Pedestrian Accidents
Most of us are pedestrians at one time or another every day. Unfortunately, not all drivers observe the rules of the road governing rights-of-way at crosswalks, stoplights, or stop signs.
According to the National Safety Council, more than 100,000 pedestrians were injured and approximately 5,900 pedestrians were killed by drivers of cars last year. Statistically, young children and the elderly are more likely to be killed or injured in a pedestrian accident.
Washington state laws give pedestrians the right of way and drivers of cars must stop to allow pedestrians and bicycles to cross the road within a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
A legal crosswalk exists at every location where roads intersect and every crosswalk is a crosswalk even if not marked as one.
Many pedestrian accidents are caused by the negligence of the driver of a car. Some of the causes are the drivers:
failure to yield the right-of-way
failure to stop at a marked or unmarked crosswalk
failure to come to a complete stop at a stop sign or traffic light
failure to stop before turning right on red at an intersection
failure to provide enough room for pedestrians or bicyclists on a street or road
failure to keep a proper lookout
drunk driving
inattentive driving (including using a cell phone)
reckless driving
speeding
Making a Pedestrian Accident Claim Against a City/County/Municipality
Crosswalks can give pedestrians a false sense of security. Sometimes marked crosswalks are not properly maintained and do not adhere to Federal standards. Some of the factors in pedestrian accidents in which cities, counties, and governmental entities may be held liable:
broken traffic lights
poorly timed traffic lights which do not allow a pedestrian enough time to cross the street
poorly maintained or designed crosswalks
insufficient lighting
improper crosswalk design or poorly placed crosswalk
confusing or missing signage
worn or missing pavement striping
raised or broken concrete
Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrians who have been hit by a car often suffer catastrophic injuries. In some accidents, pedestrians are thrown up on the hoods of cars, run over, dragged down the street, and thrown against concrete. Pedestrian accident victims suffer some of the following injuries:
coma
dislocated shoulders and hips
paraplegia
quadriplegia
lacerations
scarring
Free Consultation
(425) 455-9087
Your Case is Important to Us - Free Consultation
Herb Farber and the attorneys in the network of The Farber Law Group provide a free case consultation to people seriously injured in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. If your injuries are serious and you cannot come to see us, we can arrange to visit you at Harborview Medical Center, Overlake Hospital Emergency & Trauma Center, Evergreen Hospital, or one of the other trauma centers throughout the state. We have represented injured victims for more than 45 years and we believe every injured person should have access to legal advice. For your Free and Confidential consultation, contact us today at (800) 244-9087.