Seattle Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Protecting People Hit by Cars

Personal Injury Lawsuits by Pedestrians Hit While Crossing the Street in WA

Washington Personal Injury Lawyers Protecting Pedestrians in Crosswalk Accidents

Anyone who ventures out into public has come across several crosswalks on a daily basis. Crosswalks are as intensely regulated in terms of traffic laws as any setting, but the fact of the matter remains that crosswalks accidents in Washington State continue to occur. Those who have been harmed in these situations need to seek the help of a Seattle personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Below you’ll find information regarding Washington pedestrian accident statistics, how negligence would be applied to these situations if someone has been injured and chooses to file a Washington personal injury lawsuit, the types of damages that could be pursued in such a lawsuit and finally how you should proceed if you or someone you love has been harmed in a crosswalk accident and you need the help of our experienced personal injury lawyers in Seattle.

Washington State Pedestrian Accident Statistics

People who live in Washington understand that pedestrians are a regular sight in traffic, particularly in urban areas. As a result of this popularity of walking,  pedestrian accidents in Washington State occur at a high rate. Overall, 86 percent of all Washington pedestrian accidents occur in urban areas such as Seattle, and 74 percent of fatalities occur in urban settings.

In terms of specific numbers, more than 300 WA pedestrian accidents occur every year somewhere in the state. These collisions lead to nearly as many injuries, as many of these accidents involve one vehicle and more than one pedestrian. In addition to the number of injuries, pedestrian accidents in Washington State also lead to approximately 30 fatalities every year.

Breaking these numbers down further, it becomes apparent that a pedestrian accident occurs almost every day in WA, and someone is injured at the same rate. Someone is killed in a pedestrian accident every 12 days, and the vast majority of those killed, specifically 59 percent, are male.

When it comes to marked crosswalks, almost half of all people who are injured in Washington pedestrian accidents suffered these injuries while crossing in such an area, and dozens more are injured while crossing unmarked crosswalks. Approximately 20 percent of the people who are killed in these occurrences also suffer this fate while in a crosswalk.  Our Seattle wrongful death attorneys at Phillips Law Firm have helped many families who have lost loved ones in these kinds of unfortunate accidents.

Negligent Acts that Cause Crosswalk and Pedestrian Accidents in WA

As mentioned above, crosswalks are heavily regulated by traffic laws in Washington. There are specific rules and laws in place that govern which party or parties have the right of way, and if one party violates these laws, he or she would likely be found negligent in a personal injury lawsuit filed by our Seattle attorneys.

One of the most common causes of crosswalk accidents in Washington involves drivers who fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. As long as pedestrians are walking with a traffic light where one is present or where pedestrians are clearly in the crosswalk before a vehicle is nearby where a traffic light is not present, that person has the right-of-way relative to a vehicle that’s moving down the road. If that vehicle proceeds through the crosswalk and collides with the pedestrian, it’s likely that the motorist will at the least be negligent for injuries that result from the accident.

Another leading cause of crosswalk accidents in Washington State is when a driver is simply not paying attention to the crosswalk that he or she is approaching. Answering a phone, eating a meal and other distractions create danger, and inattentive driving has always been one of the leading causes of Washington car accidents in general.

Potential Damages Pursued by a Pedestrian Accident Attorney

If someone is harmed as a result of the negligence of a motorist who hits him or her in a crosswalk, it’s highly likely that the injuries the pedestrian has suffered are serious in nature. This is merely common sense, as a large vehicle colliding with an unprotected person will almost always lead to harm.

As a result, the types of damages that could be pursued by our pedestrian accident attorneys if the injured pedestrian files a personal injury lawsuit in Washington are numerous in nature. Below are a few examples:

• Medical costs – Hospital stays and surgeries can be exorbitantly expensive, and this is true even if the person who was injured has health insurance. If the driver who harmed the pedestrian was negligent in the accident, these costs can be recovered.
• Lost income – If a pedestrian is harmed badly enough that he or she will be unable to work for any period of time, these losses can be recaptured with a successful Washington personal injury claim that’s filed against the negligent party.
• Pain and suffering – Pain and suffering is a form of damages that’s designed to compensate an injured pedestrian for the loss of quality of life he or she endures as a result of the injuries suffered in the accident.

Hire a Seattle Pedestrian Accident Lawyer to Enforce Your Rights

If you or someone you love has been harmed in a Washington State crosswalk accident, you need to seek the help of Seattle personal injury attorneys who have been successfully fighting for the rights of those harmed for many years. Contact Phillips Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.