North Hollywood Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Walking in Southern California has become increasingly popular as a way to avoid the high cost of car ownership, keep from sitting in traffic or fighting for scarce parking spots, and take advantage of a healthy, environmentally friendly way to get to their destination. However, those benefits seem less compelling if you get hurt while walking. The experienced North Hollywood pedestrian accident attorneys at Walch Law understand that the resulting medical bills and financial insecurity might make you think you can’t afford an attorney; that’s why we take all our cases on contingency. That means you don’t pay us until after you get paid. Contact us today to learn more and see how we’ll use our 40 plus years of experience to fight for the check you need and the closure you deserve.

North Hollywood is a modestly sized city in Los Angeles, located in the San Fernando Valley between the 101, 134, and 5 freeways. Though the city is not overly accessible for pedestrian use, there are a number of bars, restaurants, and coffee shops in the downtown area near Coldwater Canyon Avenue that can be reached on foot. However, as with any city, it’s important for pedestrians in North Hollywood to exercise caution and move defensively to avoid accidents and injuries caused by distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or other motorists behaving carelessly behind the wheel. Even pedestrians not doing anything wrong or acting negligently can still become victims. In 2019, a pedestrian standing by a bus stop was killed when a suspected drunk driver sped through a red light at Vineland Avenue and Victory Boulevard, collided with another vehicle, and propelled that vehicle into the pedestrian on the sidewalk.

A victim injured in a pedestrian accident likely feels they deserve compensation from the responsible party for their injuries; this is understandable considering the magnitude of the injuries they often suffer. Victims usually file personal injury lawsuits for compensation and argue a defendant’s negligence caused their injuries.

Victims can establish negligence – and a defendant’s liability – if they prove the defendant breached a legal duty of care owed to them and injured them in the process. If the pedestrian was injured by a motor vehicle on North Hollywood’s streets, they can also establish the presumption a defendant acted negligently if a law promoting safety was broken at the time the victim was injured. This includes traffic laws motorists must obey such as:

• Running a stop sign
• Failing to yield
• Texting while driving or other prohibited distracted driving behaviors

It’s no wonder pedestrians who manage to survive a collision with a vehicle commonly suffer catastrophic injuries and face a long road to recovery. Cars, motorcycles, and trucks vastly outweigh humans and offer structural protection to occupants that the human body alone does not - combined with the speeds traveled by vehicles and force of impact caused during accidents, a victim on foot never wins a fight with a vehicle.

Victims who can establish another party’s liability for their injury – generally through negligence, recklessness, or intentional conduct – may be able to recover compensatory damages. Court may award a victim money to make them whole for injuries such as:

• Hospital expenses and bills for treatments like therapy and rehabilitation
• Burial expenses
• Lost wages
• Scarring and disability
• Pain and suffering

If you’re injured as a pedestrian, it’s understandable you may be dazed, full of emotions, and confused about the steps to take in the aftermath of an accident. Taking a few simple steps can safeguard your health and help you build a strong legal case for recovery.

• If you or anyone else is hurt, call 911.
• Notify law enforcement and help responding officers complete an accident report.
• If applicable, get eyewitness contact information.
• Take every involved driver’s license, insurance, contact, and vehicle information.
• If possible, photograph where the accident occurred and any injuries you sustained.
• Get medical treatment. This is important even if you believe you were not injured – brain injuries and other conditions may not present noticeable symptoms for several days after an accident but be fatal if not diagnosed and promptly treated.

Any pedestrian who has been hit and injured by someone else’s negligence may understandably feel confused, stressed, and not sure about how to move forward with an insurance or legal claim to recover well-deserved compensation. To make sure you avoid costly mistakes and put the best foot forward, get in touch with the North Hollywood pedestrian accident lawyers at Walch Law. We understand you need results quickly, so as soon as you hire us, we’ll utilize our knowledge, experience, and resources to build the strongest case and fight for maximum possible compensation for your injuries. You deserve to focus on recovering from your injuries while we focus on recovering for your injuries – contact us today to learn more.