Pedestrian Accidents

San Diego County Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

San Diego has amazingly beautiful weather – it’s why many of us choose to live here

We love to get out on the road for walks, jogs, or just a casual stroll. As leisurely and safe as these activities seem, pedestrians are highly vulnerable to significant injury if hit by a car.

The Rules of the Road

Both motorists and pedestrians must abide by California law. Under the California Vehicle Code section 21950, drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing a roadway within a marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk. A driver approaching a pedestrian is expected to reduce speed and take other actions necessary to safeguard the pedestrian. But, as we all know from everyday experiences, drivers are often distracted these days, often times texting of using other cell phone apps. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle needs a highly experienced attorney to recover fair compensation for their injuries, even in a case that may seem straightforward.

Hit While Jaywalking

Pedestrians often cross roadways outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk. California law prohibits jaywalking and pedestrians illegally crossing a road should yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic. However, just because a pedestrian is outside a crosswalk does not relieve a driver of a duty of care. The motorist must still take action to avoid a pedestrian, even one who is jaywalking.

Hit and Run on a Pedestrian

Experienced personal injury attorneys, in conjunction with law enforcement, frequently track down hit-and-run drivers. There are many tools at our disposal, like dash cam footage and security cameras at nearby businesses. Even if the at-fault driver cannot be identified, Coast Law Group’s attorneys may be able to secure significant compensation for victims of hit and run accidents.

• 2018: 893 pedestrians were killed on California roadways, a 26% increase from 2014.
• 2018: More than 14,000 pedestrians injured.
• Pedestrian deaths rose 26% percent between 2014 and 2018.
• Nearly 7,500 pedestrians have died in California between 2009 and 2018.
• California’s pedestrian fatality rate is almost 25% higher than the national average.
• No state has more pedestrian deaths on its roadways than California.

When the City or State is at Fault

IIn rare cases, a city or the State of California may be legally liable for injuries that occur when a pedestrian is struck by a car. Poor roadway design, inadequate lighting conditions and other factors may create a basis for liability. California is a comparative negligence state. That means each party involved in an accident is assigned a percentage of fault.

Talk to an experienced attorney about all facts involved in your accident. A city of the state may be liable when:

• A crossing signal and/or stop light are malfunctioning, showing both parties they have the right of way at the same time.
• Crosswalks are missing proper signage to warn drivers of pedestrians in the roadway.
• Streets have been poorly designed, such as placing a crosswalk in the middle of a sharp curve.
  

Your pedestrian accident lawyer will likely have to gather present a significant volume of evidence to establish these claims. Proving the liability of a governmental agency can be extremely difficult and there are formidable obstacles to overcome, including very short time frames in which to assert a claim. It is thus critical to hire a skilled attorney without delay following a pedestrian accident.

When a pedestrian accident happens and you are not at fault, it’s critical for you to have experienced attorneys on your side. Get a hold of us today at (760) 942-8505 to get the process started.