More and more residents of Orange County are making time to get outside and run or walk, either as a form of exercise, for recreation purposes, or as an alternative to driving or public transportation. Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents have become a serious concern in Orange County, a heavily populated area where motorists have a legal duty to share the road responsibly with pedestrians and other vehicles. Pedestrian accidents can happen to anyone at any time of day, and the injuries resulting from a pedestrian-vehicle accident are often severe and life-changing. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a pedestrian accident in Orange County, don’t hesitate to get qualified legal help. Contact our reputable pedestrian accident lawyers at DAG Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Affordable Orange County Pedestrian Accident Attorney
In the aftermath of a pedestrian accident, you can’t be expected to successfully recover from your injuries while also trying to seek compensation for your medical bills and other damages from the at-fault party. Whether you’re pursuing compensation from your insurance company, the other person’s insurance company, or through a personal injury claim, you need an attorney on your side who is familiar with California pedestrian accident laws and how they apply to your situation. Our personal injury lawyers at DAG Law Firm have experience protecting the rights of those injured in Orange County pedestrian accidents and can help you seek fair and timely compensation for your losses while you concentrate on recovering from your injuries.
Injuries Resulting from an Orange County Pedestrian Accident
It’s easy for a driver not to notice a pedestrian crossing the roadway, especially if the driver is speeding, using his phone behind the wheel or unable to see due to inclement weather. And the average passenger car weighs in at more than two tons, so it’s not hard to imagine the damage a motor vehicle can cause an unprotected pedestrian in a traffic accident. Even a car traveling at just 10 miles per hour can severely disable a pedestrian. Any faster, and the injuries are likely to be fatal. Some common injuries resulting from Orange County pedestrian accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Internal bleeding
- Loss of limbs
- Back injury
- Concussion
- Lacerations
- Neck injury
- Whiplash
- Leg and knee injuries
- Arm and shoulder injuries
- Head injury
- Wrongful death
It’s important to seek medical attention immediately following a pedestrian accident, even if you don’t think your injuries are serious enough to warrant treatment. Some injury symptoms may not be obvious right away, or you may be in shock, and if you don’t see a doctor, there won’t be a medical record of your injuries and you may not be able to prove they were caused by the accident later on.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
The sheer number of pedestrians out enjoying the California weather may be enough to increase the risk of accidents on Orange County roadways, and the traffic congestion in the city certainly doesn’t help, but there are typically other factors that come into play when a pedestrian-vehicle collision occurs. Some common causes of Orange County pedestrian accidents are:
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Running a red light
- Running a stop sign
- Improper lane changes
- Hazardous road conditions
- Inclement weather
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
Determining Liability in Orange County Pedestrian Accidents
California traffic laws were established to protect the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycle riders and motorists alike, yet so many drivers still violate the duty of care they owe everyone else on the road. The most important question to ask yourself after being injured in a pedestrian accident is, “Whose fault was it?” With regard to traffic accidents, fault, or liability, is determined by the law of negligence, which is the failure to use reasonable care, resulting in damage or injury to another person. For example, a driver who fails to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, striking the pedestrian and causing him or her injuries, would be considered negligent under California law and would be liable for the pedestrian’s injuries. Potentially liable parties involved in Orange County pedestrian accidents may include:
- Drivers of passenger cars and trucks
- Car manufacturing companies
- State and local government agencies responsible for maintaining Orange County roadways
- Employers of commercial truck drivers
- Auto part manufacturing companies
Often, Orange County pedestrian accidents are just that, accidents. In March 2018, a 65-year-old woman suffered fatal injuries when she was struck by a vehicle while walking her bike across a street in Fullerton, California. Perhaps the driver reached into the glove compartment to get a napkin, just for a second, or looked down to change the radio station, and didn’t see the pedestrian step off the curb with her bike. Whatever factors contribute to a driver colliding with a pedestrian on an Orange County roadway, that doesn’t change the severity of the injuries the victim suffers, or the level of grief surviving family members experience after losing their loved one. Even if a pedestrian crosses the street outside of a crosswalk, which is considered a ticket-able offense in California, that does not excuse motorists from their legal obligation to exercise due care behind the wheel.
Seeking Compensation for Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrian accidents are a common occurrence in California, and many of these accidents are the fault of the driver, often because the driver was drowsy, speeding, texting while driving, or driving under the influence of alcohol. Victims of Orange County pedestrian accidents caused by a negligent driver may be entitled to compensation for damages including medical expenses, hospitalization, rehabilitation, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma. If the victim’s injuries are fatal, surviving family members may be able to seek damages for their loved one’s wrongful death, funeral expenses and other losses.
Recovering compensation for your pedestrian accident injuries is critical to ensuring that you can pay your medical bills and other accident-related expenses, especially if you are unable to return to work temporarily or permanently. To be able to away from a pedestrian accident is often a stroke of luck, but even pedestrians who survive these accidents can be left with painful and long-lasting injuries, which the at-fault driver is liable for. Even if you are found partially at fault for your accident, you can still pursue compensation for damages under California’s comparative negligence law, though the amount you are entitled to will be reduced by your own percentage of fault. For example, if you were crossing the street illegally when you were struck by a speeding vehicle in Orange County, and you are found to be 30% at fault for the accident, you are still entitled to recover 70% of your total damages from the negligent driver.
Free Pedestrian Accident Consultation in Orange County
California is the most populated state in the country, and that fact alone means pedestrian accidents are more likely to occur on California roadways. In Orange County, there were 162 fatal traffic accidents in 2015, and pedestrians accounted for 51 of those deaths. In the aftermath of a serious pedestrian accident, it’s normal to have questions about who is responsible for your injuries and to expect that the person or party found at fault in the accident will be held liable for your medical bills and other damages. For more information about filing a personal injury claim for pedestrian accident injuries in Orange County, consult our knowledgeable and compassionate attorneys at DAG Law Firm today.
