Throughout Marysville and the rest of California, many people go outside and walk, jog, run, hike, or even sit close to roadways every day. There are no negative consequences associated with these decisions for many people, but when a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle, the consequences are often tragic.

According to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,735 pedestrians were killed and approximately 66,000 injured in 2013. This does not include individuals killed or injured on private property, including parking lots and driveways. There are many different reasons for these high numbers, but the sad reality is that negligence often plays a significant role in pedestrian accidents.

Under California’s law, a vehicle must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk or traversing an intersection in a non-marked walkway. This means that most, if not all, collisions between a motor vehicle and a pedestrian in these locations result from driver negligence. Many other pedestrian accidents are also the driver’s fault, in whole or part. It is crucial to retain a dedicated and skilled Marysville Yuba City Pedestrian Accident Lawyer as soon as possible to pursue all available legal remedies.

There are many causes of accidents involving a motor vehicle and pedestrians, but some of the more common causes include:

• Driving while distracted – This broad catchall includes talking on the phone, texting, eating or drinking, attending to personal hygiene, arguing with a passenger, or engaging in any other action that takes a driver’s focus off the road.
• Driving while fatigued
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Failing to yield
• Failing to stop at a stop sign or light
• Speeding
• Failing to signal a turn
• Aggressive driving

Regardless of the type of negligence that led to the accident, the fact is that many of these collisions leave the pedestrian with severe, long-term injuries. This means they are also faced with daunting medical expenses, an inability to work at their chosen careers, a long path to recovery involving therapy and rehabilitation, and extensive physical pain and emotional suffering. This often places a significant burden on family members. In the terrible case where a pedestrian was killed because of a driver’s negligence, the family members also suffer from the devastating loss of the love and services the deceased would have provided. It is possible to recover damages through settlement or court action based on the nature of the injuries and the type of case that is brought.

Watch the video below for tips on pedestrian safety.

A pedestrian who has been injured in a collision with a car faces the possibility of many different types of injuries. In many accidents, a pedestrian’s arms, legs, and head are impacted most severely. Some common injuries from this type of accident include:

• Brain injuries, which may lead to a coma
• Spinal injuries, including damage that results in paraplegia or quadriplegia
• Broken or fractured bones
• Limb amputation
• Permanent disfigurement
• Death

A person injured or lost a loved one following a collision between a motor vehicle and a pedestrian should immediately contact a skilled Marysville Pedestrian Accident Attorney.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury from an accident involving a pedestrian and a vehicle, call me now at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. You can also call us for friendly advice during a free initial consultation. The Marysville Pedestrian Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Edward Smith are ready to get to work for you immediately.

See our Verdicts and Settlements page.

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 7.26.23] Photo by Pixabay}