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Washington, DC Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Every day, tourists and residents walk around our city streets to take in the sights. And because  DC, is such a walkable city, it’s no wonder that pedestrian accidents occur regularly. When a pedestrian gets into an accident, it can result in catastrophic injuries. They will need the help of an experienced Washington, DC pedestrian accident lawyer to get compensation for their injuries. A pedestrian accident law firm will safeguard your rights, focus on achieving the fair compensation you deserve, and guide you through the process as your advocate. If you were involved in a pedestrian accident in the DC Metro area, contact the pedestrian accident attorneys at Regan Zambri Long today to schedule a free consultation.

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Why You Need a Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Washington, DC

Dealing with the insurance company, getting better after a severe injury, taking time off work, and even taking care of estate issues can all be stressful and complicated to understand. Because of these things, you need a pedestrian injury law firm to help you with your pedestrian accident claim.

A pedestrian accident lawyer at Regan Zambri Long can help you in the following ways:

  • Determining who is at fault: A personal injury lawyer can help determine who is at fault in an accident. They can examine the accident scene, gather proof, and talk to witnesses to determine who was at fault.
  • Maximizing compensation: An attorney can help you get the most money from the accident by talking with insurance companies and other people involved. They can help you get compensation for hospital bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other costs.
  • Representation in court: A pedestrian accident lawyer can defend you and help you understand the law. They can tell you your rights and explain how the law works.
  • Peace of mind: Hiring an attorney can give you peace of mind when things are hard and stressful. When you know you have a skilled and experienced professional on your side, you can feel more confident and less worried about how your case will turn out. Our team of associates will do a case evaluation.

The statute of limitations for personal injury victims in Washington, DC, is three years. Although that may seem like a long time, it can go by fairly quickly. The evidence will start disappearing within days, and memories can fade away. The sooner you contact a pedestrian accident attorney in Washington, DC, the greater the chance of getting the compensation you need.

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Why Choose Regan Zambri Long?

When you are dealing with serious injuries from a pedestrian accident in Washington, DC, you must find a skilled DC pedestrian accident lawyer to fight on your behalf. Dealing with the insurance company on your own can be difficult. The insurance adjuster will often offer a settlement that doesn’t cover all your expenses or find some reason to deny your claim.

At Regan Zambri Long PLLC, we have a long track record of helping clients with their pedestrian accident claims. For example, we successfully represented a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a bus while using a crosswalk in Washington, DC. We also obtained one of the highest settlements in the area against WMATA; the case involved the tragic death of a pedestrian crossing the street when a Metrobus struck her. In another case, our office obtained a multi-million-dollar settlement for a woman hit by a private tour bus while crossing the street. We can aggressively pursue your claim from the first client meeting until the case’s resolution.

Our board-certified personal injury attorneys have decades of experience working with pedestrian accident victims throughout Washington, DC. We understand the methods the insurance company uses to prevent you from receiving the compensation you need. We are respected by our peers and prestigious legal organizations and are not afraid to go to court. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a pedestrian accident, do not wait. Contact Regan Zambri Long today to schedule a free consultation. You do not pay unless we win your case.

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Types of Compensation for a Pedestrian Accident Victim in DC

According to Washington, DC law, if you were injured as a pedestrian in a motor vehicle accident, you can initially seek medical coverage with your car insurance policy regardless of who is at fault. If you do not have car insurance or you do not have enough insurance to pay for your medical expenses, you can then pursue legal action against the at-fault driver.

Compensation that you may be eligible for after a pedestrian accident includes the following:

  • Current and future medical bills: Medical expenses include any bills you receive for your injuries. This includes ER visits, ambulance rides, surgery, lab results, physical therapy, medical equipment, and long-term care.
  • Lost wages: You will receive compensation for any time you were not able to go to work because of the accident. This also includes any future time lost—for example, if you have an upcoming surgery that requires you to miss work for six weeks, you may be able to receive compensation.
  • Loss of earning capacity: Sometimes, a pedestrian accident can result in catastrophic injuries. These life-changing injuries may prevent you from returning to your current job, and you will need to take a lower-paying job or go on disability. If this is the case, you may receive compensation that will pay the difference between what you would have made and what you are currently making.
  • Pain and suffering: Serious injuries can result in physical, mental, and emotional pain and cause the pedestrian accident victim to suffer.
  • Mental anguish: Any type of accident can be traumatic, especially a pedestrian accident. The injury victim may face anxiety and PTSD and could lose interest in daily activities, resulting in a diminished quality of life.
  • Loss of consortium: Loss of consortium is a legal term referring to losing the ability to provide companionship, love, comfort, or intimate relations with your significant partner.

A DC pedestrian accident attorney can explain what damages you may receive following your accident and help you recover any lost expenses.

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How Much Is My Pedestrian Accident Case Worth?

Unfortunately, there is no average cost of a pedestrian injury claim. That’s because each situation is different. Your DC pedestrian accident lawyers will need to investigate the claim thoroughly to provide you with an estimate of how much your claim is worth.

There are ways to get a general idea of how much your pedestrian accident is worth. You will need to gather all your current bills and get estimates of your future costs. You can then multiply by general damages, such as pain and suffering, to get a rough number. However, it’s always best to speak with a DC pedestrian accident attorney after any type of car accident to see what legal options are available to you.

Responsible Parties in a DC Pedestrian Accident

To prove who is responsible for your accident, a Washington, DC pedestrian accident lawyer will need to show that the at-fault party had a duty to protect you from injury, and by failing to protect you, they caused the accident, which resulted in injury and loss.

Many parties could be responsible for your accident, including:

Exceptions to DC’s Contributory Negligence Doctrine in Pedestrian Accidents

Contributory negligence can significantly impact pedestrian accident claims in Washington, DC. It bars victims from recovering compensation if they contributed to the accident. Actions like jaywalking, ignoring traffic signals, or ignoring your surroundings can impact your claim.

However, exceptions exist, particularly for vulnerable users such as children, who are held to a different standard due to their limited capacity to understand risks. Additionally, if a negligent driver’s actions were incredibly reckless, the application of contributory negligence might be reconsidered. DC law also states that a pedestrian or vulnerable user involved in a collision with a motor vehicle will not be barred from recovering damages unless their negligent behavior exceeds the total negligence of all defendants, protecting their right to seek compensation.

Talk to the experienced pedestrian accident attorneys at Regan Zambri Long; they offer specialized guidance and advocacy to protect an injured pedestrian’s rights.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Washington, DC

According to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Investigation Unit, 769 pedestrians were injured in DC in 2023. Of those pedestrians, 95 suffered major injuries, and 19 lost their lives. Unfortunately, those numbers have drastically increased in 2024 — recent statistics show that there were over 1,000 pedestrian accidents in the district, with 142 pedestrians suffering major injuries and 33 fatalities.

When drivers are aggressive or inattentive, crashes occur. The leading causes of pedestrian accidents in Washington, DC are:

  • Distracted Driving: Fiddling with the radio, texting or talking on the phone, eating, reading an article, or talking to passengers in the car are all classic examples of distracted driving. But distracted drivers are not the only ones not paying attention to the road; often, pedestrians are more focused on their phones than the traffic around them or block out the sound with headphones while crossing the street.
  • Impaired Driving: We all know that drinking and driving are not only illegal but deadly. But drunk drivers are not the only cause of pedestrian accidents; according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 42% of pedestrians killed in nighttime crashes had a blood alcohol concentration at or above 0.08% in 2019.
  • Speeding: Negligent drivers who fail to follow the posted speed limits on the streets of DC can be reckless. For example, when coming to a stoplight or a crosswalk at a high rate of speed, they may not be able to slow down and safely stop in time to let the pedestrian cross.
  • Left-Hand Turns: When a driver makes a left-hand turn at a busy intersection, they may look straight ahead to ensure they are okay to turn rather than looking left. Since the driver is not looking their way, pedestrians are always at risk when crossing at the crosswalk.
  • Not Yielding to the Pedestrian: Washington, DC law states that all vehicles must yield to bicyclists and pedestrians in the crosswalk. Pedestrians also have the right of way over any car turning right on red. Yet an impatient driver may ignore this law and fail to yield, causing an accident.
  • Not Checking for Pedestrians: Drivers often miss seeing pedestrians because they fail to look for them. Backover collisions in parking lots are common because drivers do not check for people behind their vehicles before reversing.
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Common Pedestrian Injuries in a Car Crash

When a pedestrian in DC is hit by a motor vehicle, the impact on the pedestrian is much greater than on the passengers in the car. This disparity is exacerbated by car passengers having the vehicle’s structure to protect them. Cars are designed to absorb a significant portion of the force in an accident. However, pedestrians have little to no protection, making pedestrian accidents particularly dangerous and often resulting in severe or even fatal injuries for the pedestrian victims.

The most common injuries sustained during a pedestrian accident include:

Our DC pedestrian accident lawyers are here to help if a negligent driver injured you. Regan Zambri Long has achieved excellent results for pedestrian accident claims throughout the Washington, DC, area. Our attorneys offer free initial consultations and contingency fee arrangements, which means you do not owe a fee until your case is settled. You do not have to pay a fee if a favorable resolution cannot be reached.

Call (202) 960-4596 or contact us online to speak to a Washington, DC pedestrian accident lawyer today.

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Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.

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