The family of an 18-year-old male brought suit against the driver of a sport utility vehicle that lost control and drove off the side of a cliff. The plaintiff and his fThe Law Offices of Arnold Laub represented an injured pedestrian. Our client was withdrawing money from an ATM machine in San Francisco, when a taxi cab driver lost control of his vehicle. The cab jumped up onto the sidewalk and collided with our client, seriously injuring him.
The Law Offices of Arnold Laub settled this case for $6,000,000.00.
The Law Offices of Arnold Laub represented a 50-year-old woman who was standing on the sidewalk at the corner of an intersection when two cars collided at the intersection. One of the cars careened onto the sidewalk striking the plaintiff and pinning her against a light post. She suffered great injuries to her legs, including an amputation below the knee.
The Law Offices of Arnold Laub settled this case for $4,500,000.00.
Pedestrian
Accidents - FAQs
Q: I've been hurt in a pedestrian
accident and I want to file a claim
for my injuries. What's the first
thing I should do?
A: There are a number of things you
can do in the first few days and
weeks after an accident to protect
your right to compensation, such as:
1) write down as much as you can
about the accident itself, your
injuries and any other losses (such
as wages) you've suffered as a
result of the accident; 2) make
notes of conversations that you have
with people involved in the accident
or the injury claim; 3) preserve
evidence of who caused the accident
and what damage was done by
collecting physical items and taking
photographs; 4) locate people who
witnessed the accident and who might
be able to help you prove your case;
5) notify anyone you think might be
responsible for the accident and
tell them about your intention to
file a claim for your injuries,
especially if a government agency or
employee may be involved; and 6)
contact a personal injury attorney
to evaluate and pursue your claim.
Q: What if I was partially at
fault for the accident?
A: You may bear some responsibility
for the accident, which may reduce
your eventual recovery. For example,
if you were 50% at fault, your
recovery may be reduced by 50%.
Q: As a pedestrian, what duty is
placed upon me to avoid accidents?
A: Every pedestrian has the duty to
obey traffic laws and to reasonably
observe traffic conditions.
Generally speaking, pedestrians
should not begin or continue their
forward course across a street if
they are aware of the approach of a
vehicle.
Q: How soon after I am injured do
I have to file a lawsuit?
A: Every state has certain time
limits called "statutes of
limitations," which govern the
amount of time you have to file a
personal injury lawsuit. In some
states, you may have as little as
one year to file a lawsuit arising
out of an automobile accident. If
you miss the deadline for filing
your case, your claims can be
dismissed. Consequently, it is
important to talk with a lawyer as
soon as you receive or discover an
injury.
Q: What damages are recoverable
in pedestrian accident cases?
A: The injured party may recover
damages for past and future medical
expenses, past and future wage loss,
past and future pain and suffering.
If the defendant's conduct is
extreme, punitive damages may be
awarded. If the pedestrian dies, his
or her survivors are entitled to
recover full compensation for their
economic losses that result from the
pedestrian's death, as well as
damages which stem from the loss of
society care and comfort of the
decedent.
Q: Do I need to retain an
attorney?
A: It is almost always a good idea
to retain an attorney in a
pedestrian accident case because
there usually will be some questions
related to fault and comparative
negligence. Expert witnesses may
need to be retained to reconstruct
the accident factors, and help
determine responsibility for the
accident.
Q: What should I bring to my
meeting with a lawyer?
A: You should provide a lawyer with
any documents that might be relevant
to your case. Police reports, for
example, contain eyewitness
information and details about the
conditions surrounding auto
accidents. Copies of medical reports
and bills from doctors and hospitals
will help demonstrate the extent and
nature of your injuries. Information
about the insurer of the person who
caused your injury is extremely
helpful, as are any photographs you
have of the accident scene, your
property damage, and your injury.
The more information you are able to
give your lawyer, the easier it will
be for him or her to determine if
your claim will be successful. If
you haven't collected any documents
at the time of your first meeting,
however, don't worry; your lawyer
will be able to obtain them during
investigation of your claim.
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident and have sustained a serious injury, please call us at our toll-free number: 1-800-338-LAUB (5282).
To get involved in keeping our streets safer for pedestrians, please click to our Pedestrian Task Force page.
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