The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a pedestrian as a person who is on foot, or walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting or even lying down and is involved in a traffic crash. It goes on to state that a traffic crash as an incident involving one or more vehicles when at least one vehicle is in transport on a roadway. The NHTSA estimates that a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash about once every 90 minutes, and one is injured in a traffic crash about once every seven minutes.
Common Pedestrian Accidents
Nearly all pedestrian accidents involve negligence in one form or another. Unfortunately, there are times when a percentage of that negligence is attributable to the pedestrian too. Fortunately, Arizona is a pure comparative negligence state, so if a pedestrian is more than 50 percent fault for an accident, he or she can still receive compensation for their injuries. Some common causes of pedestrian accidents involving negligence attributable to drivers follow:
- Running red lights.
- Failure to yield the right-of-way.
- Distracted driving like using an infotainment center while in motion.
- Making right turns on red when pedestrians are in a crosswalk.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination thereof.
Common Pedestrian Injuries
Pedestrians are completely unprotected and highly vulnerable to severe injuries in a crash. Here are some examples of the types of injuries that they can suffer:
- Fractured skulls and traumatic brain injuries.
- Paraplegia or quadriplegia from spinal cord injuries.
- Facial fractures and dental injuries.
- Rib fractures and fractures of the extremities.
- Internal organ damage.
- Crush fractures requiring amputations.
Make the Right Choice
With these injuries come overwhelming medical expenses, lost earnings, permanent disability and disfigurement, pain and suffering and loss of a normal life. Making the wrong choice in a law firm to represent the victim of a pedestrian accident can cost tens of thousands of dollars. In order to secure the best outcome for the victim of a pedestrian traffic accident, victims and their families will want to retain a respected, effective and experienced personal injury law firm to represent them in their claim for damages.
You or your family member might be eligible for compensation for injuries that were suffered in a pedestrian accident in or around Phoenix.
Contact us for a free consultation and case review by phone, email or live chat to arrange for a free consultation and case review. Make that contact right away after any pedestrian accident.