Sherman Oaks Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Pedestrian accidents are a serious issue in Southern California, and severe and fatal injuries occur much too often because of negligent motorists. In many pedestrian accidents in the Sherman Oaks area, pedestrians are struck by drivers who are distracted or intoxicated, or by drivers who engage in aggressive driving or fail to abide by traffic safety laws. Yet pedestrian accidents and injuries can also have other causes, including collisions with negligent e-scooter riders, damaged walkways, broken or defective crosswalk lights, and even distracted walking.

If you or someone you love sustained injuries in a pedestrian accident, it is important to find out about seeking financial compensation. One of our Sherman Oaks pedestrian accident attorneys can evaluate your case to determine who may be liable for injuries and how you can move forward with a claim. 

Getting the Facts About Pedestrian Accidents and Injuries in Sherman Oaks

How often do pedestrian accident injuries occur, and how frequently do they happen? The following facts and figures come from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Safety Council (NSC), and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS):

• More than 7,000 pedestrians sustained fatal injuries in 2020 in the United States, which results in one pedestrian fatality, on average, every 75 minutes;
• Pedestrian accidents resulted in 104,000 emergency department visits in 2020 for nonfatal pedestrian injuries;
• Intoxication was responsible for almost half of all pedestrian deaths involving a motor vehicle collision, including both driver and pedestrian intoxication;
• Older adults are at the greatest risk of serious pedestrian injury, accounting for about 20 percent of all pedestrian fatalities in 2020 and only about 17 percent of the population;
• Children are also at increased risk of pedestrian injuries and deaths, and more than 20 percent of kids under the age of 15 who were killed in traffic collisions were pedestrians;
• Pedestrian accident injuries and deaths have risen in California in recent years, with a 26 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities between 2014 and 2018;
• Almost 7,500 pedestrians were killed in California between 2009 and 2018;
• California has the highest rate of pedestrian deaths in the United States;
• More than 14,000 pedestrians suffered nonfatal injuries in California in 2018; 
• About 80 percent of all pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas and on open roads (as opposed to crosswalks or at intersections); and
• More than 75 percent of all pedestrian injuries and deaths occur after dark. 

Common Causes of Sherman Oaks Pedestrian Accidents

There are many different causes of pedestrian injury accidents in Sherman Oaks, including some of the following:

• Distracted drivers, including motorists who are talking or texting on phones;
• Intoxicated driving or intoxicated walking;
• Aggressive driving, including speeding and failure to stop at crosswalks for pedestrians;
• Hazardous sidewalk or road conditions, including defects that lead to pedestrian trip and fall accidents;
• Defective crosswalk signals;
• Negligent e-scooter riders in and around Sherman Oaks and the Los Angeles area;
• Negligent bicyclists who collide with pedestrians; and
• Distracted pedestrians.

Comparative Fault in California Pedestrian Accident Cases

Sometimes pedestrians can be partially at fault for injuries in an accident, as a result of intoxicated walking or distracted walking. It is critical to know that even when a pedestrian is partially at fault, that pedestrian still may be able to obtain financial compensation by filing a claim. Under California’s comparative fault law, a plaintiff will not be barred from recovery if that plaintiff is partially at fault.

Rather, the plaintiff’s damages award will be reduced by their percentage of fault. Accordingly, even if you have concerns that you may have been partially liable yourself for a pedestrian accident, you should still seek advice from a pedestrian accident lawyer about filing a claim.

Statute of Limitations for a Pedestrian Accident Claim

Most pedestrian accident lawsuits will need to be filed within two years from the date of the injury according to the California statute of limitations for personal injury claims. However, if your pedestrian injury resulted from a defective sidewalk or another issue with public property, you may need to file a government claim. In that case, you will need to file an administrative claim within only six months from the date of your injury.

Contact a Sherman Oaks Pedestrian Accident Attorney

If you or someone you love got hurt in a pedestrian accident, you should learn more about filing a lawsuit from an experienced Sherman Oaks pedestrian injury lawyer at our firm. Contact El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers or call (213) 985-1120 to learn more about the services we provide and to get help with your case.