Pedestrian Accidents At Crosswalks
Car accidents can cause extensive damage, including serious personal injuries. When a pedestrian is involved in a car accident, injuries and related losses tend to be catastrophic. Pedestrians are extremely vulnerable in a car accident, because they have nothing to shield them from the impact of the collision.
Crosswalks are meant to protect pedestrians by providing them with a safe place to cross traffic, but pedestrian accidents at crosswalks are not uncommon. The pedestrian accident lawyers at Foley Law Firm, serving Scranton, PA, Stroudsburg, PA, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and surrounding areas, work with accident victims to hold liable parties accountable for related damages.
Causes of Pedestrian Accidents at Crosswalks
Most major intersections provide pedestrians with a marked crosswalk that is meant as a safe area for them to cross over multiple lanes of traffic. While crosswalks should prevent pedestrian accidents, they are not always effective. The majority of pedestrian accidents at crosswalks are the result of driver negligence or design flaws. More specifically, pedestrian accidents may be caused by:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Running through a red light or stop sign
- Failure to check for pedestrians before entering a crosswalk
- Poorly marked crosswalk
- Lack of traffic lights or signs to control traffic at the intersection
Is a Driver Always At-Fault for Pedestrian Accidents?
Most people have heard the phrase, “pedestrians have the right of way,” and that tends to be true, especially when a pedestrian is walking through a crosswalk. Although pedestrians are responsible for entering the crosswalk when it is safe to do so, or when directed by traffic lights and signals, drivers should always yield to pedestrians. If a driver is practicing unsafe driving practices at the time of a pedestrian accident, it is especially likely that they will be found liable for the crash and all resulting damages.
While drivers are often at-fault for pedestrian accidents in crosswalks, sometimes liability falls on the city, state, or agency responsible for maintaining the road where the accident occurred. One of these parties could be held accountable if neglect in the design or maintenance of the intersection led to the accident.
Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrians weigh far less than the average vehicle, and have no means of protection if they are struck while walking through a crosswalk. Because of this, injuries in pedestrian accidents tend to be catastrophic, if not fatal. Common pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Head or neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
Damages for Pedestrian Accident Victims
There are a number of damages that pedestrian accident victims are likely to suffer, in addition to their physical injuries. If another person or party is responsible for the accident, they should also be held liable for any losses related to accident injuries. Potential damages in a pedestrian accident lawsuit include:
- Cost of past and future medical care for accident injuries
- Lost wages or loss of wage-earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Wrongful death damages (if the pedestrian dies as a result of the injuries)
Get In Touch
If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident while walking through a crosswalk, you may be due substantial compensation for accident damages. To find out how the lawyers at Foley Law Firm can assist you in filing a personal injury claim, call (570) 342-8194 at your earliest convenience or message us online.