Thousand Oaks pedestrian accident lawyer
Capable Pedestrian Accident Attorneys
Walking is great for the environment and an excellent form of exercise. It is a wonderful way to enjoy the weather and sights of Thousand Oaks. However, more than 700 pedestrians succumbed to their injuries in California in 2016 as per the Governors Highway Safety Association.
This means that pedestrians are at a high risk of injuries if involved in a vehicular accident. A Thousand Oaks pedestrian accident lawyer can help if you or a loved one were involved in an accident with a truck, motorcycle, car or van while crossing a crosswalk or walking down the street. Your attorney will try to get you fair compensation.
Pedestrian Injury Liability
It is vital to determine the person at fault in any accident between a vehicle or a pedestrian. California has designed several right-of-way laws that are largely meant to protect pedestrians. Proving the laws were broken may show that a driver was negligent.
According to California Vehicle Code 21950(a), the driver of a vehicle is required to yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing within any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.
Pedestrian accident claims form part of personal injury lawsuits. Injured pedestrians looking to acquire compensation will need to show that the driver of the vehicle was negligent.
These are a few other examples that warrant the attention of a Thousand Oaks pedestrian accident lawyer:
- Driving when fatigued
- Drivers exceeding the speed limit
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Operating a vehicle using a handheld device, like cellphones
- Reckless driving behavior
Gathering Necessary Evidence
In an accident between a vehicle and a pedestrian, it is important to gather enough evidence to establish the fault of the responsible party. Attorneys can help injured victims gather photographs of the scene, witness statements, information from other drivers, video evidence of the accident, and police reports.
You should know that at-fault drivers and their insurance companies will do everything possible to shift the blame to you. However, with the help of an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer, you should be able to attain crucial evidence proving liability.
Potential Compensation in Pedestrian Accident Claims
Accidents between vehicles and pedestrians amount to $500 billion of damages globally as per the World Report of Road Traffic Injury Prevention published by the World Health Organization. It can be difficult placing an exact worth or value of a pedestrian accident claim since all cases are unique.
This makes it important to get in touch with an experienced attorney who can assess your particular situation and bring a claim. Your attorney can help you recover compensation for:
- Future medical costs
- Past and present medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Missed time from work
All these factors should be closely examined for determining the value of a claim. Your attorney can also help by determining liability.
Time Limit for Filing a Pedestrian Accident Claim
An injured pedestrian should immediately seek medical attention following an accident. This is important even if you think your injuries are minor. According to California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, injured pedestrians get two years to file a claim against the people that are liable for their accident. It is vital that the lawsuit gets filed within this timeframe. Your personal injury lawsuit may get dismissed outside the statute of limitations.
Defective or dangerous roadways can result in accidents as well. In such cases, the government agency responsible for maintaining the roadway may be held liable and accountable for pedestrian injuries. You should know that personal injury claims filed against a government or public entity needs to be filed within six months of the incident. This is according to the California Government Code Section 911.2. It is vital that you don’t delay in speaking with a pedestrian accident attorney.
Thousand Oaks pedestrian accident lawyer
A winning Thousand Oaks pedestrian accident lawyer can get you so much more than trying to handle your case on your own or working with an inexperienced law firm. We have four decades of experience and a near perfect track record and are ready to get started on a winning case for you today. Contact us now.