Have you or a loved one been the victim of a pedestrian accident in San Diego County? Did the accident result in missed time at work, health and medical issues as well as pain and emotional suffering? Did the accident result in the death of the victim? Any of these scenarios may entitle you to benefits and financial compensation according to California personal injury law.
California recorded the highest number of pedestrian deaths in 2017. In the first six months of 2017 alone, 352 pedestrians in California lost their lives. Throughout the United States, over 5,000 die in traffic crashes annually. An El Cajon pedestrian accident can cause permanent injuries and thousands of dollars in medical costs for the victim if he or she survives.
Discuss your case with an El Cajon pedestrian accident attorney at the Law Offices of Howard Kitay if you or a loved one have serious injuries from a recent pedestrian accident. You may be eligible for compensation. Our lawyers have the skill, resources, and experience for a strong case. Why choose us?
- Our trial lawyers can maximize recovery by taking a case to court if settlement negotiations are not enough.
- Our attorneys have decades of combined experience handling all types of personal injury and wrongful death claims in California.
- Our firm believes in focusing on the person behind the personal injury, not the profit. We take all types of cases, big and small.
- Our lawyers only charge attorneys’ fees if they achieve a financial settlement or jury verdict award on the client’s behalf.
Call the San Diego pedestrian accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Howard Kitay to discuss your case. Let Mr. Kitay and his staff put their experience to work for you and get you the benefits you deserve by law. Call (619) 442-0542 for a FREE CONSULTATION.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
In 2012, 4743 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, and another 76,000 pedestrians were injured. This averages to one crash-related pedestrian death every 2 hours, and a pedestrian injury every 7 minutes. Pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash on each trip.
Any collision between a car and a pedestrian can lead to severe injuries to the pedestrian. In some situations, the pedestrian may be held partly responsible for the crash. However, even in such situations, the driver of the motor vehicle is often at least partly negligent. If the driver was violating traffic laws, or otherwise failed to act like a reasonable person would have under the circumstances, the driver would be at least partly liable for any injuries caused by the collision.
Facts About Pedestrian Collisions
The main cause of pedestrian accidents is negligence – either that of the pedestrian or the driver. A driver could cause a collision by texting and driving, other cell phone use, speeding, rolling through stop signs, and failing to yield the right-of-way. Not paying adequate attention to the road is a common type of negligence that injures and kills hundreds of pedestrians each year. However, many factors can contribute to a pedestrian collision in California.
- Light level. About 75% of fatal pedestrian accidents in the U.S. happen in the dark.
- Street design. Low-visibility crosswalks or lack of safe pedestrian passageways can endanger people who walk the city.
- Environmental hazards. Bad weather, uneven sidewalks, construction zones, and other hazards in the environment can contribute to pedestrian accidents.
A pedestrian accident is more likely to occur when one or both parties engage in some act of negligence. Reckless driving, cell phone use, and distracted walking can all contribute to serious pedestrian collisions. When an accident does happen, it is up to the victim to pursue compensation
Pedestrian Accidents Are Most Likely to Occur When:
- Careless drivers ignore the presence of pedestrians in pedestrian-friendly areas such as parking lots or school zones;
- Pedestrians cross the street without the aid of a signal or crosswalk;
- Motorists fail to turn on their headlights at night; and
- Drivers fail to yield the right of way at intersections.
It is important to remember that pedestrians must obey traffic lights and crossing signals. But once a pedestrian lawfully enters a crosswalk, all drivers must yield.
Injuries Caused by Pedestrian Accidents:
Pedestrian accidents are often catastrophic and can result in permanent disabilities such as:
- Severe head trauma
- Broken neck
- Serious spinal cord injuries
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Amputations
- Wrongful death
If you or a loved one has been injured or harmed in a pedestrian accident in El Cajon, you should seek competent legal advice as soon as possible.
In cases like these, insurance companies almost always blame the pedestrian for the cause of the accident. Please don’t be fooled by an insurance claims adjustor or a defense attorney trying to convince you that you or a loved one are the cause of the accident. These types of cases need to be taken to an experienced San Diego pedestrian accident attorney to be handled properly. At the Law Offices of Howard Kitay, we take all pedestrian accidents seriously. Please call us for a FREE CONSULTATION.
Dangers & Damages of Pedestrian Accidents
There is no end to the dangers that cars pose to people walking, which is exactly why there are laws to protect pedestrians. If you would like to take action against a negligent or reckless driver, please contact us today. You have the legal right to claim compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional duress
- Lost wages
- Disfigurement
- Punitive damages
- Wrongful death
If you were injured in a San Diego pedestrian accident, you should pursue all necessary medical treatment and call The Law Offices of Howard Kitay as soon as possible. If necessary, we can help arrange medical treatment, with no payment by you until the end of the case. Our experienced attorneys will investigate the accident, collect all the related police, insurance, and medical reports, and bring together the strongest case possible in support of your claim.
Proving Liability
A successful pedestrian accident claim could result in payment for the victim’s past and future medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and disability costs. Obtaining compensation in California requires proof of someone else’s responsibility for causing the collision. It is the victim’s attorney’s job to prove the defendant’s negligence and fault through a preponderance of the evidence. This means the attorney must demonstrate the defendant’s breach of duty, and the connection between the breach and the accident, to a judge or jury
Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation
The Law Offices of Howard Kitay want to protect El Cajon’s pedestrians. We understand laws surrounding careless drivers, pedestrian zones, crosswalks, and intersections. We use our knowledge and legal experience to benefit victims of pedestrian accidents. If you suffered an injury or a loved one died in a recent pedestrian accident, contact us for a free case evaluation. You and your family could qualify for financial recovery.
A pedestrian accident lawyer can help you gain the financial security you need to pay medical bills, make up for lost wages, and deter dangerous drivers and others from harming pedestrians. It is important to understand that you must file a personal injury lawsuit within a certain amount of time after your pedestrian accident. Most personal injury lawsuits have a statute of limitations of two years. Contact the Law Offices of Howard Kitay today at 619-442-0542 to discuss you’re holding the responsible party responsible for your injuries. Our San Diego pedestrian accident attorneys fight hard for all of our clients to recover full and fair compensation.