible against the negligent parties. While you focus on recovering from your injuries, we can deal with stingy insurance carriers and work hard to negotiate a settlement agreement. If that's not possible, we'll fight for you in the courtroom to convince the judge or jury that you deserve compensation for your pedestrian accident injuries and the losses you incurred as a result.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries as a result of a pedestrian accident, you shouldn't have to deal with the financial burden when another party caused your injuries. Contact Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, by filling out our online contact form or by calling 833-552-7274 (833-55-CRASH) today. Don't wait any longer. Reach out for a free case evaluation with one of our skilled pedestrian accident attorneys now.