When an Antioch resident decides to go out for a walk, the last thing they expect is to be injured in a pedestrian accident. However, in 2017, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety, 35 pedestrians were injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents. When negligence by a motorist leads to an accident involving someone on foot, an experienced Antioch pedestrian accident lawyer can help the injured person get fair compensation to cover their expenses and reimburse them for their pain and suffering.

We’ve seen many traumatic injuries to pedestrians as experienced Antioch pedestrian accident attorneys. We strongly believe those injured or losing a loved one should not bear the financial loss when negligence is the cause. Our law office has the resources and experience to investigate a pedestrian injury accident to get clients the compensation they deserve.

Pedestrians who use safety precautions are less likely to be caught unaware and injured in an accident. Some tips that might help include:

• Always look in each direction before crossing a street. Most pedestrian accidents happen at crosswalks.
• Don’t talk on your cell phone or listen to music while crossing. It can keep you from hearing an approaching vehicle.
• Always try to use a crosswalk, even if you must walk an additional block to find one.
• Wait for the traffic to completely stop before crossing.
• Listen for unusual noises such as fast braking, a vehicle accelerating, or car horns.

If an Antioch pedestrian is injured or dies because of negligence by another person or entity, we are here to help. We can handle negotiations with the insurance company and all the legal issues, and we are comfortable presenting a case in civil court to get you the damages you deserve. It has been shown that those who use an attorney often receive two to three times the compensation than when they go about it alone. Take advantage of our free case review to see how we can help you.

There are many ways a motorist can be negligent and cause accident injuries to a pedestrian. Following are some that I have seen over the years:

• Accidents in crosswalks: There are several reasons an accident with a pedestrian can happen in a crosswalk. The driver may have their vision obscured and still try to proceed. The driver may be speeding and unable to stop in time to avoid striking a pedestrian or might run a stop sign or red light. The driver may also turn without looking first for a pedestrian already crossing the street.
• Texting while driving: Texting, along with other forms of distraction, such as talking with passengers or checking GPS, can lead to a serious pedestrian accident.
• Drunk or drugged drivers: A driver on drugs or alcohol cannot judge the distance from a pedestrian, may be weaving all over the roadway, and has their vision affected. This can easily lead to an accident involving a pedestrian.
• Speeding: Speeders often cause severe injuries and fatalities, especially to those more vulnerable, such as pedestrians. The speed of a vehicle when it strikes someone on foot is directly related to the extent of injuries and an increase in fatalities.
• Backing up: Motorists who exit a driveway or parking area without looking for pedestrians cause serious injuries.
• Larger vehicles: Those who drive vehicles raised up off the ground or large trucks have blind spots that prevent them from seeing a pedestrian.
• Failure to yield: These types of accidents generally happen if a traffic light is red or flashing yellow or when a driver is making a turn. Even if a pedestrian is crossing against the light or has already turned, the motorist is still expected to yield the right away to avoid injuries.

The video below provides road safety tips for pedestrians.

To place a successful claim for personal injury compensation following a pedestrian accident, it has to be proven that an at-fault party owed a duty of care to the injured person, failed in that duty, and that an injury and a financial loss occurred. This is where the help of an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer from Antioch comes into play. The claim is proven through the collection of evidence and the construction of a strong case. We immediately send our investigators to the accident site to collect evidence before it is covered up or disappears. Some of the areas in which they investigate include:

• The police report is reviewed for inaccuracies, and witness statements are taken.
• The investigators perform accident reconstruction, which shows the vehicle’s and pedestrian’s positioning before, during, and after the collision. This can show negligence on the part of the driver, such as speeding.
• The roadway is checked for damage that might have contributed to the crash, such as upheavals, potholes, defective traffic or crossing signals, and more.
• If it is suspected that the driver was texting at the time, phone records can be subpoenaed to show it contributed to the accident.
• Traffic lights and nearby buildings are checked for surveillance cameras, which may have captured the accident on video. This provides compelling evidence to support the client’s compensation claim.

Our lawyers go to work, building a solid case in favor of our client once all the evidence has been gathered. In some pedestrian injury accident claims, a fair settlement can be reached with the insurance provider for the at-fault party. In other cases, a settlement that would pay for all the injured client’s expenses cannot be reached. In those cases, the lawyers can prepare to take the case to civil court so the client can obtain the compensation they deserve.

If you’ve suffered a pedestrian accident injury, call me for my free and friendly advice at (925) 428-5220 or (800) 404-5400. Since 1982, we’ve helped Antioch residents obtain compensation for their pedestrian accident injuries, traffic accidents, wrongful deaths, and cases involving brain injuries. Look over cases that our firm handled in the past on our Settlements and Verdicts page.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 9.15.23] Photo by Kaique Rocha from Pexels cd llo ds [cs 1051]}