Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

What Should I Do Right After a Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident?

Plenty of people get out each day in Los Angeles to walk to work or class, or to run for exercise. We must keep in mind that we all become pedestrians when we park in downtown L.A. and walk to a store, a restaurant, or a government building.

You can be struck in a parking lot or at a busy intersection like those on Alvarado Street along MacArthur Park. These often devastating accidents happen all the time and it’s critical that have the proof they need to hold an at-fault driver’s car insurer fully responsible for recovery costs.

After an L.A. pedestrian collision, it’s critical to make sure you leave the scene with as much evidence as possible. Having strong proof that shows a driver is at fault is the best way to prevent a car insurance provider from rejecting your claim.

If you’re physically strong enough, try to collect this evidence in the moments after an accident:

• Call 911. Give a full report to the responding LAPD officers. Tell paramedics about every pain you have. Go to the hospital if necessary. Ask someone with you or a helpful witness to gather evidence for you if you must leave.
• Take photos of the scene. Show the damage to cars that the collision caused. Show crosswalk markings, lights, and any skid marks. Show any visible injuries.
• Get contact information from witnesses.
• Scan the area for the potential of any security cameras. Alert your Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyer about the presence of these cameras.
• Keep all evidence. Don’t wash any bloody clothing. Preserve your clothes and your shoes.
• Get yourself checked out by your own doctor. Follow your doctor’s orders. Save all medical invoices.

How Maison Law Helps Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Victims

Los Angeles is a fast-paced city, and at Maison Law, we understand how important it is to return your life to normal after an unfortunate pedestrian accident. Contact us today to:

• Get your case reviewed
• Get a lawyer
• Get paid
• Get on your way

If you need help getting access to healthcare or other resources, give us a call; our door is always open. We’ll make the necessary calls and connect you with expert medical providers who prioritize our clients’ needs. Our firm has spent decades helping pedestrian accident victims in Los Angeles get immediate medical care and lifelong compensation for:

• Medical and hospital bills
• Property damages
• Occupational and physical therapy
• Lost earnings and wages
• Lost career growth such as raises and promotions
• Property damage
• Lost future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering

What Kind of Things Can I Earn Benefits for After a Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident?

After an accident, your L.A. pedestrian accident lawyer works with you to form a list of the financial damages and hardships you’ve endured. Every damage must be on this list when submitted to an insurance company in an injury claim. Because everything left off this list will become an expense that becomes your family’s responsibility.

Your Los Angeles personal injury attorney will know to include some losses you may not have thought of. These are just a few of the things that will determine the amount on your pedestrian accident settlement check:

• Medical bills–The bills already sent to your mailbox and the cost of any care you’re expected to need in the years to come.
• Permanent disability or disfigurement — Money for the long-term physical therapy and medical equipment needed. Compensation for career training if you can’t go back to your old job. House renovations. Reconstructive surgery costs to restore your appearance.
• Wrongful Death – After the tragic loss of life, the family should receive support for funeral and burial costs. The guidance and income the deceased can no longer provide in the coming years must also factor into a settlement check for loved ones.
• Physical pain and emotional trauma – Enduring extreme pain suffered with an injury will factor into compensation. Emotional trauma in the crash or in recovery also must be considered when negotiating a personal injury settlement with insurance companies.
• Loss of income and benefits — The wages you’ve given up by having to miss work hours over your injuries.
• Travel costs: The expense of travel to see doctors and specialists. The added cost if you are temporarily off your feet and are on crutches or in a wheelchair.

Dangers of Being a Pedestrian in Los Angeles

The number of pedestrian fatalities in Los Angeles has been on the rise over the past decade. According to LA City Traffic Collision Data, there were 179 fatal pedestrian accidents in 2023, up almost 50% from the prior year. The increase in pedestrian fatalities was largely driven by the number of traffic fatalities involving pedestrians, where nearly two-thirds (60.4%) of all traffic fatalities were fatal pedestrian accidents in 2023.

The majority of these accidents occur in Los Angeles’s Council District 14. Downtown Los Angeles is almost entirely in CD 14, an area with the highest concentration of pedestrians, packed with many vehicles in a small downtown area. This is a large reason Los Angeles consistently ranks high among U.S. cities for pedestrian accidents.

With distracted driving, inadequate pedestrian infrastructure in the downtown area, and a high risk of fatal accidents, it is important that Los Angeles pedestrians know their rights before stepping out onto the street.

Los Angeles Pedestrian Rights

California has laws to protect pedestrians walking along sidewalks, crossing intersections, or using the street. According to California Vehicle Code 21950, all drivers in California are required to yield to pedestrians crossing a roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk. This affords pedestrians protection when walking near or across traffic. Other rights afforded to pedestrians include:

• Sidewalk Precedence: Vehicles turning into parking lots or driveways must yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk.
• Signal Compliance: Drivers, as well as bicyclists, must adhere to traffic signals to allow pedestrians safe crossing at intersections.

A violation of these laws is not only illegal, but it also gives you the right to pursue compensation for damages if you’re injured in a pedestrian accident. At Maison Law, we protect your right to compensation if you’ve been injured due to a driver’s carelessness on the road. If you need to recover financial costs quickly and efficiently, we can help. Fill out a free, no-obligation case review today to get your case Won and Done.

Pedestrians’ Rights at a Los Angeles Crosswalk

According to California Vehicle Code Section 21950, drivers must adhere to the following safety laws when approaching a crosswalk:

• All drivers must reduce their speeds or stop, if necessary, to yield to pedestrians within the crosswalk.
• A driver must stop before the line, not in the middle of the crosswalk.
• A driver must stop if a pedestrian is in his or her half of the lane or approaching quickly enough to be in the direct path of the vehicle.
• Drivers are not permitted to pass stopped vehicles, while pedestrians are allowed to cross at a crosswalk.

In the state of California, the term “pedestrian” applies not only to people walking across the street but to people on skates and skateboards. Generally, pedestrians have the right-of-way at all crosswalks.  Crosswalks in California are typically marked with white lines and reflectors. Some cities even require flashing lights to illuminate the crosswalk.

However, it is important to know that a pedestrian should not step off the curb if it is unsafe. Just as drivers owe a “duty of care” to pedestrians, pedestrians are also required to avoid putting drivers in unsafe situations.

Pedestrians Injured in a Los Angeles Bike Lane

In Los Angeles, pedestrians must stay out of bike lanes wherever there is an “adjacent adequate pedestrian facility,” meaning there is an available sidewalk or walking path near the bike lane. This is stated under California Vehicle Code 21966. If a sidewalk is blocked, then a pedestrian may access bike lanes to get around the obstruction.

So, if a pedestrian is injured in a bike lane, then they may or may not be partially liable for their injuries, depending on the details of the accident. Even if a pedestrian is partially at fault for an accident, they are still entitled to compensation. This is covered under California’s Comparative Negligence Law.

Comparative Negligence in a Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident

In California, fault is determined by a “comparative negligence” system. Comparative negligence allows an injured party who shares fault for their injuries to receive compensation, a legal action covered by the Comparative Negligence Law, which states:

“Under the pure comparative negligence rule, the state allows the plaintiff to claim damages for the 1% they are not at fault even when they are 99% at fault.”

In most cases, drivers are the at-fault party in pedestrian accidents, however, there can be exceptions. Contrary to popular belief, pedestrians do not always have the right-of-way. For example, let’s use California’s most dangerous intersection according to a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Devonshire St. and Reseda Blvd. in Los Angeles.

Let’s say you’re in a hurry to get something to eat on the other side of the street, and you attempt to run across the crosswalk when the crossing light is indicating you not to walk. You’re struck by a vehicle that was also in a hurry and ran a red light. In this case, you can be assigned a percentage of the fault for crossing the street when you were not supposed to.

In this hypothetical scenario, you could be found by a jury to be 40% at fault for your injury. This would leave the driver with 60% of the fault for not being more aware of a person in the street. So, if the final verdict rewards you with $200,000, then you would get $120,000 as your compensation will be reduced by the 40% you were found at fault.

Should You File a Police Report After a Pedestrian Accident in Los Angeles?

Even if you seem unharmed after being hit by a vehicle in a pedestrian accident, it is recommended to report the accident to the police. According to California Vehicle Code 20008, drivers are required to report incidents to police within 24 hours of being in an accident.

Failure to report an accident can result in fines and license suspension for drivers. A common mistake most drivers make after getting into a pedestrian accident is thinking they can avoid having their rates raised by not informing their insurance about a minor accident. However, this can easily backfire. If a driver fails to report the accident to police or exchange information with you, the incident can be upgraded to a hit-and-run felony.