Like other negligence cases, pedestrian accident cases often involve various complexities that make them difficult to handle.
To help with this, trust our Chico pedestrian accident attorneys to determine your options and provide quality representation. After a pedestrian accident, we can identify the liable parties and seek compensation through a claim or lawsuit.
Our attorneys have earned many accolades and credentials to back our legal services, and we have won 98 percent of cases that have gone to trial over the years.
Our case results reveal our high success rate, including success with pedestrian accident cases. For instance, we have helped recover $1 million in damages for a pedestrian hit by a car and a $1.5 million settlement for a victim who sustained a traumatic brain injury in a pedestrian accident.
To help ensure each of our clients benefit from our services as much as possible, we provide personalized services based on their unique needs. While we handle your case, you will have more time to spend with your family and make a complete medical recovery.
However, if you cannot meet with us in person, we can also connect with you virtually to discuss your case. We will make it easy for you to get in touch with us for potential representation regardless of where your pedestrian accident occurred.
While no result can be guaranteed, contact us to today to see what we can do for you and your case. Reach out to us online or call (530) 891-1909 for your free consultation with our Chico pedestrian accident lawyers.
What Types of Compensation are Recoverable in Chico Pedestrian Accident Cases?
If you or a loved one endures injuries and other damages in a pedestrian accident, you may be able to recover different types of damages to help recover both financially and medically. Damages could include economic and non-economic damages, with punitive and wrongful death damages involved in some instances.
Examples of economic damages include:
- Medical expenses, including everything from emergency care to ongoing treatment
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Lost income and lost earning capacity
- Damage to personal belongings
Meanwhile, non-economic damages may also apply, which pertain to the personal pain and suffering victims experience after an accident.
For example, victims may be able to recover damages for physical pain, psychological distress, and loss of enjoyment of life following serious injuries and lengthy recovery processes.
Sometimes, victims may die due to a pedestrian accident. In such cases, loved ones may be able to recover certain wrongful death damages. These could include the medical expenses for treating patients until their passing, along with burial and funeral costs.
Punitive damages could also play a part in a settlement if the defendant acted with gross negligence or malicious intent. A judge or jury may award these damages as punishment for egregious acts to prevent them from recurring in the future.
Cases rarely involve these damages, but an attorney can help determine if your settlement may qualify for them.
What Factors Influence Compensation in Pedestrian Accident Cases?
Many factors can impact the total potential settlement amount victims may seek in pedestrian accident cases.
These factors could include:
- Your injuries
- The number of liable parties involved
- The number of victims involved
- The cost of all damages applying to your case
If you need help identifying and calculating all damages in your pedestrian accident case, speak with an attorney at Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, LLP.
The right lawyer will be able to assess your case and determine how much you may stand to recover based on all relevant damages.
What Causes Pedestrian Accidents in Chico?
Chico has dangerous pedestrian areas, according to data from UC Berkeley:
- 1st Avenue and Esplanade
- Lincoln Street and Oro Dam Boulevard
- Feather River Boulevard and Oro Dam Boulevard
- East Avenue and Esplanade
- Birch Street and Skyway
- 5th Avenue and Mangrove Avenue
- Clark Road and Pearson Avenue
- Gridley Road and Magnolia Street, and State Route 99
- 9th Street and Oroville Avenue
- Bille Road and Skyway
Some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), include:
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Poor visibility
- Impairment resulting from the use of alcohol, drugs, or medication
- Distracted driving
If a pedestrian accident results from any of these factors, liable parties may need to pay compensation through a pedestrian accident claim or legal settlement.
If you want to build a pedestrian accident case in Chico, you only have a limited time to file a claim or suit. This limit is the statute of limitations, and if you fail to file before reaching it, you may not be able to seek compensation.
The statute of limitations for pedestrian accidents and other injury cases in California is two years from the time of the accident. If you discover your injuries at a later point, you will have one year to file from the date of discovery.
To help ensure you file on time, speak with an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer in Chico to get started on a case.
For legal help, you can count on in a pedestrian accident case, speak with an attorney at Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, LLP.
What Are Some Types of Pedestrian Accidents and Injuries in Chico?
There are several common types of pedestrian accidents that can occur in Chico and other cities in Northern California, including:
- Backup accidents. Many pedestrian accidents occur when a driver backs up out of a driveway, parking space, or another area and fails to notice a passing pedestrian behind the vehicle.
- Distracted driving accidents. Drivers may become distracted at some point while driving, potentially leading them to fail to notice pedestrians and get into accidents while passing straight through an intersection or making a turn.
- Trapped accidents. Drivers may hit pedestrians when the latter walk across the street with a “Walk” sign, only for the sign to turn to a “Don’t Walk” signal as the pedestrian passes. As a result, the pedestrian may not have enough time to finish crossing, leading drivers to hit them.
- Turning accidents. Some pedestrian accidents also result when drivers fail to notice pedestrians while making a turn. They may neglect to check their blind spots or turn before the pedestrian can finish crossing the intersection.
- Bus-related accidents. Drivers must give the right of way to school buses and other buses when stopped and picking up or dropping off passengers. Failure to stop for stopped buses often contributes to pedestrian accidents.
- Multiple threat accidents. Pedestrian accidents may also occur when multiple drivers are at an intersection, and one or more fail to notice pedestrians crossing the street.
Pedestrians do not benefit from the same protection as motorists on the road, potentially leading to many serious and life-threatening injuries, such as:
- Lacerations, abrasions, and contusions
- Burns
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Sprained and torn ligaments
- Amputations
Negotiating With Insurers in Pedestrian Accident Cases
One of the first steps you may want to take after a pedestrian accident in Chico may be to file a claim against the liable party’s insurer.
Whether this party is a driver or another liable party, the process would entail opening a claim, which the insurer would investigate to calculate the settlement amount and gauge liability.
Depending on the nature of the case, the claims process can become complex and lead insurers to fight to either minimize the settlement amount or deny your claim.
Insurers and adjusters want to avoid making large payouts, and they may look for any reason they can find to prevent you from getting the full amount of compensation you deserve.
If you do not have enough evidence to build your case or make a problematic statement, these and other factors could compromise your case.
To help ensure you successfully navigate the claims process and increase your chances of getting a fair settlement, turn to the Chico pedestrian accident lawyers at Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, LLP. We can give you the guidance you need to pursue compensation if you have a valid claim.
Steps to Take After a Chico Pedestrian Accident
In the event of a pedestrian accident, you should take several key steps after seeking treatment for any injuries sustained. The right approach to your case will increase your chances of success. These critical steps will include the following:
Follow Your Doctor’s Care Plan
Once you have sought treatment for your injuries, it is crucial to stick to your prescribed treatment plan. Your doctor may prescribe specific medication, physical therapy, and other forms of treatment.
Adhering to this plan will help you succeed in your recovery, and you will be able to begin generating medical records that could help prove the extent of your injuries.
Document Your Experience
To help prove non-economic damages, you will benefit from maintaining a journal that details your recovery experience.
This journal can include information about your day-to-day experience with pain and treatments, including your emotional and mental state. This may serve as evidence that proves pain and suffering to help calculate these types of damages.
Bring All Available Evidence to an Attorney
Another important step to take is to bring any evidence you can obtain to an experienced attorney. Doing so may help you build a case. Evidence could include footage of the accident scene and injuries, medical records, police reports, witness statements, and more.
An attorney will be able to assess the evidence you have to determine liability and your chances of success, and they may also help collect any evidence you are unable to obtain on your own.
Contact a Chico Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
Following a pedestrian accident, you may have the ability to build a successful case against negligent parties for injuries and related damages.
If you would like to determine your options, you may benefit from working with the personal injury attorneys at Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, LLP.
For a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a knowledgeable Chico bicycle accident attorney, please call us today at (530) 891-1909 or contact us online to discuss your possible personal injury claim or lawsuit.
