Pedestrians have the right to walk in designated areas without having to fear for their safety. Pedestrians have to obey traffic laws and avoid entering busy streets to ensure that they do not put themselves in danger. Unfortunately, important traffic laws are often disregarded – leading to pedestrians often being involved in accidents.
Were you involved in a pedestrian accident? Did you suffer injuries? Did a member of your family lose his or her life after a pedestrian accident? If you or a member of your family were involved in a pedestrian accident, you might have grounds to pursue a claim. Based on the details of the pedestrian accident, you might even be eligible to receive compensation. If you would like to discuss your claim with the Norwalk pedestrian accident lawyers at Eldessouky Law, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience.
The Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Although many people assume that pedestrian accidents only occur due to reckless drivers, this is far from the truth. There are many causes associated with pedestrian accidents. In most cases, pedestrian accidents are preventable. Some of the most common reasons behind pedestrian accidents include the following:
- Drivers getting behind the wheel while drunk or on drugs
- Pedestrians walking while drunk or on drugs
- Drivers driving recklessly, ignoring traffic signals and laws.
- Drivers failing to give pedestrian the right of way.
- Pedestrian disregarding traffic laws and entering streets or crossing streets when it is not safe to do so.
- Agencies failing to address dangerous roads conditions
Was the pedestrian accident that affected you and your family caused by any of the multiple reasons mentioned above? If so, it is essential that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible – you likely have the right to sue and receive compensation.
The Injuries Associated with Pedestrian Accidents
In general, pedestrian accidents are associated with many injuries – most of which are severe. Pedestrians are no match for vehicles. Pedestrians are likely to be left suffering critical injuries; in many cases, the injuries are so severe that injured pedestrians do not survive. Common injuries include head injuries, brain injuries, neck injuries, back injuries, shoulder injuries, hip injuries, knee injuries, and spinal cord injuries, for instance. In the likelihood that pedestrians survive these accidents, it is possible that the injuries suffered will significantly reduce victims’ quality of life.
Do You have the Right to Sue?
Pedestrian accident claims are based on negligence. Negligence is based on four elements – a duty of care, a breach of duty, cause, and harm. All drivers owe pedestrians a duty of care to pedestrians. All agencies have a duty of care to keep their road conditions safe for all parties. All pedestrians have the duty to be cautious when walking anywhere near traffic. When parties breach their duty of care, they act recklessly and create dangerous situations which can lead to accidents.
In most cases, pedestrian accidents have a clear liable party. However, a significant number of pedestrian accidents are hit-and-run accidents. What happens when the party that is liable for the pedestrian accident does not stop? In these cases, establishing liability is difficult and might even be impossible. In cases where the hit-and-run drivers are eventually identified, victims and their families could pursue claims against the liable drivers. Many hit-and-run accidents, however, are unresolved. When there is no liable party to take action against, victims can file insurance claims with their own personal insurance coverage.
For more information about liability in pedestrian accidents, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance as son as possible. You and your family likely have the right to pursue a claim.
Recovering Compensation
After suffering a pedestrian accident, could you recover compensation? If you file a claim that reaches a successful outcome, you will likely be eligible to recover compensation. Whether you suffered injuries or a member of your family lost his or her life, you could recover compensation. Some of the compensation that you might be eligible to receive could include the following:
- Medical costs – for all expenses associated with medical care necessary after the accident
- Lost income – for the loss of income or financial support resulting from the accident
- Pain and suffering – for the mental and emotional distress caused by the accident
- Loss of consortium – for the loss of the ability to have a normal relationship with the victim
- Funeral and burial costs – for the expenses associated with the victim’s death
- Punitive damages – awarded to punish the defendant (not always applicable)
If you would like to learn more about the type and amount of compensation that you might be eligible to receive, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at Eldessouky Law.
Contact Our Law Firm
At Eldessouky Law, we are dedicated to representing all the parties that have been affected by personal injury accidents – especially pedestrian accidents. We understand how you and your family have been affected by the unfortunate pedestrian accident, and we want to help you fight for your right to recover the compensation to which you are entitled. If you were affected in a pedestrian accident in Norwalk, CA, do not hesitate to contact our experts.
