Pedestrian Accident Lawyer – Pedestrian Accident Attorney

Pedestrian accidents are almost always very serious. As a result, it’s extremely important to obtain full financial compensation so the injured person can receive the medical care and rehabilitation services they will need.

Pedestrian accidents often injure those who are most vulnerable — school children walking to and from school, or elderly persons trying to cross busy streets. Another common type of pedestrian accident occurs when a car hits a pedestrian in the crosswalk because the driver is looking at traffic, and not at the pedestrian.

The seriousness of pedestrian injuries depends upon how fast the car was traveling. Leg injuries can range from torn cartilage and tendons to broken bones (fractures of the kneecap (patella), tibia and fibula of the lower leg, and femur in the upper leg). If the pedestrian is thrown into the air, injuries can include brain damage, herniated discs, internal injuries to the kidney or spleen, and liver lacerations.

Pedestrian accidents are almost always very serious. As a result, it’s extremely important to obtain full financial compensation so the injured person can receive the medical care and rehabilitation services they will need.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 180,000 pedestrians have suffered fatalities since 1995 to 2005 in car accidents in the U.S. In 2005, 4,881 pedestrian fatalities were reported. On average, one pedestrian dies every eight minutes in the U.S. Most of these accidents could have been averted with simple measures such as drivers giving pedestrians the right of way and pedestrians being vigilant and avoiding distractions while on the road.

Be Vigilant

All motorists should maintain constant vigilance and control over their vehicle, especially when driving on a road with pedestrian traffic. A driver traveling at a speed of 25 mph in a residential area should be extra cautious and further reduce the speed if children are playing nearby.

Distracted Pedestrians

Just like distracted drivers, distracted pedestrians can be a cause of fatal accidents. Smartphones and tablets are a source of distraction for pedestrians. Distracting activities like texting, talking, or listening to music make pedestrians isolated from the sounds of their surroundings such as car horns, ambulance or police sirens, and train whistles. Pedestrians should avoid distractions while walking on the road to avoid serious accidents.

Distracted Pedestrians are Dangerous

Studies show that pedestrians distracted by smartphones have a 2 second delay before they cross a street busy with motor vehicles. This 2 second delay is enough to cause confusion among motorists on the road. The distraction also makes a pedestrian slower when crossing a road and unable to make it across the road before the traffic light changes.

Ensuring Maximum Compensation for Your Injuries

At The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. our focus is on helping people recover full financial damages for injuries and wrongful deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents. With more than 20 years of personal injury experience, attorney Christopher Hoffmann has handled hundreds of car, truck and pedestrian accident cases in Missouri and Illinois.

We handle a variety of pedestrian accident cases, including those caused by a car or truck driver who:

• Failed to yield the right of way to a pedestrian
• Ignored a stop light or traffic signal
• Failed to stop when a school bus arm was extended
• Failed to look right when turning right into a crosswalk
• Was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Was speeding or driving recklessly

You deserve full and fair compensation for your losses. Our goal is to ensure you are treated fairly by the insurance company and that you receive the money you need to maximize your physical recovery.