Walking to work or around the block or maybe to the park with the kids is great. It’s more relaxing than fighting traffic, and you get some fresh air and exercise. In big cities around the country, more people are doing just that, they are shedding the car and getting around the old fashion way. City leaders all across the country are doing their part by building walking infrastructure and other projects to encourage more of it.

The only problem is that pedestrians are getting injured and killed by motor vehicles at rates most cities haven’t seen before. At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, we are alarmed at the rising number of pedestrian deaths and injuries in Van Nuys and around Los Angeles.

Our office is on Sepulveda Ave, which runs right through Van Nuys, and we like to walk whenever we can to go to lunch or just get out of the office. We believe that pedestrians have just as much right to be out as motor vehicles do, and we tirelessly fight to defend pedestrian rights.

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How Do Pedestrians Get Hurt in Van Nuys?

Van Nuys is a great place to live. Lots of coffee shops, restaurants, parks, bike paths and of course just about any store you want. Combine walking with a little help from LA Metro, and getting around Van Nuys without a car is doable.

But those who step out need to be aware of the dangers when walking. Most of the time we just walk and don’t really think about a car hitting us. But a little bit of knowledge and vigilance can increase your odds of staying safe. A prime example would be the hit-and-run incident in Van Nuys where an elderly was hit by a car and died on the scene.

In representing injured Van Nuys pedestrians over the years, we’ve come up with a list of how people are getting hit while out walking:

  • Driver Tunnelvision: Drivers are programmed to see other cars and will sometimes look right at a pedestrian but not “see” the person.
  • Driver Distraction: As if tunnel vision isn’t bad enough, a driver can get distracted putting the pedestrian at even more risk, and today there are many things that can steal a driver’s attention.
  • Right Hook: When a pedestrian starts walking and steps off of the curb, sometimes a car will take a right turn right into them.
  • Crosswalk Left Hook: When in a crosswalk, motorists turning left are often looking out for cars coming from their right and don’t see the person in the crosswalk.
  • Unmarked Crosswalks: At an intersection, a pedestrian is allowed to cross with the light even if the crosswalk is unmarked. Motorists sometimes don’t give pedestrians the right of way.
  • Dark Clothing: At dusk or night, visibility is everything, and if the pedestrian is wearing dark clothing, a driver might have difficulty seeing the person.
  • Impaired Driving: This affects all types of motor vehicle crashes, but pedestrians are especially at risk because of their extreme vulnerability.

Pedestrian Injuries

At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, we’ve also seen many types of injuries suffered by pedestrians due to the negligence of a motor vehicle driver. We know how different each accident type is and how it impacts the victim. A spinal cord injury, for example, impacts the victim much differently than a  broken leg, and the needs of the client are different too. We tailor our strategy and our demand for compensation to the victim’s injuries and needs.

Over the years, we’ve seen some recurring patterns when it comes to pedestrian accidents, and some of them are:

  • Blunt Force Trauma
  • Severe Head Injuries
  • Broken Collarbone
  • Spinal Cord Damage
  • Broken Arms/Legs
  • Compound or Open Fractures
  • Nerve Damage
  • Shattered Wrist/Elbows/Knees
  • Broken Facial Bones
  • Fractured/Displaced Ribs
  • Mental Anguish/Emotional Distress

Who Pays for Van Nuys Pedestrian Injuries?

Under California Law, before anyone can collect compensation for their injuries, they have to prove that the other person was negligent. In many cases, a pedestrian will think that they are to blame because they stepped out in front of the car, or the walk sign stopped signaling halfway through the crosswalk.

Insurance companies will tell pedestrians that their actions caused the accident, and they aren’t entitled to any compensation. This just isn’t true. California is a comparative fault system meaning even if the pedestrian is some to blame, it might mean that their award or settlement will get reduced, but in almost all cases, it’s still worth making a claim.

Contact a Van Nuys Personal Injury Attorney

The best thing to do when injured due to someone else’s negligence is to talk to a Van Nuys Personal Injury Attorney. Even if you don’t hire one, you owe it to yourself to be advised of the law by an impartial professional. If you decide to get representation, choose someone who is experienced and has worked with injured pedestrians in our community. Contact the Law Offices of Steers & Associates today to discuss your legal options.

 

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