Thousands of pedestrians navigate Richmond’s bustling streets daily, trusting drivers will respect their right of way. Unfortunately, many motorists fail to abide by laws that protect pedestrians, including crosswalk regulations. These violations endanger pedestrians and leave drivers potentially liable for damages they cause.
The results can be devastating when pedestrians are involved in accidents caused by motorists failing to yield at crosswalks. Impacts of motor vehicles against pedestrians frequently result in life-altering injuries or even fatalities. Victims and their families are forced to cope not only with the physical injuries but with significant emotional and financial burdens resulting from the accident.
As the leading pedestrian accident lawyers in Richmond, we strive to keep our city safe for pedestrians by holding drivers accountable when they carelessly or negligently cause these horrific accidents.
Our team is committed to helping victims achieve the compensation and justice they deserve for their suffering.
Crosswalk Pedestrian Accidents Are Common in Richmond
Virginia has seen a concerning increase in pedestrian accidents in recent years. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reported more than 1,400 pedestrian-involved crashes across the state in 2021, resulting in 125 deaths. Richmond accounted for many of these incidents as one of the commonwealth’s busiest cities.
Sadly, many pedestrian accidents occur in crosswalks, designated areas where people traveling by foot should feel the safest. Despite laws specifically aimed at keeping pedestrians safe in crosswalks, motorists disobey these regulations too frequently, resulting in devastating collisions. Distracted driving, speeding, and failure to lead often cause these incidents.
As trusted Richmond crosswalk pedestrian accident lawyers, we play a vital role in helping keep pedestrians safe on our city’s streets. We strive to uphold the law by holding drivers who cause these life-altering accidents accountable while assisting victims to recover the compensation needed to cover the costs of the harm they have endured.
What Causes Crosswalk Pedestrian Accidents
As experienced crosswalk pedestrian attorneys in Richmond, we have handled numerous cases involving victims struck by a vehicle while using a crosswalk. Based on this experience, we have seen common causes for these incidents, including:
- Distracted Driving: Drivers who divert their attention from the road and their surroundings to engage with their phones, GPS devices, or other passengers may not notice pedestrians in a crosswalk, resulting in an accident.
- Speeding: Failure to follow posted speed limits or driving too fast for conditions, particularly when pedestrians are present, can limit a driver’s ability to stop in time to avoid a pedestrian accident.
- Failure to Yield: Drivers who disregard the law requiring them to stop at crosswalks may strike a pedestrian, causing bodily injury while opening themselves up to liability claims.
- Impaired Driving: Drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol have reduced judgment capabilities and slower reaction times that can lead to pedestrian accidents.
- Poor Visibility: Drivers may be unable to see pedestrians at night, inclement weather, or poorly lit crosswalks. In these conditions, drivers must still make adjustments to operate their vehicles safely.
Our experience and knowledge show us what factors to consider when determining fault in a crosswalk pedestrian accident. We thoroughly investigate the evidence to determine precisely how your accident occurred so that we can hold negligent parties accountable.
Common Injuries From Crosswalk Accidents
Accidents involving collisions between motor vehicles and pedestrians are hazardous for pedestrians due to the lack of protection a person’s body has against a motor vehicle. As a result, many crosswalk pedestrian accidents cause severe injuries, including:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Initial and secondary impacts can cause severe head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures, and concussions.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Victims may sustain severe damage to their neck, back, and spinal cord, including full or partial paralysis.
- Broken Bones: The force of a car striking a person often results in broken bones and fractures, including to the arms, legs, and ribs.
- Internal Injuries: Impacts from a vehicle can leave a person with severe injuries to their internal organs, which may be life-threatening.
- Severe Lacerations and Contusions: Victims often suffer severe lacerations and contusions when struck by a motor vehicle, as well as subsequent impacts on the road surface or sidewalk.
Victims of crosswalk pedestrian accidents frequently require extensive and ongoing medical care and rehabilitation, which forces them to miss many days of work during their recovery. The situation of mounting medical bills coupled with lost wages also adds significant financial burdens to the physical and emotional toll victims face.
Our role as your trusted crosswalk pedestrian accident lawyer is to help you recover the compensation needed to cover the actual cost of your damages.
Virginia Laws Protecting Pedestrians
Virginia recognizes the dangers pedestrians face on state streets every day. Over the years, the Commonwealth has enacted several laws designed to protect pedestrians while providing the framework for holding negligent drivers and liable parties accountable.
Essential laws for pedestrian safety include:
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- Right of Way Laws: Motorists must yield the right of way to pedestrians crossing the street at clearly marked crosswalks or intersections with pedestrian signals.
- Duty of Care: Drivers must exercise due care to avoid collisions with pedestrians, even if they are not in a designated crosswalk.
- Statute of Limitations: Virginia’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years. This deadline underscores the importance of contacting an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer near me immediately following an incident to help you build a strong claim to be filed within the allowable timeframe.
- Compensation Available: Pedestrian accident victims may be entitled to compensation for damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.
At the Johnson Injury Firm, we handle complex legal matters so that you can focus on your recovery. Our dedicated team has the knowledge, experience, and resources needed to give you peace of mind, knowing you have a dedicated advocate fighting for justice on your behalf.
What to Do After a Crosswalk Pedestrian Accident
The moments after a pedestrian accident can be chaotic as you cope with physical injuries, shock, anger, and sadness resulting from what just happened. However, knowing what to do during this critical period is crucial for your health and protecting your legal rights.
If you’ve been involved in a crosswalk pedestrian accident, be sure to:
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- Call 911: Medical personnel will diagnose and treat injuries while police officers gather evidence and file an accident report. Both medics and law enforcement will document information that will be vital to your claim.
- Gather Evidence: If possible, take pictures of the accident scene, your injuries, the vehicle involved, and any other contributing conditions.
- Collect Contact Information: Collect the names and contact information of the driver, witnesses, and first responders.
- Avoid Speaking to Insurance Companies: Insurance companies often try to get you to settle for an amount that does not fully compensate you for your damages.
- Contact Our Team: An experienced crosswalk pedestrian attorney in Richmond can provide valuable guidance on protecting your legal rights after a pedestrian accident.
The dedicated team at Johnson Injury Firm is ready to help victims get the justice and compensation they deserve following a crosswalk pedestrian accident. We will handle the complicated legal matters so you can focus on your recovery.
How the Johnson Injury Firm Can Help
We understand the difference we can make in the lives of crosswalk pedestrian accident victims during their most trying times. We are driven by the desire to achieve justice for our clients and help secure fair compensation that adequately covers all the damages they suffered.
We treat every client like a member of our family. We take the time to get to know them personally and understand how their accidents impacted their lives. Our clients can get answers to any questions they have along the way and are kept up to date on the claim’s status.
Our experienced team thoroughly investigates all of the evidence from your accident to determine exactly how the incident occurred. Based on our findings, we determine which parties’ negligence contributed to your accident and calculate what constitutes fair compensation.
Armed with compelling claims, we are well-positioned to negotiate with insurance companies to secure a fair settlement. If negotiations fail to produce an acceptable settlement, we will be fully prepared to litigate your claim in court. Our lengthy track record of success demonstrates our ability to earn favorable outcomes through both negotiation and litigation.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a crosswalk pedestrian accident, call us today for a free consultation to learn more about how you can leverage our experience, knowledge, and resources to achieve the justice and compensation you deserve.
