San Fernando Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

With crowded, dangerous roads, high gas prices, and ineffective public transportation alternatives, it’s little surprise people in San Fernando often choose to walk to run errands, get exercise, and stay as far away from their vehicles as possible. Though choosing to walk has a definite appeal, if you’re hit and injured when you’re on foot you’re likely to be focused on the downside of being a pedestrian. The experienced San Fernando pedestrian accident lawyers at Walch Law know the medical expenses and other damages can cause you financial stress and make you believe hiring attorney will cost too much money. However, we take our cases on a contingency fee basis – meaning you pay nothing until you’ve been paid first. Contact us today to learn how working with over four decades of experience with a 95+% success rate can help get you maximum possible compensation.

San Fernando is a small town of 24,322 located northwest of downtown Los Angeles. One of the most walkable cities in the San Fernando Valley, most errands can be done on foot. The layout of the city makes it easy to patronize the large outdoor shopping mall located there, visit the San Fernando Recreation Park downtown and Las Palmas Park nearby, and take advantage of the area’s year round pleasant climate and sunny weather in a healthier, more environmentally friendly way.

However, it’s important for pedestrians to be vigilant around vehicles in San Fernando.According to the most recent data released by California’s Office of Traffic Safety, at least 7 pedestrians were injured or killed in accidents involving motor vehicles in San Fernando during the span of a single year. Additionally, pedestrians need to watch out for dangers in addition to the vehicles on San Fernando’s roads. In 2019, a pedestrian was killed when he was struck by a Metrolink train at a railroad crossing near the intersection of First Street and Maclay Avenue.

Victims who are hurt in pedestrian accidents understandably want the person responsible to pay for damages caused by their negligence. The most common avenue to pursue recovery is through a lawsuit arguing that the defendant’s negligent conduct injured them. Negligence – and the defendant’s liability – is usually proven by the victim showing:

• The defendant owed them a legal duty of care to act as a reasonably prudent personal would in those circumstances
• The defendant breached that duty through an action or a failure to act when necessary
• The defendant’s breach was the cause of your harm

In some cases, victims can create the legal presumption the defendant was negligent without proving the usual elements. If you have evidence that the defendant caused your injury while engaged in conduct that violates a law, rule, or other regulation designed to promote safety or protect a group of people, they will be presumed to have acted negligently and will be liable without a valid defense to rebut the presumption.

For pedestrians, negligence per se can be a helpful tool to hold a defendant liable for their injuries. The presumption extends to traffic laws, and vehicles are the most common source of serious pedestrian accidents and injuries. Drivers commonly engage in illegal behavior including:

• Running a red light or a stop sign
• Failure to yield
• Speeding
• Driving under the influence
• Texting and driving

Victims who are fortunate enough to live through a San Fernando pedestrian accident often face an uphill battle to get their lives back on track. Catastrophic injuries, serious financial consequences resulting from inability to work and massive medical bills, and lifelong medical care needs commonly result from a collision with a motor vehicle – the size difference and lack of structural protections for pedestrians means the car always wins when the two do battle.

Courts understand the aftermath of these accidents can be disastrous for victims, so if a defendant is found liable for their injuries the victim may receive an award of damages. Though nothing will undo the accident or injuries, courts may attempt to make victims whole by awarding compensatory damages for:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages and lost future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Permanent disability or disfigurement

If you’ve been unexpectedly injured while on foot, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed, traumatized, and confused about how to pursue the compensation you deserve for the harm you suffered. The skilled San Fernando pedestrian accident lawyers at Walch Law have extensive experience investigating complicated accidents, negotiating with difficult insurance companies, and litigating aggressively to get a much-needed check and a sense of closure so you can focus on recuperating. Contact us today to get started.