Tacoma Pedestrian Accidents

Attorneys to Represent Your Pedestrian Accident Case

Pedestrian accidents are on the rise in the United States. In 2011, approximately 69,000 were injured, and 4,432 were killed – an increase of about 3 percent from the previous year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that those traveling by foot, wheelchair, stroller, or similar means are at risk of injury. Within the next 24 hours, an average of over 460 pedestrians will visit an emergency room to be treated for complications from a traffic-related injury, with an average of 12 people dying within the same period.

Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

There are numerous causes of pedestrian accidents. For instance, a pedestrian may trip and fall in the street, bad weather could cause a driver to veer out of control, a driver talking on the phone could take their attention off the road, or a pedestrian may be texting and walking distractedly.

Some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents include:

• Drivers speeding
• Driver intoxication
• Ignoring pedestrian signs and traffic signals
• Texting, talking on the phone, or otherwise driving or walking distractedly
• Drivers making turns without checking for pedestrians

Fault in an Injury or Wrongful Death Claim

Each state follows different laws concerning pedestrian accidents. Washington follows what is known as the pure comparative negligence rule, which states that in negligence cases, injured parties can pursue compensation for damages even if they were partly at fault in the accident.

It’s important to note that if the pedestrian is partly at fault, his or her settlement will be reduced in proportion to his or her degree of fault. For instance, if the insurance company finds the pedestrian 40 percent at fault for an accident with $200,000 in damages, then the final settlement will be reduced to $120,000.

Demonstrating the other party’s fault, as well as your or your loved one’s lack of fault, is crucial to the successful resolution of your case. It’s important to hire an attorney to facilitate your case and help you establish a strong defense.

Finding a Pedestrian Attorney for Your Case

When searching for an attorney to help with your personal injury or wrongful death claim, make sure that lawyer regularly handles pedestrian cases. Our top-notch team at Daryl Graves Law possesses more than 30 years of experience handling personal injury cases, 10.0 AVVO ratings, and an arsenal of effective strategies and resources at our disposal. You can rest easy that if we take your case, we’ll handle it with the attention and tenacity it deserves.