As the population of the Bay Area grows, cars, bicyclists, motorcycles, trucks, and pedestrians must negotiate with each other when traveling on the city streets. Combine the large number of automobiles and people traveling on foot and you’re bound to have some San Francisco pedestrian accidents reported. In fact, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), in 2008 alone there were 806 collisions between cars and pedestrians in San Francisco. Of these accidents, 790 ended in personal injury to the pedestrian while 16 ended fatally. Also detailed in the OTS report is the shocking fact that pedestrian accidents accounted for 45% of all fatal accidents in San Francisco in 2008. This number in itself illustrates the grim reality of what can happen when motor vehicles collide with pedestrians. If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian accident in the Bay Area, contact a qualified San Francisco pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced pedestrian accident lawyer will be able to defend your rights and help you pursue adequate compensation for your injuries.
Why Accidents Happen
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the of all the factors in car related accidents, driver distraction remains one of the top contributors. This can simply be a driver talking on their cell phone, talking with other passengers in the car, rubbernecking, or texting. Drivers owe a duty of care to other motorists and pedestrians that they share the roads with. When drivers breach this duty, thus acting negligently, serious accidents can happen and they can be ordered to pay compensation to the victims they injure. Drivers of all vehicle types owe this duty to all other people on the road. Possible sources of injury for pedestrians are:
• City buses
• Taxis
• Cars
• Garbage trucks
• Semi-Trailer trucks
• Passenger cars
• Motorcycles
• Trolleys
Some injuries that befall victims of San Francisco pedestrian accidents include:
• Concussions, head injuries, and Traumatic Brain Injury
• Broken or fractured bones
• Neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries, some resulting in permanent paralysis
• Significant cuts, scrapes, and bruises (often called “Road Rash”)
In some cases, pedestrians can become trapped under motor vehicles, crushed, and even die. When this happens, a claim of wrongful death can be brought against the negligent driver by the surviving family members to seek compensation for their loss. An experienced San Francisco pedestrian accident lawyer will be able to properly asses your case and evaluate the compensation you will need after your injury or the loss of a loved one.
Insurance Company Contact
No matter how negligently a driver may have acted, how obvious their careless behavior was, the driver or the insurance company will try to pin the blame on the victim. Insurance companies make their money by collecting premiums and denying claims. They’re in the business to make money, not pay it out. Due to this, respectfully decline any and all contact with the other party’s insurance company without a San Francisco pedestrian accident lawyer present. Electing to discuss your case with them freely, without the proper legal council on your side, will immensely reduce the total compensation figure you are entitled to. Even if the insurance company simply states they just want to hear your side of the story, this is just a gimmick to to use your own words against you at a later date.
Make the right choice after you suffer personal injury from a pedestrian accident or you lose a loved one due to a wrongful death. Contact an experienced, qualified, and compassionate San Francisco pedestrian accident lawyer today. You may be entitled to substantial compensation.