Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Philadelphia Pennsylvania

According to the statistics for car-pedestrian accidents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 4,000 people die and more than 50,000 get injured in pedestrian accidents every year. In Pennsylvania, 148 people died and 4,474 people were injured in car-pedestrian crashes in 2010. The majority of deaths are children ages 10-15 and people over 75. Most people are struck by cars when they are crossing a street, entering a crosswalk, walking a dog, or jogging on the side of the road. When a car collides with a pedestrian, there is high potential for serious bodily injuries.

It is true that of all motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents tend to be the most fatal. Unlike motor vehicle drivers, pedestrians do not have any external protection. Therefore, when pedestrians are hit by motor vehicles, they have nothing to protect their bodies from serious injury and direct impact. Once a person has been hit by a motor vehicle such as a car, truck, or motorcycle, he/she has a great chance of sustaining a life-threatening head injury, brain injury, neck injury, spinal cord injury, or burn injury. These types of injuries are labeled catastrophic because they are physically debilitating and life threatening. Catastrophic injuries demand lifelong medical care and treatment. Unfortunately, most people who survive serious pedestrian accidents never regain their normal quality of life.

When drivers fail to exercise caution or do not follow traffic laws, and pedestrians are injured, the negligent driver can be held liable. After a person has been struck by a motor vehicle accident, he/she is legally entitled to seek compensation from the negligent driver. A pedestrian may seek monetary damages for his/her: medical expenses, injuries, lost wages, lost future income, physical and mental impairment, property damage, and pain and suffering.

If you or someone you know has been struck by a car in Pennsylvania, the Lassen Law Firm, Philadelphia personal injury attorneys, can help you recover damages lost as a result of medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other costs associated with the accident. At the Lassen Law Firm, our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys have been successfully representing victims of pedestrian accidents for more than a decade and our outstanding team of Philadelphia personal injury lawyers has the skills, expertise, knowledge and aggressiveness to get the best results for our clients.

Under Pennsylvania law, both drivers and pedestrians have obligations and duties. Motorists and pedestrians must exercise caution while on the road to ensure safety to everyone using the road.

Drivers' Duties

Drivers must yield to people in crosswalks and at intersections with lights. Drivers should exercise special caution in crowded areas and school zones, because there is high potential that a person will enter the roadway.

When a person in the roadway ahead of a car is obviously crossing the road, or has entered the driver's lane while in the process of crossing the road, drivers should exercise appropriate caution and should yield as necessary to avoid accident.

Crosswalk

Drivers must pay attention to crosswalks, whether at intersections or at other points in the roadway to avoid creating a significant risk of car-pedestrian accidents. Drivers should ensure that people are not crossing the road before passing through a designated crosswalk.

Traffic Signals

Drivers must not ignore traffic controls, particularly those which specifically relate to pedestrian traffic. Violations of traffic light laws significantly increase the chances of an accident.

Pedestrians' Duties

Pedestrians can avoid being hit by cars; collisions rarely occur outside of the roadway. Crossing roadways, however, is inevitable, and most all of us cross many streets daily, especially if we live in a city. By exercising due caution and following pedestrian rules, many car-pedestrian accidents may be prevented.

The basic pedestrian rule requires people walking to look both ways before attempting to cross the street. When people are crossing roads outside of crosswalks, they are required to yield the right-of-way to all motor vehicles on the road, regardless of the perceived speed of the motor vehicle. When people are walking on roads that don't have sidewalks, the law requires them to walk against the flow of traffic.

When pedestrians exercise due caution before entering a road, the chances of being struck by a car are very low. Most accidents resulting in injuries occur when people walking ignore traffic controls, jaywalk, or walk on a limited access highway. Many pedestrian accidents involving children occur when a child runs out on the road unexpectedly chasing a pet or a toy.

Walk/Don't Walk

Traffic controls are usually timed such that when the signal switches from "walk" to "don't walk", a person no longer has time to safely cross the roadway. When a "don't walk" sign is on, people walking in the road should continue to cross, but people standing on the corner should wait for the next light. If there are no control devices, no person should enter a roadway once a traffic light controlling the intersection turns yellow. Pedestrians are required to cross in a crosswalk and wait for a green light.

Jaywalking

Jaywalking is crossing the street in inappropriate or unexpected locations. Not only is jaywalking prohibited by law and carries penalties, but it is also one of the major causes of severe injuries in car-pedestrian accidents. The Lassen Law Firm, Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys, urges everyone to cross in a designated crosswalk or at an intersection to ensure safety.

Highways

Highway traffic moves at high speeds, and highway drivers do not expect pedestrians. This makes pedestrian traffic on limited access highways extremely dangerous. When a roadway is marked "No Pedestrians", people choosing to walk on it may be violating the law and putting themselves at a great risk for serious bodily injury.

In addition, pedestrian accidents occur when a driver or a passenger of a disabled vehicle gets out of the car in order to either inspect the car, push it to safety, or some other reason and gets struck by a fast-moving car. [Please read the Lassen Law Firm blog "Two People Killed on Route 309 in Pennsylvania" for more information on what to do when your vehicle breaks down on a highway.]

If you have been struck by a car or another vehicle, please call the Lassen Law Firm, Pennsylvania personal injuries lawyers, to learn about your right to recover financial compensation for your injuries. The Lassen Law Firm has been successfully representing clients who have been hit by a car, reaching high settlements to the great satisfaction of its clients.

The Lassen Law Firm only deducts a 29% contingency fee, not the standard 45% like other firms. We serve ALL of Pennsylvania. We can sign you up over the phone and start working on your case today.

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Authored by: Christian Lassen