The human body was not designed to absorb the impact from a collision with a car that moves many times faster and weighs many times more pounds than a person. Pedestrian accidents often result in very serious and sometimes permanent injuries. According to national statistics, more than 100,000 pedestrians are injured and approximately 6,000 killed annually as a result motor vehicle accidents. Pedestrian accidents may result in head injuries, dislocated shoulders, spinal cord injuries, fractures, amputation, or serious soft tissue injuries.
Washington law gives pedestrians the right of way at every crosswalk whether the crosswalk is marked or unmarked. A crosswalk exists, even if it is not marked, where roads intersect to create an intersection. Drivers of motor vehicles are required to stop in favor of pedestrians at every crosswalk.
Drivers are often distracted or simply do not notice pedestrians. Some drivers do not obey the rules of the road. Failure to yield, to come to a complete stop before turning, to keep a proper lookout, and speeding are common causes of driver negligence resulting in the striking of a pedestrian.
Every case is different. In some instances liability is crystal clear, but in others the insurance companies for the errant driver try to blame the pedestrian for not looking for oncoming traffic. For example, a driver is not at fault if a pedestrian steps off a sidewalk or the shoulder of a roadway away from a crosswalk without giving the driver sufficient time to avoid a collision. Accordingly, any case that may be contested merits careful work to obtain all the available evidence. Washington State is a comparative fault state. That means that each party to the accident may be assigned a level of contribution or responsibility for the accident. We advise that you hire experienced lawyers, such as those at Becker Franklin Rovang, who will investigate all the facts, stand for the truth, and fight for you and your family.