Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

In Los Angeles, pedestrian accidents are among the most devastating collisions, frequently resulting in severe or fatal injuries. If you or a family member has recently experienced such an incident, our firm’s Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyers are here to advocate for you. We are dedicated to securing fair compensation and understand the complexities involved in these life-altering accidents.

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident in Los Angeles, contact our office at (310) 477-1700 or use our online form to schedule a free consultation.

Meet Your Attorneys

Brian Panish

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Brian Panish, a top trial attorney in the nation, has secured some of the most substantial jury verdicts in United States history for plaintiffs. Among his courtroom successes is a record-breaking $4.9 billion verdict in the groundbreaking products liability case Anderson v. General Motors. Additionally, he has achieved six verdicts surpassing $50 million, along with 32 verdicts and over 75 settlements exceeding $10 million in personal injury, wrongful death, and business litigation cases.

Adam K. Shea

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Adam Shea, a founding partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, is widely acknowledged as a top trial lawyer nationwide. With profound expertise, he has consistently achieved favorable outcomes for individuals and families in cases of catastrophic injury and wrongful death across various counties in Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside.

Rahul Ravipudi

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Rahul Ravipudi, a partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, specializes in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases throughout his legal career. His expertise encompasses accidents involving commercial vehicles, pedestrians, industrial or construction incidents, and hazardous public and private property conditions. With licenses in Nevada and California, Mr. Ravipudi is entrusted as leadership counsel in numerous significant plaintiffs’ personal injury lawsuits nationwide.

Here’s What Our Clients Are Saying

I was the victim of a pedestrian vs vehicle accident that sent me straight to surgery and a 5 day hospital bill. Mr. Glassman represented me and was undeniably the best representation I could of had. He clearly knew how to navigate through the insurance claims and negotiate my $255,000 hospital bill. Mr. Glassman is a superb negotiator and the settlement he achieved was way beyond my expectations. I would recommend him to anyone that suffers of personal injury. When all you should be focused on is healing Robert will work tirelessly until he achieves the best outcome for you. I can wholeheartedly confirm that Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, specifically Mr. Glassman, is deserving of their 2020 Best Law Firm Recognition.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Nicol Richardson | GOOGLE REVIEW

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A bad accident (me as the pedestrian) left me needing the assistance of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP last year. Robert Glassman and his team could not have been more professional or helpful in making the very best of an awful situation. I was thrilled with the outcome and would recommend them to anyone and everyone!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Bradley Scoular | GOOGLE REVIEW

Why Choose Us?

• We have decades of legal experience. Our attorneys have won more personal injury verdicts and settlements over $10 million than any law firm in California history.
• Our law firm has a reputation for excellence. We are known for outstanding customer service, strong negotiations and a willingness to go to trial for our clients, when necessary.
• We care about our clients. You will receive one-on-one care and attention from your lawyer every step of the way. We will communicate with you throughout the litigation of your case.
• Our lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis. This means you will not pay us a dime for our services on your pedestrian accident case unless we secure financial compensation for you.

How a Pedestrian Accident Attorney Can Help

When a pedestrian accident takes place, an insurance company will want to protect its own profits first and foremost. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for a victim to recover the compensation that he or she needs to pay for ongoing medical costs and move forward from the accident. The best way to protect yourself in this situation is to hire an attorney to represent you during claim negotiations.

Your Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyer can provide many important services throughout your case, such as:

• Comprehensive accident investigation.
• Evidence preservation and collection.
• Witness interviews and depositions.
• Hiring of expert witnesses, including medical experts.
• Insurance settlement negotiations.
• Pedestrian accident lawsuit litigation, if necessary.

You can trust your pedestrian accident lawyer to seek the best possible case results on your behalf while you focus on receiving medical treatments and healing from your injuries. Your lawyer will be on your side and work for you – not an insurance company – to make sure you have everything you need to get through this difficult time.

What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Los Angeles

What you do or do not do after a pedestrian accident can affect your injury claim. It is important to take the proper steps to protect your legal rights and physical health. While the aftermath of a pedestrian accident in Los Angeles can be frightening and confusing, do your best to remember to take certain actions.

If you can, here’s what to do:

• Safety First. The first thing to do is to make sure that you are okay. Check yourself for any pain or signs of injury. Keep in mind that you may have an injury with delayed symptoms due to your adrenaline.
• Get Medical Care. Go to a hospital or see a doctor as soon as possible for your pedestrian accident injuries. Failing to see a doctor right away could hurt your chances of being eligible for insurance coverage.
• Exchange Information. Give your information to the driver who hit you and write down his or her name, contact information, insurance information and a description of the vehicle.
• File a Police Report. Filing a police report is crucial, so your first step should be calling the police. Remain at the scene until the police arrive. Do not admit fault. Write down your police report number before you leave.
• Document the Scene. If you’re able, try to document everything that you can, including taking pictures of the scene with your smartphone.
• Witness Statements. Gather witness statements if there were any, including from any passengers in the vehicle. Look for any traffic or surveillance video cameras that may have caught the accident on tape, as well.
• Gather Information. If you or any witnesses were able to obtain the license plate number or even just the make and model of the vehicle, that can go a long way in terms of catching a hit and run driver.
• Call the Insurance Company. Contact the driver’s insurance company to report the crash and file a claim. Do not give a recorded statement or admit fault. Do not rush to accept the first settlement offered to you.

Contact an Attorney. Speak to a pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as you can about your case and legal options. A lawyer can prevent an insurance company from taking advantage of you during a claim.

Documenting the scene is always crucial, but it becomes even more so if there is an argument over who was at fault. Noting any stop or yield signs, crosswalks, traffic signals, or the driver’s speed can all help in case the driver tries to pin the blame on you the pedestrian. Sometimes an injury may not make itself apparent until hours or even days later, so even if you don’t believe you are injured, seek immediate medical attention.

If you end up seeking a settlement, waiting to receive medical treatment can affect your compensation, as insurance will say that your injury must not have been that serious if you waited to get treatment. Speak with a Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney to determine if you have a valid claim and if you are able to recover compensation from the at-fault party.

Top Causes of Los Angeles Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents in Los Angeles are most often caused by human error. Drivers in LA are often guilty of violating traffic laws, such as speed limits and rights-of-way. This puts pedestrians at high risk of collisions – especially in locations with high volumes of pedestrian traffic, such as downtown areas, residential neighborhoods and school zones.

Common errors that result in pedestrian-vehicle collisions include:

• Driver distraction or inattention
• Texting and driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Drowsy driving
• Reckless or aggressive driving behaviors
• Failing to yield the right-of-way
• Ignoring traffic signs and signals
• Running red lights and stop signs
• Passing stopped school buses

When drivers break the law, their vehicles may be in the wrong place at the wrong time, causing them to intersect pedestrian traffic. If a negligent driver causes a pedestrian collision, his or her car insurance company will be held responsible for paying for the victim’s medical bills and other losses.

Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries

When a pedestrian gets hit by a car, the pedestrian is unable to withstand the forces exerted by the metal frame of the vehicle. This can result in severe and life-threatening injuries for the pedestrian. For example, a pedestrian could suffer lower limb or extremity injuries if the vehicle strikes the victim’s legs, as well as chest or rib injuries upon impact with the hood of the car or windshield.

Common pedestrian injuries include:

• Blunt-force trauma
• Broken bones
• Burns and road rash
• Concussions
• Dislocations
• Herniated disks
• Internal injuries and organ damage
• Lacerations
• Soft-tissue injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries

A victim may never be the same after a pedestrian-vehicle collision. Catastrophic injuries and permanent disabilities are commonly suffered by injured pedestrians, as well as significant scarring and disfigurement. It is important to hire an attorney who can protect your rights as an injured pedestrian and seek the financial compensation that you need to pay for future estimated medical costs for a serious injury.

Who Is Held Liable for Pedestrian Accidents?

California is a fault-based insurance state. This means that after a pedestrian accident, the person or party who is at fault for the collision is responsible for paying for a victim’s injuries and related expenses. It is up to the injured victim (or his or her attorney) to establish that the other party is at fault using clear and convincing evidence.

The liable party in a pedestrian accident case in Los Angeles is often the motor vehicle driver. Drivers are held financially responsible for collisions due to common examples of driver error, such as distracted driving and speeding. If the driver violated a roadway law and struck a pedestrian, his or her insurance provider will pay for the damages.

All motor vehicle drivers in California are required to carry minimum amounts of liability insurance. This will cover a pedestrian’s medical bills, lost wages and other expenses caused by a car accident. However, it may also be possible to hold a third party liable.

If the motor vehicle driver was working as an employee at the time of the crash, for example, such as a delivery driver or rideshare driver, the employer may be held vicariously liable. Another possibility is the government for failing to maintain a safe roadway or crosswalk for pedestrians. For assistance determining who is liable in your pedestrian accident claim in Los Angeles, contact our attorneys.

Pedestrian Hit and Run Cases in Los Angeles

We mentioned hit and run accidents earlier, and it’s important to know that even if the driver flees the scene and no one caught their license plate number or even the make of the vehicle, you can still seek compensation for your injuries.

If this happens, or the driver has no insurance, then your medical insurance will cover any medical bills, and if you have auto insurance, you can still file a claim with them even though you weren’t technically driving. All of this is assuming that the pedestrian has uninsured motorist (UIM) coverage, which is usually required on auto insurance policies.

Damages You Can Recover in Pedestrian Accident Cases

The recoverable damages, or types of financial compensation, that may be available in your pedestrian accident case will depend on the circumstances. California law permits the recovery of both economic (tangible) and noneconomic (intangible) damages in a pedestrian accident claim.

Examples include:

• Medical bills: past and future necessary medical care after the accident, such as surgeries, hospital bills, physical therapy, rehabilitation, medical devices and prescription medications.
• Lost wages: income you lost from the date of the accident to the date that you filed a claim. If you suffered a long-term disability, this may also include lost future capacity to earn.
• Pain and suffering: physical pain, emotional suffering, mental distress, psychological anguish, post-traumatic stress disorder, loss of consortium and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Punitive damages: additional compensation sometimes awarded in cases where the defendant is guilty of gross negligence, malicious intent to harm or a reckless disregard for the safety of others.

The potential value of your Los Angeles pedestrian accident claim will be based on factors such as the severity of your injuries, how much the accident impacted your life and how much insurance coverage is available. Our attorneys can accurately evaluate your claim to determine its value. Then, we can use proven legal strategies to seek maximum compensation on your behalf.

Can I Recover Compensation if I Was Partially At Fault?

California Negligence Laws

California operates under the pure comparative negligence system, which means that if you the pedestrian was partially at fault, then you may have your compensation reduced. For example, if your settlement is for $10,000, but you are deemed to be 25 percent at fault, then you would only receive $7,500 of that. Documenting everything can prevent fault from falsely being attributed to you. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Los Angeles can help you with a pedestrian hit and run case.

California Pedestrian Laws and Right of Way

While all of us were taught to look both ways before crossing a street, the fact that a person was careful doesn’t give them the right of way or exempt them from fault as a pedestrian. Of course the driver has the responsibility to not hit someone, but the pedestrian has to take it upon themselves to cross as safely as possible.

According to California Vehicle Code, a driver must observe the following laws in relation to pedestrians:

• The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection
• Do not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk, as that person may be stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross.
• You may only drive on the sidewalk if entering or exiting a garage/alleyway, and even then you need to yield to pedestrians.
• Don’t stop in a crosswalk, as this puts pedestrians who have to walk around your vehicle in danger.
• A pedestrian may never jaywalk, and if a car gets in an auto accident because they’re avoiding a jaywalker, the pedestrian would be held responsible.
• The rules concerning blind pedestrians are that if the person pulls their cane inward and steps away from the curb, then they are not looking to cross. They rely on the sound of the cars to tell how close they are, so stop within five feet of an intersection and do not give verbal instructions.

The penalty to drivers for failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians is a minimum of $220 if it causes an injury. The penalty for failing to yield to a blind pedestrian is much more strict, and is subject to a maximum $1,000 fine and six months in prison or both.

These laws, while they can absolve drivers of criminal wrongdoing if the law is followed, do not completely take away fault. Even if the person walks across the street without using a crosswalk when the driver has a green light, that driver must “exercise due care” to avoid hitting a person, even if the pedestrian could be found 100 percent negligent in a lawsuit. The same goes for the pedestrian. You cannot suddenly step off the curb if the cars are near or stop in the middle of an intersection or otherwise obstruct impending traffic even if you have the right of way. Basically, driver and pedestrian alike must be aware of their surroundings.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics in Los Angeles

Los Angeles County has been rated as the most dangerous place to be a pedestrian for two years in a row. The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has noted that pedestrian fatalities increased 55% from 2009 to 2018 in the United States. Just in 2021, drivers struck and killed an estimated 7,485 people on foot country-wide.

This is the most pedestrian deaths recorded in a single year in four decades. In California specifically, the 2020 preliminary data available reported a 5% increase in pedestrian fatalities from 2019 to 2020. If you suffered a pedestrian accident, consult with an experienced Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyer from Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP to assist with your case.

It’s no secret to residents of Los Angeles that walking around the city and its outlying areas, can be a risky endeavor, especially at night; nationally, 76 percent of pedestrian fatalities in 2020 happened at night, when it’s more difficult to see. Hit and runs are also a big problem in LA; approximately 60 percent of such accidents in California involved pedestrians so it’s important to know what your options are if you’re hit.

Most Dangerous Intersections in Los Angeles for Pedestrians

The LA Times conducted a massive study in 2015 which broke down, by intersection, every single pedestrian accident and fatality in Los Angeles County. It examined 817 intersections over a 12-year period, and found that the most dangerous one was Slauson Ave. & Western Ave., which saw 40 pedestrians get hit by cars over that time span, two of which were killed.

Hollywood Blvd. & Highland Ave., and MLK Jr. Blvd. & Crenshaw Blvd. were the next most dangerous, with 38 and 34 pedestrians being hit at each, respectively. While none of these intersections are downtown, that part of Los Angeles was still the most dangerous as a whole. It saw 659 pedestrians get hit during the 12-year span.

According to California’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) there were 2.2 pedestrians hurt or killed in crashes for every 100,000 daily vehicle miles traveled in Los Angeles County in 2013, which means that there were roughly 13 accidents involving pedestrians every single day. In 2013, Los Angeles had 76 pedestrians die in car accidents. The only city worse than that was New York; they had 132 pedestrians get killed because of being hit by a car.

What Is the Statute of Limitations on Pedestrian Accidents in California?

A law in California known as the statute of limitations places a strict deadline on your ability to file a pedestrian accident claim. This law gives you no more than two years from the date of your crash to file an injury claim. If you wait too long and miss your time limit to file, the courts will most likely refuse to hear your case. This is why it is essential to contact a pedestrian accident lawyer in Los Angeles as soon as possible, before you lose the right to seek financial compensation.

Contact Our Seasoned Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

If a lawsuit becomes necessary in order to recoup damages, it’s important to hire an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney for your case, like the professionals at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP who can ensure that the insurance companies give fair compensation. If you or a loved one was a pedestrian in an accident call our office in Los Angeles today at (310) 477-1700. Our pedestrian accident lawyers offer free and confidential case evaluations and serve clients in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Bernardino, Riverside, and all across Southern California.