Pedestrians have every right to feel safe on our streets. If a driver's carelessness left you injured while walking, the law can help you recover what you've lost. Start here to understand your options.
Expert information to help you understand your rights and options
When insurance does not provide fair compensation for pedestrian injuries, lawsuits may be necessary to recover full damages. Pedestrian accident litigation involves proving driver negligence and documenting extensive injuries. Learn how pedestrian lawsuits work and what to expect.
Your actions immediately after being hit by a vehicle affect both your recovery and your legal claim. Getting medical attention, documenting the scene, and reporting to police are essential. Follow this guide for what to do after a pedestrian accident.
Drivers backing up have a duty to ensure their path is clear before reversing. When they hit pedestrians in parking lots, driveways, or streets, liability is usually clear. Learn about backup camera limitations, blind spot issues, and pursuing claims for reverse collision injuries.
Pedestrians in crosswalks generally have right-of-way that drivers must respect. When drivers fail to yield and cause collisions, liability is typically straightforward. Learn about crosswalk laws, marked vs unmarked crosswalk rights, and pursuing claims for crosswalk injuries.
Distracted drivers looking at phones, adjusting GPS, or eating instead of watching the road cause preventable pedestrian injuries and deaths. Phone records and witness testimony can prove distraction. Learn about proving driver distraction and pursuing maximum compensation.
Intoxicated drivers who hit pedestrians face strong liability and potential punitive damages. Beyond the driver, bars and restaurants that over-served may face dram shop liability. Learn about drunk driver pedestrian claims, evidence preservation, and holding all responsible parties accountable.
Hit-and-run drivers leave injured pedestrians without an obvious defendant. Uninsured motorist coverage, crime victim compensation funds, and investigation to identify fleeing drivers provide recovery options. Learn how to pursue compensation after a pedestrian hit-and-run.
Bus stop areas present unique pedestrian hazards from buses, other vehicles, and poor facility design. When accidents occur at bus stops, multiple parties may share liability. Learn about bus stop accident claims and potentially liable defendants.
Construction sites create pedestrian hazards through blocked sidewalks, falling debris, equipment operation, and inadequate warnings. Contractors and property owners may be liable for failing to protect passersby. Learn about construction site pedestrian claims and establishing negligence.
Inadequate street lighting, parking lot illumination, or building exterior lights contribute to pedestrian accidents when drivers cannot see walkers. Property owners and cities may be liable for dangerous lighting conditions. Learn about lighting-related claims and proving negligence.
Parking lot pedestrian accidents involve backing vehicles, speeding through lots, and failure to watch for walkers. Determining fault requires understanding parking lot rules and shared responsibility. Learn about parking lot pedestrian claims and liability considerations.
When commercial trucks or buses strike pedestrians, injuries are often catastrophic or fatal due to size differences and blind spots. Commercial vehicle claims involve multiple potentially liable parties. Learn about truck and bus pedestrian accident claims and available compensation.
Sidewalks should be safe pedestrian spaces, but vehicles jump curbs, cyclists ride illegally, and hazardous conditions cause injuries. When sidewalk accidents occur, liability may fall on drivers, property owners, or municipalities. Learn about sidewalk pedestrian accident claims.
Being hit outside a crosswalk does not automatically bar your claim—drivers must still exercise reasonable care toward all pedestrians. Comparative fault may reduce your recovery but typically does not eliminate it. Learn about jaywalking accident claims and overcoming fault arguments.
Turning vehicles frequently fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and driveways, causing serious accidents. Drivers making turns must watch for crossing pedestrians. Learn about turning vehicle pedestrian accidents, right-of-way rules, and proving driver fault.
Speeding dramatically increases pedestrian fatality rates—impacts at 40 mph have 85% fatality rates versus 10% at 20 mph. Speeding also indicates driver negligence. Learn about speed-related pedestrian claims, proving excessive speed, and seeking enhanced damages.
Pedestrian accident settlements vary significantly based on injury severity, liability clarity, and available insurance. Severe injuries often result in substantial recoveries. Learn typical settlement ranges, factors that affect case value, and maximizing your pedestrian accident claim.
Being struck by a vehicle commonly causes leg, pelvis, hip, and rib fractures that may require surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Some fractures result in permanent mobility limitations. Learn about pedestrian fracture injuries, treatment costs, and calculating compensation for broken bones.
Internal bleeding, organ damage, and internal fractures may not show immediate symptoms after being struck by a vehicle—but can be life-threatening. Always seek medical evaluation after any pedestrian accident. Learn about internal injury symptoms, delayed diagnosis, and legal implications.
Being struck by a vehicle can cause spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis and lifetime care needs. Pedestrian spinal injury claims must account for decades of future medical expenses, lost earnings, and quality of life impacts. Learn about spinal injury claims and calculating lifetime damages.
Pedestrians struck by vehicles frequently suffer traumatic brain injuries from impact with vehicles or pavement. TBIs range from concussions to severe injuries with permanent cognitive impairment. Learn about pedestrian TBI claims, documenting brain injuries, and pursuing adequate compensation.
After being hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian, multiple insurance policies may apply—the driver auto liability, your own UM/UIM coverage, MedPay, and health insurance. Understanding which policies apply maximizes your recovery. Learn the pedestrian insurance claims process.
Every state sets strict deadlines for filing pedestrian accident lawsuits—typically 2-3 years from the accident date. Missing the deadline permanently bars your claim regardless of how serious your injuries are. Find your state deadline and any exceptions that may apply.
When pedestrians share fault for accidents—jaywalking, distracted walking, or ignoring signals—comparative fault rules may reduce compensation. Some states bar recovery above certain fault thresholds. Understand how comparative negligence works and protecting your pedestrian accident claim.
Establishing that a driver negligently caused your pedestrian injuries requires evidence of their breach of duty. Police reports, traffic cameras, witness statements, and physical evidence all contribute to your case. Learn what proves driver negligence and building a strong claim.
Children struck by vehicles require special legal considerations—different negligence standards apply to child behavior, damages must account for lifetime impacts, and school zone rules may affect liability. Parents pursue claims on behalf of injured minors. Learn about child pedestrian accident claims.
Electric scooters on sidewalks and in crosswalks create collision risks with pedestrians. When e-scooter riders strike walkers, liability questions involve rider negligence, local regulations, and potentially scooter company responsibility. Learn about e-scooter pedestrian accident claims.
Older pedestrians face higher injury severity, longer recovery times, and different damage considerations in accident claims. Pre-existing conditions and age-related factors complicate but do not defeat claims. Learn about senior pedestrian accident claims and valuing these cases properly.
School zone accidents carry heightened liability because drivers must exercise extra caution where children are present. Speed limits, crossing guards, and signage create specific duties. Learn about school zone pedestrian accident claims and proving driver negligence.
Autonomous vehicle accidents raise novel liability questions—is the safety driver, manufacturer, or software company responsible? As self-driving technology spreads, pedestrian accidents involving AVs require specialized legal analysis. Learn about AV liability theories and pursuing these complex claims.
Cities may be liable when dangerous road designs, missing crosswalks, broken signals, or poor maintenance contribute to pedestrian accidents. Government claims face special procedural hurdles including notice requirements and immunity limits. Learn about municipal pedestrian accident claims.
When pedestrian accidents cause death, surviving family members can pursue wrongful death claims for funeral expenses, lost financial support, and loss of companionship. These claims have unique requirements and short deadlines. Learn about fatal pedestrian accident claims and family rights.
