When a car strikes a pedestrian who is legitimately crossing the street in a crosswalk, they put themselves at risk of a civil lawsuit, implications to their driver’s license, traffic citations, and possibly even criminal prosecution.
In the event that the pedestrian sustains significant or fatal injuries, the repercussions for the driver will be even more severe. On the other hand, if the pedestrian was the one who caused the collision, the driver might not be held accountable for anything at all. Read on to learn more and then contact Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn at (310) 209-1600 for a free legal consultation.
After a collision involving a pedestrian that takes place in a crosswalk, what are the possible outcomes for the driver?
If a driver strikes a pedestrian when the person is in the crosswalk, the driver may be subject to the following consequences: citations for traffic violations, sanctions against your driver’s license, a personal injury lawsuit, and criminal prosecution.
The specifics of the case will be quite important. If it is determined that the pedestrian was at blame for the automobile accident, the driver might not have to face any consequences as a result of the incident at all. If the driver was at fault for the accident and the pedestrian suffered significant injuries or died as a result, the consequences will be severe. It might be a felony violation if the motorist was under the influence of alcohol or drugs or if they ran from the site of the accident.
Citations for traffic violations
If the authorities have any reason to believe that the motorist was at fault for the collision, then they will most likely issue a citation to the driver for breaking one or more traffic regulations. These citations are the penalty that drivers face the most frequently, as well as the consequence that is the least severe, when they hit a pedestrian.
When a car strikes a person when the pedestrian is crossing in a recognized crosswalk, they are likely to obtain one of the following tickets: driving while distracted, failing to yield to a pedestrian, making an improper turn, or going through a red light are all violations that might result in a ticket.
These tickets come with a fee that can range anywhere from a few tens to several hundreds of dollars. They also have the potential to leave a mark on the individual’s driving record.
Personal injury claims
The motorist who hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk will also likely face a personal injury claim. This is a formal claim for compensation for the pedestrian’s injuries, which include the following: medical bills, including medical expenses for the future medical care that the sufferer is anticipated to need, lost wages, earning potential, and other professional losses, and pain and suffering.
Even though the negligent driver will almost certainly be served with the lawsuit, the personal injury claim will very certainly be defended by the negligent driver’s insurance carrier. If the driver who caused the accident does not have insurance, the victim of the accident may have to seek reimbursement from his or her own insurance policy.
The amount of compensation awarded to the pedestrian will be proportional to the severity of his or her injuries. Personal injury lawsuits for minor injuries sustained, for example, in a vehicle collision at the entrance to a parking lot, may demand a very little amount of compensation for their victims.
Pedestrian accident situations that entail significant injuries or life-threatening injuries that necessitate extensive medical treatment, like a traumatic brain injury, will lead to a greater demand.
For fatal pedestrian injuries, the victim’s loved ones may bring a wrongful death case to invoke the victim’s legal rights on his or her behalf. In these types of instances, injured pedestrians frequently seek the counsel of a pedestrian accident lawyer or a personal injury lawyer from a local law firm in order to receive legal representation. You can contact Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn at (310) 209-1600 to get started.
