Orange County is known for its breathtaking beauty, making it one of the most picturesque places in California and even the whole country. It combines stunning coastlines, lively cities, and incredible natural landscapes. The region is designed to be pedestrian-friendly, welcoming both locals and tourists to enjoy the amazing sights, sounds, and experiences it offers.
However, sometimes pedestrians can be involved in accidents that cause serious injuries and even life-threatening situations. These accidents can happen due to different reasons, and recovering from them can be challenging, often resulting in significant harm and damage.
Experienced Orange County Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
If you or someone you know has been hurt in a pedestrian accident in Orange County, it’s really important to take immediate action to protect your legal rights. These accidents can have serious consequences like physical injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and other damages that can affect your life for a long time.
At Maison Law, we’re committed to helping pedestrians who were injured because of someone else’s carelessness. Our team of experienced personal injury lawyers in Orange County has the skills and knowledge to help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about your situation and how we can assist you.
Orange County Pedestrian Accident Data
The California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Record System (SWIRTS) reports that in 2022, there were 780 pedestrian-involved accidents that resulted in some type of injury or even fatality in Orange County.
Looking at the trends over the past five years, the number of pedestrian accidents has fluctuated but still has been an ongoing issue countywide. According to this same SWITRS data, there were:
- 857 pedestrian accidents in 2018
- 728 pedestrian accidents in 2019
- 551 pedestrian accidents in 2020
- 774 pedestrian accidents in 2021
Taken on average over this five-year period, Orange County experienced 738 pedestrian accidents per year. As this data illustrates, pedestrian accidents are a significant problem facing the people of Orange County. Not only do these accidents occur quite frequently throughout the county–especially in the more crowded areas like Anaheim or Santa Ana–but they are very dangerous in terms of the causes and results.
How Do Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Orange County?
Pedestrian accidents in Orange County have several factors involved, but the most important one is that pedestrians are highly vulnerable to injuries in these accidents. It’s easy to understand why: as a pedestrian, you don’t have any protection against a moving vehicle. Besides this lack of protection, there are various causes and situations that can lead to these accidents, including:
- Being distracted – When drivers are not focused on the road because they’re using their phones or eating, they’re more likely to hit pedestrians.
- Driving too fast – If drivers go faster than they’re supposed to or drive too fast for the conditions on the road, they might not have enough time to react if a pedestrian is crossing.
- Not yielding to pedestrians – Drivers who don’t stop to let pedestrians cross at crosswalks or don’t follow traffic signals like red lights and stop signs can cause serious accidents.
- Low visibility – Pedestrian accidents are more likely to happen when it’s dark outside or during bad weather when it’s difficult to see well.
- Driving under the influence – One of the most dangerous actions a driver can take is operating their vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This impairs their judgment and causes them to react more slowly, which makes it more likely for them to cause accidents involving pedestrians.
- Problems with the road – Poorly designed roads or a lack of pedestrian features like crosswalks or sidewalks can contribute to pedestrian accidents in Orange County.
Knowing the causes of pedestrian accidents is important, but it’s not the only thing you need to consider. As a pedestrian, it’s crucial to use designated crosswalks and to stay alert while walking, especially in busier areas of the county. However, even if you take these precautions, accidents can still happen, and they often lead to severe injuries.
Common Orange County Pedestrian Accident Injuries
It’s not surprising that pedestrian accidents involving vehicles often lead to serious injuries for the pedestrian. The impact of a heavy, moving vehicle against a person can result in a wide range of potential injuries, including:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) – When a car hits a pedestrian, it can cause severe head injuries like traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), concussions, and skull fractures.
- Spine injuries – If a pedestrian gets hit in the back or neck, they may suffer from spinal cord injuries, which can lead to paralysis or other long-term disabilities.
- Fractures – Pedestrians involved in accidents often break their arms, legs, or hips. These types of injuries usually lead to surgery needed to treat broken bones.
- Injuries to internal organs – Pedestrian accidents can cause harm to internal organs such as the liver, spleen, or kidneys.
- Cuts and bruises – When pedestrians are hit by a vehicle and thrown to the ground, they often end up with cuts, bruises, and scrapes. One of the damaging aspects of these injuries is a heightened risk of infection.
- Emotional and mental trauma – Pedestrian accidents don’t just hurt the body, they can also hurt our feelings. People involved in these accidents can feel very anxious, sad, or even have ongoing stress after the event. These emotional injuries are just as important as physical ones and can affect someone’s life for a long time.
In the most severe cases, injuries sustained in pedestrian accidents can be fatal. Pedestrians are more likely to be killed in accidents than drivers or passengers.
If you’re injured in a pedestrian accident, seeking immediate medical attention is crucial. It’s also important to gather information on the person who hit you and document evidence of the accident with photos or videos, just as you would in a regular car accident. These steps are essential for any legal action you may take.
Claims Process in Orange County Pedestrian Accidents
There’s no denying that a pedestrian accident in Orange County is unfortunate. While every accident is unique, there is a certain procedure that is the same across each event. Moreover, the process for taking legal action is also similar across cases. Generally speaking, the first step is to figure out who is responsible for causing your accident–which determines liability. In an Orange County pedestrian accident, this can involve various parties:
- The driver of the vehicle that hit you.
- The manufacturer of faulty parts or equipment
- The city or government agency responsible for maintaining the road where the accident occurred.
- The construction company, if the accident happened in a construction zone.
In legal terms, liability hinges on negligence. Negligence simply means failing to keep you and others safe on the road. The person or entity that caused the accident breached that duty and caused the injuries you suffered. It’s not always easy to determine this, but our experienced lawyers can assist you. We have a proven system for handling pedestrian accident claims that includes this step.
Once liability is established, you can proceed with filing a claim for damages. In California, the legal process includes filing:
- An insurance claim
- Personal injury lawsuit
Both are ways to seek compensation for your losses. Our lawyers can help you decide which option is best for your situation and ensure that every available route for support is pursued. We’ll also work to keep your claim strong in the face of any tactics from the insurance company.
Typically, the following damages can be recovered in a pedestrian accident:
- Medical expenses
- Costs of physical therapy and ongoing care
- Lost wages or loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life or damage to relationships
These damages are general, and what you can recover in your claim depends on the specific circumstances of your accident. Generally, if you have more serious or extensive injuries, you may be able to recover more in your claim. It’s important to consider California’s comparative negligence rule, which means any percentage of fault you had in the accident reduces your potential recovery by the same percentage.
Orange County Pedestrian Accident Victims Can Trust Maison Law
If you’re in a pedestrian accident, it can be a terrible and stressful experience. At Maison Law, our team of skilled and experienced Orange County pedestrian accident lawyers is here to assist you in getting the benefits and support you need to recover.
We take care of everything related to your claim, so you can concentrate on getting better. Contact us now for a free consultation and put your trust in our team.
