Being struck by a car, truck, or motorcycle while walking can change your life in an instant. Between potentially catastrophic injuries and missing time from work, it can feel impossible to recover physically, emotionally, or financially. When a negligent driver fails to watch for pedestrians, California law allows victims to pursue compensation for their medical bills, lost income, and long-term harm.
Our personal injury attorneys at Dunnion Law have been helping victims of pedestrian accidents and their families fight for accountability and compensation since 1975. We are here to guide you through every step of the process and take on the legal burden so you can focus on recovery. Let a Fresno pedestrian accident lawyer aggressively pursue the compensation you need to rebuild your life.
In California, the law favors pedestrians over drivers when there is a collision between the two. According to California Vehicle Code § 21950, those behind the wheel have a duty to yield the right-of-way to people walking in crosswalks, even if they are unmarked.
Still, pedestrians have their own duty to use reasonable care for their own safety. That means staying alert and obeying signals, avoiding sudden movements into traffic. California follows a system of pure comparative negligence, which means that when both parties share some level of fault, the pedestrian can still recover partial damages. The amount is reduced proportionately to the percentage of fault attributed, even if that means only recovering 1 percent of the damages. For example, if you are awarded $20,000 but are found to be 75 percent responsible, you can still recover $5,000.
Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, for fatal pedestrian accidents, the victim’s family can pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim. These allow surviving loved ones to hold negligent parties accountable and recover financially.
A Fresno pedestrian wreck attorney from Dunnion Law can help you recover the compensation you deserve, even if you share some degree of fault in the crash.
Unfortunately, accidents involving vehicles and people walking are often preventable. When a driver’s negligence is to blame, busy intersections can lead to high-speed collisions. Common causes include:
All it takes is a momentary lapse in attention to cause life-changing harm. For every case, we conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind what really happened.
Proving a driver’s negligence can mean obtaining surveillance footage and eyewitness testimonies. This crucial evidence can be deleted or lost within days, so it is important to act immediately following a crash in Fresno and retain a pedestrian accident attorney.
The damages from a pedestrian can be medical and monetary. Many victims suffer from fractures, spinal cord injuries, and internal bleeding. Some are even left with chronic pain, lasting physical impairment, or limited mobility for the rest of their lives. The emotional and financial repercussions can include years of therapy, lost wages, and significant inconvenience, which can sometimes compound the stress.
Victims can pursue damages for hospital bills and medical expenses, rehabilitation, and emotional distress, as well as for disfigurement, pain and suffering, and any reduction in quality of life. Additionally, if the accident affected earning potential, compensation can also cover any lost income.
If a pedestrian died, a wrongful death action can cover funeral costs, any lost financial support, and emotional distress or grief. Typically, these actions can be filed by the victim’s spouse, child, or grandchildren if their children are deceased. In some cases, other dependents or heirs who financially relied on the deceased can also recover through a wrongful death action.
Our pedestrian accident lawyers work to recover all available types of damages, helping individuals and their families in Fresno recover from the trauma and regain financial stability.
Before telling the insurance company about the accident, we recommend that you speak first with one of our personal injury lawyers. If you must talk to the insurance company, do not consent to being recorded, and limit your conversation to the vehicle’s condition and location so that its damage can be assessed.
See MoreUnder most circumstances, the information you remember can often be enough for us to provide some guidance for your case. However, the more information you have in hand, the more effectively we can determine whether you have a case, and help get it underway.
See MoreEven though you may not be at fault for the accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will not pay for your medical bills, nor your property damage, until they complete their own liability and damage evaluation. Until then, you must make payment on medical costs associated with your accident or, have your health insurance pay them while your case is underway. It’s important to make sure that all of your medical providers bill your health insurance.
See MoreIn California, the insurer of the at-fault party must respond and acknowledge your accident claim within 15 days. Typically, the insurance company will begin their accident assessment which can take anywhere from a few days to several months to complete depending on the parties, circumstances and other details related to the accident.
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A collision involving a pedestrian and a vehicle can include extensive injuries and multiple liable parties. Our legal team can help you build a strong case for maximum compensation, ensuring you meet all deadlines and gather the necessary evidence to hold all responsible parties accountable.
At Dunnion Law, we know how to manage communication with insurers, explore all recoverable damages, and work to give you the peace of mind you deserve. Reach out to us today to speak with a Fresno pedestrian accident lawyer.
