It can all happen in a flash…
One second you are crossing the street. The next second you are at the hospital with a pile of medical bills, lost wages and a long, long recovery process.
Here’s the thing though…
Pedestrians have legal options. And one of the most important things you can do is get informed about those options so you can get the compensation you deserve after an accident. In this article, we will cover:
Table of Contents
Get Informed, Get The Compensation You Deserve
Don’t let negligent drivers walk all over your rights.
The Governors Highway Safety Association reports 7,148 pedestrians were killed on U.S. roads in 2024. That’s enough people to fill over 30 Boeing 737 planes.
It’s gotten much worse…
Pedestrian deaths rose 80% between 2009 and 2023, while other traffic fatalities increased just 16% during that same time period, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.
Those are just deaths. But they are all real people with families that deserve justice when a negligent driver causes harm.
How Personal Injury Law Can Help Pedestrians
Personal injury law for different types of cases can provide ways to help victims recover compensation when another person’s negligence causes harm. In the case of pedestrian accidents, this legal area becomes absolutely critical.
It works like this…
A driver that fails to yield, speeds through a crosswalk or otherwise drives negligently or distracted and hits a pedestrian can be held liable for the victim’s damages. The experienced attorneys at Greenberg and Ruby Injury Attorneys know the law around pedestrian accidents and how to build strong cases for those who get injured while on foot.
The key things to understand is that personal injury law covers pedestrian accidents in the following ways:
In each case, you have to establish that the driver owed the pedestrian a duty of care and that they breached that duty through their actions.
What To Do After A Pedestrian Accident
Acting quickly after a pedestrian accident can determine whether a case succeeds or fails. Here’s what to do to protect your rights:
These steps set the stage for a strong personal injury case.
Types Of Compensation Available For Pedestrians
Pedestrian accident victims may be entitled to many different forms of compensation. Here are the most common:
Severity of injuries is the biggest factor determining the amount of compensation. Mild injuries may lead to smaller settlements. Catastrophic injuries with permanent disability and life long treatment needs can lead to multi-million dollar verdicts or settlements.
Why Legal Representation Matters After A Pedestrian Accident
Insurance companies offer settlements right after accidents and they are almost always far lower than what victims truly deserve.
Why? Because they are banking on injured pedestrians not knowing the full extent of their losses. Medical bills can add up fast. Future medical needs may not be apparent for weeks or months. Lost earning potential can develop over time.
Legal representation can:
Statistics prove again and again that accident victims with legal representation receive much higher recoveries than those who represent themselves.
Comparative Negligence In Pedestrian Accidents
One thing to know is that sometimes the at-fault driver will argue that the pedestrian shared some of the blame for an accident. The pedestrian was jaywalking or walking in the road instead of the sidewalk. Maybe the pedestrian was looking down at their phone and not paying attention.
Most states have comparative negligence laws that reduce compensation by the percentage of fault assigned to the victim. In some states, pedestrians that are found more than 50% at fault for an accident can be barred from recovery completely.
This is precisely why legal representation matters. Experienced attorneys know how to counter these arguments and fight to protect their clients’ rights to full compensation.
Pedestrian Accident Case Recap
Pedestrian accidents can be devastating. It’s not just the physical injuries. It’s the financial hit. It’s the emotional trauma.
Pedestrians don’t have to navigate it all alone though. Personal injury law is here to help.
The law provides several paths to compensation for pedestrians when they are injured by a negligent driver. That includes medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and more.
Here’s a recap of the most important points covered above:
But do not delay. There are time limits on filing claims. The sooner you take action, the better your chances of a fair recovery. Getting hit by a car shouldn’t mean having to face the aftermath by yourself.
