Maison Law can help you if you’ve been injured as a pedestrian in Manhattan Beach. Like a lot of places in the South Bay, Manhattan Beach has a lot of people moving here and there on foot. But no matter how familiar it is to see pedestrians, all it takes is one split-second of distraction or inattention from a driver to leave you facing pretty serious injuries. We can help you through everything. Set up a free consultation today.
Do I Need a Lawyer?
This is one of the first questions a lot of people come to after they’ve been injured as a pedestrian in Manhattan Beach. But when you’re walking to the beach or to the shops at The Strand, the reality is that you’re sharing space with a lot of different kinds of vehicles. And again, all it takes is one second of inattention to cause an accident.
That’s usually when it makes sense to talk to our pedestrian accident lawyers. We can help by:
- Figuring out how the accident happened
- Getting the evidence needed to support your claim
- Finding everyone who might be responsible
- Handling the insurance company and settlement talks
- Adding up your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages tied to the accident
After a pedestrian accident, your focus should be on getting better. We’ll handle the legal side and help you understand what comes next. That usually starts right there at the scene, but that also stretches into the days and weeks after.
Information That Can Help a Pedestrian Accident Claim
For as quickly as they usually happen, pedestrian accidents have a way of stretching out. But at the same time, the details matter—and they can change quickly. So like a lot of accidents, information is at a premium. But on your end, your first priority is your health and safety. Calling 911 and getting medical help should be the first thing you do.
That will settle things down a bit, so if you’re able, try to get a few basic things while you wait:
- Pictures and videos of the accident scene, your injuries, and any damage
- Contact information for anyone who saw what happened
- Insurance and contact information for the driver involved
- Notes about where you were walking, what you remember before the accident, and what the driver was doing
These are things that can help build a strong foundation as you move forward, but some of the most important evidence and information isn’t going to be available until later:
- Medical records that show your injuries and treatment
- The police report from the accident
- Traffic camera, dashcam, or surveillance footage from nearby businesses or homes
- Photos showing road conditions, crosswalks, traffic signals, or other factors that may have
Obviously, every situation is different. The general idea is the same though: showing what happened and what it’s left you facing. But it’s also about patterns.
Looking at the Patterns of Pedestrian Accidents
Even though every pedestrian accident is different, and even though they’re common in Manhattan Beach, it’s still about looking at the underlying patterns of what causes them and where they happen:
- Downtown Manhattan Beach. Restaurants, shops, and crowded sidewalks bring more people into areas where vehicles are still moving through.
- Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Between downtown businesses, beach traffic, and drivers searching for parking, there’s a lot happening in a small area.
- The Strand and beach access points. Pedestrians, cyclists, e-bikes, and vehicles are all sharing the same space, especially during busy weekends and summer months.
- Highland Avenue. Parked cars, narrower streets, and heavy foot traffic can make it harder for drivers to see pedestrians.
- Sepulveda Boulevard. With multiple lanes of traffic and drivers focused on getting through busy intersections, pedestrians have less room for mistakes.
- Rosecrans Avenue. Turning vehicles, changing traffic patterns, and busy intersections can create problems for pedestrians trying to cross.
The through line through all of these places isn’t hard to figure out: drivers and people on foot are all sharing the same tight spaces. And when you’re on foot against a moving car—even at low speed— you have no protection. That makes the damage worse, but there is a way forward.
Filing an Injury Claim After a Pedestrian Accident
After a pedestrian accident, the last thing most people want to think about is filing a claim. You’re trying to deal with your injuries, medical appointments, missed work, and everything else that comes after being hit by a car.
But if someone else’s negligence caused the accident, you may have options for recovering damages tied to those losses. And the process usually starts one of two ways:
- Filing an insurance claim. This is usually the first step and happens outside of court. The problem is that the insurance company controls the process. They have the power to question your injuries, what happened, and might try to minimize what happened. They do that because they’re businesses and it usually results in settlement offers that don’t fully account for your medical bills, lost income, and other things tied to the accident.
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit. If the insurance company won’t give you a fair offer, filing a lawsuit is usually the next step. That doesn’t automatically mean you’re headed to trial. Most cases are resolved before reaching that point, but a lawsuit creates a more formal process where both sides exchange evidence, take depositions, and look at things more seriously.
Either way, the goal is to take care of the losses you’re facing. These are your “damages” and they include things like:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical treatment
- Lost income
- Reduced earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Wrongful death damages if the accident resulted in a fatality
In California, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. While that may seem like plenty of time, conditions change quickly. That can make it harder to answer key questions—especially when it comes to who actually pays for your damages.
Who Pays For Your Damages?
When it comes to your damages and who pays for them after a pedestrian accident, it’s about answering one question: who caused it?
A lot of the time, that answer is the driver. Drivers have a responsibility to pay attention to what’s happening around them. And as we’ve touched on, that happens in a lot of different places around the city when drivers:
- Don’t yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk
- Turn without checking for people crossing the street
- Speed through an intersection
- Drive distracted or look away from the road
- Ignore traffic signals or signs
But like anything else, it’s not always just on the driver. There’s other factors that can lead to pedestrian accidents here, like:
- The condition of the road or property. Poor lighting, blocked sidewalks, dangerous intersections, missing signs, or other causes can make the city government agency or property owner partially responsible.
- Problems with the car itself could bring in the car or part maker. This is pretty rare, though.
- Comparative negligence can also factor in. If you weren’t paying attention or darted out into the street, it can reduce what you can get in damages.
Ultimately, these factors are why the details of your accident matter. What the driver was doing, where the accident happened, and what information and evidence there is can all shape what happens with your claim. But no matter what, you don’t have to go through the whole process alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lawyer after a pedestrian accident?
It really depends on your situaiton. if you’re seriously hurt, fault is being disputed, or the insurance company is pushing back, it can help to have someone handle the legal side.
Can I file a claim if a loved one was killed in a pedestrian accident?
Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents can be deadly. If someone else caused the accident, your family may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim.
What if the driver doesn’t stay at the scene?
Hit-and-runs are pretty common in pedestrian accidents. If the driver flees, just try to remember as much as you can about the car, take note of any nearby cameras, and get contact information from any witnesses or bystanders.
Maison Law Can Help You After a Pedestrian Accident in Manhattan Beach
A pedestrian accident can turn a normal day into something much more complicated. You’re dealing with injuries, medical bills, missed work, and an insurance company that wants answers before you’ve even had time to process what happened.
That’s a difficult position to be in. At Maison Law, our Manhattan Beach pedestrian accident lawyers can help you understand your options, deal with the insurance company, and guide you through the next steps. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
