Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

Helping Severely Injured Pedestrians in Los Angeles, CA

Contact our Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney at (866) 634-4525 for a free consultation.

Los Angeles Pedestrian Laws

In Los Angeles, pedestrian laws are designed to protect individuals walking on or near roadways, ensuring their safety while also maintaining traffic order. One of the most fundamental laws states that drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections. This means that even if a crosswalk is not painted, pedestrians still have the legal right to cross at intersections, and vehicles must stop or slow down to allow them to pass safely.

However, pedestrians also have responsibilities under the law. For example, they must obey traffic signals and not suddenly leave a curb or other safe place and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is too close to stop safely. Jaywalking—crossing the street outside of a marked crosswalk or intersection—is technically illegal in many cases, although recent updates to state law have reduced enforcement for such infractions unless they present a safety risk.

Additionally, both pedestrians and drivers are expected to exercise due care at all times to avoid accidents. This means being alert, minimizing distractions, and using reasonable caution, especially in areas with high foot traffic. Understanding and following these laws is essential not only for preventing accidents but also for determining liability when one occurs. When these laws are violated and a pedestrian is injured, we can help investigate the incident and ensure those at fault are held accountable.

Proving Pedestrian Accident Claims

You may assume that drivers might face automatic liability when they hit a pedestrian. This is not the case, because the law requires that any injury victim prove liability before recovering compensation. An accident victim must prove the driver was at fault by showing their negligence. They may accuse the driver of:

• Distracted driving – A driver who is texting or not paying attention to the road ahead may not see a pedestrian and stop in time to prevent a collision.
• Drunk driving – Alcohol can significantly impair a driver’s abilities, slowing reaction times, blurring vision, or diminishing control of the vehicle. All of these can lead a drunk driver to hit a pedestrian.
• Traffic violations – A speeding driver may not slow down enough to allow a pedestrian to cross safely. Drivers who fail to follow traffic signals or properly yield at crosswalks can also crash into pedestrians.
• Assault – In some cases, a driver may actually hit a pedestrian on purpose, out of anger or other criminal motives. A criminal case will not help a seriously injured pedestrian to fully recover compensation. Instead, the pedestrian must seek compensation by filing a claim in civil court.

These are only some of the many negligent or wrongful acts that may lead a driver to hit a pedestrian. In addition, drivers are not the only potentially responsible parties. For example, a vehicle manufacturer may have sold a car with defectively designed or assembled brakes. When an unknowing driver attempts to slow down or stop for a pedestrian and the brakes malfunction, the driver may hit the pedestrian due to no fault of their own.

Catastrophic Injuries Suffered by Pedestrians

Pedestrians who survive accidents involving cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, or other vehicles often suffer serious injuries. Some victims require months or years of intensive medical treatment before they recover, while many other pedestrian accident victims may sustain permanent disabilities.

Pedestrians have no protection if a vehicle crashes into them. Motorists have seat belts and airbags; motorcyclists and bicyclists often wear helmets and other safety gear; but pedestrians have nothing to lessen the force of the impact. Pedestrians can suffer traumatic injuries from the initial collision with the vehicle or they can be thrown into the ground or nearby objects. Catastrophic injuries in a pedestrian accident we have seen include:

• Head and brain injuries – Car accidents often cause pedestrians to hit their heads with extreme force. This can result in skull fractures, facial disfigurement, and serious traumatic brain injuries. Victims may fall unconscious or even enter a coma depending on the severity of the damage. Upon waking, they may show signs of physical impairment, behavioral problems, and cognitive deficiencies. Rehabilitation may be a long-lasting process, and many traumatic brain injury victims will never regain their full capabilities. They may require 24-hour residential supervision for the remainder of their lives.
• Spinal cord injuries – Spinal cord injuries can disrupt neurological messages from the brain, causing loss of function in body parts below the damage. Victims will need emergency immobilization and transportation by medical professionals and will likely spend extended amounts of time in the hospital. Even with the best available treatment, victims can suffer paralysis and never walk again.
• Internal bleeding or other internal injuries – Not all injuries are visible from the outside. Collisions can cause damage to internal organs or rupture blood vessels. Without proper blood flow, oxygen circulation may be dangerously reduced. Internal injuries often require emergency surgery and lengthy hospitalizations—if doctors catch them in time. Some organs may never regain functioning abilities.
• Crush injuries and amputations – Sustained, heavy forces can shatter or crush bones in ways that are difficult, if not impossible, to repair. Severe soft-tissue injuries may likewise be irreversible and result in loss of limb. The rehabilitation process, not to mention the continued care required for prosthetics and other concerns, may require the help of specialists.

Unfortunately, serious injuries like these often change the ability of accident victims to return to their lives. Many must either leave their jobs or scale back dramatically. Some require daily care.

Wrongful Death Claims After Pedestrian Accidents

Under the worst imaginable circumstances, pedestrian accident victims do not survive their injuries. In 2018, more than 6,000 pedestrians died in motor vehicle collisions. Aside from the terrible pain these individuals endure before they pass, their loved ones lose a partner, parent, sibling, or child. Grieving is never easy, and in such cases the deceased may have also been a provider for the family, leaving their survivors in a difficult financial state.

California law gives certain close family members and dependents the right to file a legal claim for wrongful death. Such a claim can seek recovery for many losses, including:

• Burial expenses
• Funeral expenses
• Costs of medical care provided to the loved one before death
• Lost income of the loved one and future financial support
• Lost household services, including childcare, cooking, and cleaning
• Lost love, affection, companionship, moral support, and when appropriate, sexual intimacy

No compensation will ever return your loved one to your family. Compensation can, however, help your family move forward in a better financial position so you can focus on your emotional healing.

Work with Experienced Attorneys to Build a Strong Case

It is not enough to simply accuse a driver or another party of distraction or negligence. The law requires evidence to support claims of liability. Sometimes, if an officer arrested a drunk driver or cited a driver for running a red light, a conviction can help prove negligence. However, most cases are not nearly that simple. Our investigators work hard to determine liability and gather the evidence necessary to prove our clients’ claims. We then use that evidence in settlement negotiations, and at jury trials when necessary.

Even in cases of clear liability, you must further prove the extent of your damages. You cannot simply claim you incurred $2 million in losses—you must provide evidence of those losses. Fortunately, our attorneys are highly skilled at proving when our clients’ enormous losses have reached into the millions of dollars. 

This can include both economic and non-economic damages, such as:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Past and future lost earnings
• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental trauma
• Permanent disfigurement or disability

Our lawyers know that the last thing you want to do after a catastrophic injury is add another concern to your plate. Call Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP for help: We make the legal process as stress-free for our clients as possible. Do not delay, because you may risk losing your right to seek compensation if you wait too long and allow the statute of limitations to expire.

Contact Our Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Evaluation

Our Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorneys always aim to pursue full and fair compensation for pain and suffering, current and future medical expenses, lost wages and lost future earning capacity, and permanent disability for every client in each case. We also know how to successfully obtain wrongful death damages for the families of pedestrian accident victims who did not survive.

You can call our team at (866) 634-4525 to schedule a free consultation. See why we have more million-dollar verdicts and settlements than any other firm in California.