Hundreds of pedestrians in Arizona suffer injuries in accidents every year. These injuries can be serious because they involve a collision between a heavy and rigid motor vehicle and a fragile human.
Our Phoenix pedestrian accident lawyers at Abels & Annes often represent people with injuries after getting hit by a car. Our Phoenix personal injury lawyers focuse on compassion and results.
Pedestrian Accident FAQs
What Causes Pedestrian Accidents?
Most pedestrians are injured when a driver is distracted and not paying attention to their surroundings. Motorists often keep watch for dangers to themselves, such as cars, trucks and buses, but then they don't look for those that are most likely to get hurt, such as people on foot, bicyclists and motorcycle riders.
Phoenix pedestrian accidents occur when motorists are not careful in a variety of situations, such as:
- Failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks;
- Backing out of parking spaces in parking lots
- Speeding in residential areas where there are children playing
- Turning at a stoplight or stop sign, and not observing pedestrians in a crosswalk
- Driving while distracted, whether by texting, talking on the cell phone, or other distractions such as eating or drinking
Although less common, our Phoenix pedestrian accident lawyers work on pedestrian injury claims where motorists lose control of their vehicles and drive onto sidewalks. This is more common than you might think.
How Common are Pedestrian Accidents in Phoenix?
Each year in Arizona, about 150 pedestrians are killed and about 1,300 are injured in crashes involving motor vehicles, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
ADOT further reports that in 2018 there were:
- 1,764 collisions with pedestrians
- Injuries to 1,535 pedestrians in accidents
- 245 pedestrian collision fatalities
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that a pedestrian is injured in an accident every 8 minutes in the USA. Further, a pedestrian is killed every 113 minutes.
Across the country, around 5,000 pedestrian accident deaths occur each year, along with injuries to approximately 70,000 people.
Call us today and let us help you bring a claim for your damages now. We offer free, no obligation consultations. Call us 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (602) 819-5191.
What are Common Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents?
Some common injuries pedestrians sustain in an accident include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Internal bleeding and damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations, cuts, and scars that require stitches, staples or plastic surgery to repair
- Back & neck injuries
- Fractures (broken bones), sometimes involving surgical repair
- Wrongful death
Injury Considerations After a Phoenix Pedestrian Accident
Head trauma is particularly dangerous because of the risk of traumatic brain injuries that can cause permanent and debilitating effects. For example, memory loss, motor function loss, or death.
Internal injuries refers to any number of injuries. For example, internal bleeding, which can be fatal if not properly treated by medical professionals.
Bone injuries can include spinal, pelvic, rib, and limb injuries that can range from painful fractures to quadriplegia or paraplegia.
In some spinal injuries, it can result in severe nerve damage.
Finally, in the worst of pedestrian accident cases, death is possible because of the weight of a car against a person.
Does Arizona Law Protect Pedestrians?
Arizona law requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians. They also must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, use the horn to warn them when necessary, and use proper precaution if they see a child in the road. But, as our Phoenix pedestrian collision attorneys are very aware of, drivers often fail to take these necessary precautions and this causes accidents.
In the vast majority of pedestrian-related crashes, there is some type of negligence on the part of the driver. Often, multiple factors may lead to the accident. For example, distracted driving, failing to look for pedestrians before proceeding into an intersection, and speeding.
Cars are not the only threat facing pedestrians in Phoenix. Additional dangers can come from semi trucks, buses, vans, and trains.
Regardless of what type of vehicle causes a pedestrian accident, there may be a claim for the damages incurred by the pedestrian. If there was negligence on the part of a driver.
What Should I do if Injured in a Pedestrian Accident?
- Call police and make a report
- Exchange information with the driver that hit you
- Obtain contact information for any witnesses to the accident
- If needed, seek medical treatment ASAP
- Contact a Phoenix pedestrian accident attorney in Phoenix, and do this before speaking to any auto insurance carrier
Pedestrian Accident Settlements by Abels & Annes
Here are Just a Few of Our Pedestrian Accident Settlements:
- $600,000 – Resolved heavily contested claim for pedestrian crossing at night an unmarked crosswalk.
- $300,000 – Policy limits settlement for a woman that was hit by a car while crossing the street.
- $95,000 – Settled case for pedestrian who was hit while in crosswalk.
- $255,000 – Insurance policy limits settlement (plus medical payments) for a pedestrian who suffered significant head injuries after being struck in the crosswalk by a left turning driver.
- $95,000 – Resolved case for a pedestrian that was hit in a crosswalk by a speeding car that was passing stopped cars on the right in a parking lane.
Contact a Phoenix Pedestrian Accident Lawyer at Abels & Annes
Speaking with a Phoenix injury lawyer is the best way to learn about your legal rights and your options following an accident. This includes whether you may have a valid claim for your injuries.When it comes to finding a lawyer, it is a good idea to work with a firm that has experience working on pedestrian accident claims. This way you will have experience on your side.
Abels & Annes has been working on pedestrian accident cases for years. Further, we have obtained numerous settlements on behalf of those clients.
We are ready to fight just as hard for you. We will work to help you make a financial recovery for your pain and suffering, medical bills, time off work, disfigurement, loss of normal life, and any other loss from the accident. If you receive injuries in an accident, make sure you receive the relief that you deserve.