Pedestrian Accidents

Contrary to popular belief, in the United States, pedestrian accidents transpire with almost the same frequency as conventional motor vehicle collisions.

Being the most unprotected at the time of impact, a pedestrian usually suffers very serious, traumatic injuries OFTEN resulting in fatality and death. Pedestrians that survive traumatic injuries resulting from collisions, may find their lives permanently altered as even after recovery and rehabilitation, many suffer from some form of disability, chronic pain, and psychological trauma. Cases like this require serious and professional representation, guidance, support, and appropriate legal resolution.

We strongly recommend that affected pedestrians turn to our experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible after the occurrence of the accident. If you have been the pedestrian victim of a traumatic collision, we understand how overwhelmed and lost you may feel and promise you the best legal representation throughout the course of your case. We will investigate and prepare your case with the goal of adequately recovering the reasonable compensation you are owed for your injuries and losses. We can help you find the appropriate and caring doctors, in addition to assisting with medical bill payment and the gathering of necessary evidence to support your accident case. 

At Amerberg Law group, we work diligently with each individual client in addition to managing a multitude of pedestrian accident types. Including accident involving drunk drivers, speeding negligent drivers, as well as drug-impaired and reckless drivers. Countless similar cases in our portfolio allow us to handle an extensive variety of cases and help hundreds of people every day. We will choose the right, individual strategy for your specific circumstances and will ensure it brings you the most valuable resolution. We will serve to legally protect you.

What is an accident?

A traffic accident is an event that occurred during movement of a vehicle on a road and with its participation, in which people were injured or killed and vehicles, structures and property were damaged or other material damage was caused.

Accident causes

Let’s take a look at the most common ones:

• Speeding
• Driving under the influence
• Lane splitting
• Sudden stops
• Inexperienced drivers
• Left turn accidents
• Dangerous road conditions
• Vehicle defects
• Hazard on the road
• Weather conditions

Statistics

• Unfortunately nowadays Los Angeles is considered to have the highest rate of traffic accidents resulting in injuries and fatal outcomes in the United States.
• In 2019 alone there have been roughly 54,000 collisions reported, making it a bit less than 2018, according to the LAPD including 236 reported deaths.
• It is a very disturbing fact that the amount of traffic collision deaths is 32% more compared to the previous 5 years making the pedestrians the majority of the victims.
• LAPD categorized over 25,300 crashes as hit-and-runs.
• Pedestrian fatalities raised by 69% over the past few years.
• Important to understand that fleeing the collision scene makes it a felony even in case it was not the driver’s fault.
• The main reason for the crash increase was caused by DUI and texting

What to do in a car accident?

When you get into an accident you might feel a bit or a lot frustrated, depending on the severity of the collision. It is important to pull yourself together (if possible) and take the following steps promptly:

1. Move to a safe area right away (if you can)

Move your vehicle / motorcycle out of the way, for example the road shoulder, in order to prevent further harm. If your car is impossible to move, turn on your emergency lights to let other drivers know that you’re going to be there for a while.

2. Stop your car and get out of it

Make sure that your car has come to a complete stop and is no longer moving, turn it off, put it into the park mode or use the hand break if you’re driving a manual. Take a deep breath and look around to make sure it is safe to get out before you open the door. Flares and other safety items might come in handy.

3. Check on other people

Walk over to the other parties involved (drivers, passengers and pedestrians) in order to make sure they are not hurt. If someone is injured it is time to call 911. A person may be severely injured even if showing no significant signs other than dizziness and bruises.

4. Report to the police

It is always best to have a police officer come to the scene which will allow you to prove important details in the future when dealing with the insurance company. Be careful not to admit fault or put the blame on the involved drivers right away at the scene. This would be the police job to adequately judge the situation and conclude whose fault it really is. There are cases when police often don't come to the scene (usually when there’s no injuries), in which case you can simply report your accident to your local DMV.

5. Information exchange

Try to gather as much information as possible according to the list below:

• Name of the driver and the passengers
• License plate number
• Insurance information
• All involved vehicles makes and models
• Accident location
• The police officer’s name or badge number

6. Documenting the scene

Most likely you have your smartphone with a camera, use it to take a few pictures of the accident. This will be a great addition to the other claim details.

7. File your insurance claim

All these steps will make the process much smoother and less stressful.