Pedestrian Accidents on Reseda Boulevard
Reseda Boulevard is well known for its narrow lanes and speeding drivers. It should go without saying that these conditions are not ideal for Los Angeles pedestrians who want to walk, jog, or reach a shop on the other side of the street.
Poorly marked crosswalks combine with careless drivers to make Reseda a hazardous trip for anyone on foot. A driver can fail to notice a red light ahead and race through an intersection without seeing the small profile of a pedestrian simply trying to get across the lanes.
A defenseless pedestrian may suffer major injuries in an impact caused by a motorist. After the unthinkable happens, pedestrians must know their rights and seek full financial support through recovery. A free consultation with a Reseda Boulevard Pedestrian Accident Lawyer is a no-risk way to find out how to hold an at-fault driver and an insurance company fully accountable.
Reseda Boulevard Pedestrian Accident Dangers
Pedestrians use Reseda Boulevard and surrounding streets to walk to work, to class, and to earn some exercise each day. Pedestrians are also those of us who park and get out of our cars to cross a parking lot or a Boulevard to reach a lunch spot or a coffee shop.
Going anywhere on foot shouldn’t come at a major cost to our safety. Yet, the traffic levels on Reseda and the reckless car and truck drivers using the lanes, make for an extremely risky walk.
Reseda Boulevard’s intersection with Vanowen Street is one of the most dangerous spots for accidents in all of Los Angeles. And as you can imagine, if it’s bad for motorists, crossing it on foot is often terrifying.
Pedestrians are asked to cross six and seven lanes of traffic at many Reseda Boulevard intersections. They are given little time to complete a crossing. They must often do so on faded crosswalk lines and lines nearly erased by construction work.
This doesn’t even factor in the distracted drivers streaming across Reseda each day. They might be responding to a text and miss spotting someone entering an intersection. They may fail to hit the brakes and fail to slow down until someone is left lying in the road.
What To Do After A Pedestrian Accident on Reseda Boulevard
This kind of negligence from behind the wheel makes drivers liable for the injuries they cause. However, pedestrian victims are often talked out of fair compensation by well-trained insurance adjusters looking to save their companies money.
A Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyer works hard for you to build a strong case that insurance companies can’t ignore. Yet, you can also help solidify your accident claim by taking action at the scene of a collision.
There is evidence found there that won’t be available after an accident has been cleared.
If you are able to reach your feet, try to secure a few details on the scene to ensure you get the most out of your Reseda Boulevard pedestrian accident claim:
- Call for an ambulance. Dial 911. Let EMTs check out every pain you have and don’t hesitate to take a ride to the emergency room if necessary.
- Tell responding LAPD officers what you can remember about how the accident unfolded. Note if you saw the driver behaving recklessly or staring at a cellphone. Officers will file a collision report you can use as evidence later.
- Use your cellphone to document what happened. Take pictures of any damage to the vehicle such as a broken window or mirror or any dents. Show any visible injuries and any blood on clothing or damage to personal items, like shoes. Take pictures of crosswalks and traffic signs around the area.
- Get driver’s license and insurance information from the motorist involved. If the driver works for a delivery company, a rideshare, or any business, try to get work information.
- Find out what witnesses observed. Get their contact information so that your Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer can locate them for testimony later.
- Make note of the addresses of any homes or businesses with security cameras nearby. Turn this information over to your attorney so your attorney can secure footage.
- Get checked out by your physician. Get all injuries documented. Follow all of your doctor’s recommendations including seeing specialists. Save all medical receipts and invoices.
- Save the evidence. Don’t wash or throw out your clothing or shoes.
What Kind Of Support Can I Ask For After a Reseda Boulevard Pedestrian Accident?
The victims of Reseda Boulevard accidents should receive full compensation for every hardship they are put through as they heal. Unfortunately, this support is not automatic.
You’ll need to work with your Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Lawyer to create a complete list of every need you have now and an estimate on any support you’ll need in the future. This list is included when you file your claim. It alerts an insurance company of every damage you expect support for.
These are just a few of the factors that will decide how much your settlement check is worth:
- Hospital and physical therapy expenses.
- Estimated expenses for a long-term injury or permanent physical disability.
- The hardship of dealing with physical pain, perhaps over a lifetime.
- Emotional anguish, such as depression and anxiety after a pedestrian accident. The loss of enjoyment of life due to an injury.
- Past and future lost paychecks at work during recovery.
- Property damage.
- Wrongful death benefits. A family losing a loved one to a careless driver’s mistake is encouraged to file a wrongful death claim. This claim asks an insurance company for help with funeral costs. It also seeks to replace the care and financial support the deceased would have provided the family in the future.
Can I Receive Compensation If I Was Partially to Blame for My Pedestrian Accident?
Yes. You may have been crossing the street outside of a crosswalk, but that doesn’t mean a driver can hit you and avoid all blame.
Pedestrians are owed a special “duty of care” from drivers because they are so vulnerable. A driver must stay alert to spot pedestrians anywhere along the road. They must also slow down enough to avoid a collision.
When pedestrians are in the lanes of Reseda Boulevard where they shouldn’t be or making reckless crossings, they can be held partially responsible for their injuries. However, under California’s concept of “comparative negligence,” the driver and pedestrian can share the blame. This means the driver’s insurance company would have to provide some financial support, but it would be reduced by the pedestrian’s level of fault.
For example, someone on foot who was hit outside a crosswalk could face 20% of the liability. The driver may be assigned 80% of the responsibility. The pedestrian could then be awarded support for injuries, but the pedestrian’s 20% of the fault would get deducted.
Contact a Reseda Boulevard Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
After a serious traffic accident while on foot along Reseda Boulevard, make sure you are aware of every benefit available to you and your family. Insurance companies for reckless drivers aren’t required to fill you in on this valuable assistance.
Take advantage of a free case consultation from Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law. It’s a no-risk way to find out how to avoid the pitfalls of dealing with insurance adjusters after a Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident. It’s critical that you stay informed so they can’t rob you of the financial support you need to heal and get back on your feet again.
