New Jersey Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
If you or someone you know was injured in a pedestrian accident in New Jersey, the attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP may be able to help you recover compensation for your expenses, damages, and injuries. Collecting damages from the party who is allegedly at fault for a pedestrian accident is often complex; however, our attorneys have decades of experience handling accident claims.
In fact, the attorneys at Parker Waichman have a long history of successfully litigating pedestrian accident cases in New Jersey and recovering compensation for clients. For years, New Jersey has been the fifth most dangerous state in the United States for pedestrians. It has the fifth-highest percentage of pedestrian traffic fatalities nationwide.
In fact, New Jersey implements a Decoy Program involving plainclothes police officers to pose as pedestrians to catch and ticket drivers who do not yield the right of way as a method for enforcing New Jersey pedestrian accident laws. New Jersey's deadliest road is Route 130, followed by Camden County's Route 30, according to The Courier-Post. Many fatal pedestrian accidents also take place near the Jersey Shore.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that 150,000 pedestrians are sent to hospital emergency rooms due to motor vehicle crashes. The agency also points out that pedestrians are 1.5 times likelier of being killed in an accident than the vehicle's occupants.
What to Do If You are in a Pedestrian Accident
Oftentimes, a pedestrian accident results in an emergency as an unprotected body is unable to withstand the impact of a collision with a multi-ton vehicle. In many cases, pedestrians suffer severe, life-threatening injuries and death. Typical injuries seen include amputations, broken bones, head and spinal cord injuries, internal bleeding, organ damage, nerve damage, torn ligaments and tendons, serious cuts and bruising, and herniated discs. Seek immediate medical care, regardless of how you feel as the shock and adrenaline rush experienced following an accident may make symptoms difficult to identify. In fact, some injuries may take time to present themselves and waiting may only worsen them. If you believe you've been injured in a pedestrian accident, be sure to contact a pedestrian accident attorney in NJ as soon as possible.
Determining Fault in Pedestrian Accidents
In a pedestrian accident, determining liability is critical. The New Jersey attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP have handled all types of pedestrian accident claims. They're experienced in identifying all individuals and entities who are at fault and obtaining compensation for their injured clients. So if you or a loved one has been involved in such an accident, be sure to speak with a pedestrian accident attorney in NJ right away.
What Is a Pedestrian Accident?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a pedestrian accident as a crash that involves someone who was not in a motor vehicle, operating a pedal cycle, or using an animal for transportation. In New Jersey, if the injured party was on a bicycle or riding a horse, these do not qualify as a pedestrian accident. If the individual was on foot, even if sitting or lying down, that individual is a pedestrian. A pedestrian may be walking, jogging, standing still, or running.
What are the Legal Rights of New Jersey Pedestrians?
Pedestrians are far more vulnerable to significant injuries in a crash than individuals inside of a vehicle. Due to this fact, it is important you understand your rights as a pedestrian if you've been involved in such an accident, and it can be extremely beneficial to speak with a pedestrian accident lawyer. In New Jersey, motorists must watch out for and share the roads safely with pedestrians.
Pedestrians who are hit by a motor vehicle tend to suffer from serious injuries or death. Motor vehicles of every type must yield to pedestrians; therefore, when a pedestrian is hit by a motor vehicle, the fault of the accident is typically with the driver. Pedestrians who have suffered a serious injury or who have died may be able to receive compensation in a pedestrian accident lawsuit. Since 2010‚ New Jersey pedestrian accident law mandates all drivers to come to a full stop for pedestrians who are in marked crosswalks.
Pedestrians who have been hit by a vehicle may be able to receive compensation for lost wages or diminished earning ability; medical bills, expected medical bills; pain and suffering; and a diminished quality of life. When a pedestrian is injured, more than one individual may have legal responsibility. Also, non-vehicular pedestrian accidents happen due to poor road maintenance, sidewalk or parking lot defects, and construction or other debris on walkways. Whether the injury is due to a vehicle or due to a property defect, a pedestrian may recover damages for injuries suffered due to someone else's negligence by working with a pedestrian accident lawyer in New Jersey.
Driver Actions That Lead to Pedestrian Accidents
Typical driver actions that lead to pedestrian accidents include, disobeying traffic signs or signals, disregarding weather or traffic conditions, distracted driving, driving on the sidewalk, driving through a light or a stop sign, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, failure to notice a pedestrian, failure to signal when turning, failure to yield the right of way to pedestrians at a crosswalk, turning through a crosswalk, parking, reversing, or speeding.
Pedestrian accidents usually lead to significant injuries such as amputation, brain injury, death, organ damage, and spine injury. The severity of the injury is dependent on car size, speed, and if the driver tried to avoid hitting the pedestrian. Young children are at the greatest risk of being hit by a vehicle given their smaller size.
Children are less visible and may behave in unpredictable ways. In fact, the law imposes a greater duty of care on drivers when children are involved. When in the presence of children, drivers must exercise greater care, especially when driving by schools, parks, and residential areas. A pedestrian must also exercise reasonable care for his or her own safety and care must be proportionate to the danger to be avoided and the reasonably anticipated consequences. Contributory negligence may be assessed against the pedestrian if the pedestrian neglected to exercise such care and contributed to the cause of his or her injuries.
Pedestrians are responsible for paying attention to the "Walk" signal at intersections and other road signals and signs, not entering and disrupting the flow of traffic, using marked crosswalks, and avoiding running in front of a vehicle, and other dangerous activities near motor vehicles.
The New Jersey pedestrian accident attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP have a long history of successfully fighting accident cases and recovering compensation for their clients. If you or someone you know has been injured due to a New Jersey pedestrian accident, the firm offers legal consultations to individuals with questions about filing a lawsuit. Parker Waichman LLP offers free, no-obligation case evaluations. For more information, call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
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