Washington, DC Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

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Were You Injured as a Pedestrian in Washington, DC?

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. Every day, tourists and residents alike walk around our city streets to take in the sights. And because Washington, DC is such a walkable city, it’s no wonder that pedestrian accidents occur on a regular basis.

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.

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How Can a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Help?

A Pedestrian accident attorney will help by protecting your rights, holding negligent parties responsible and fighting for maximum compensation.

In most cases, pedestrian accidents result from negligence by the motor vehicle driver. Careless drivers not paying attention to the road may fail to notice pedestrians crossing at crosswalks or walking along the side of the road. When a pedestrian is injured in a car accident, they may not know what their next steps should be or how they will pay for their injuries. If the accident results in a fatality, our experienced pedestrian accident attorneys can assist you in pursuing a wrongful death claim if you have lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident.

$77M Wrongful Death Settlement

$20M Brain Injury Verdict

$19.5M Wrongful Death Verdict

$16M Premises Liability Settlement

$15.2M Wrongful Death Settlement

$15.2M Wrongful Death Verdict

$14M Personal Injury Settlement

$14M Car Accident Settlement

$11M Med. Malpractice Settlement

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Are You Looking for a Pedestrian Accidents Law Firm in DC?

When you are dealing with serious injuries from a pedestrian accident in Washington, DC, you’re going to need 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 she was struck by a Metrobus. 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.

Who Pays the Medical Bills for My Pedestrian Injuries After a Motor Vehicle Accident in Washington 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 for the accident. 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 expenses: 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: Any time that you were not able to go to work because of the accident, you will receive compensation. 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.

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

How Much Is My Pedestrian Accident Case Worth?

Unfortunately, is no average cost of a personal injury claim. That’s because each situation is different. Your DC pedestrian accident lawyers will need to investigate the claim thoroughly in order 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 how much your future costs will be. You can then multiply for 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.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for My Washington, DC Pedestrian Accident Injury?

In order 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.

There are many parties who could be responsible for your accident, including:

The driver: Everyone who gets behind the wheel has a responsibility to keep other people sharing the road safe from harm. But by acting in a negligent manner, such as driving while texting or not yielding to pedestrians at a crosswalk, the driver could be found at fault for the accident.
The government: The local government is responsible for keeping our roadways safe. This means working traffic signals, clearly marked crosswalks, and well-maintained roadways. But sometimes that just doesn’t happen and could result in an accident. If the accident was caused by something a government agency was responsible for, you may be able to file a lawsuit against that agency.
The vehicle manufacturer: For example, let’s say you were crossing at the crosswalk when you are hit by a motor vehicle. The driver said they were trying to stop the vehicle but the brakes had failed. It is later discovered the brakes had a known defect that the manufacturer should have fixed before the vehicle went to market. Because the braking system was the cause of the accident, the manufacturer may be found liable.
The pedestrian: Even the injured pedestrian could be found at fault. If the pedestrian had been acting in a negligent manner, such as crossing between parked cars outside of a crosswalk, they may be responsible for the accident.

Exceptions to DC’s Contributory Negligence Doctrine in Pedestrian Accidents

Contributory negligence can significantly impact pedestrian accident claims in Washington, DC, as it bars victims from recovering compensation if they have even slightly contributed to the accident. Actions like jaywalking, ignoring traffic signals, or being distracted 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 ensure your rights as an injured pedestrian are protected.

Do I Need a Pedestrian Accident Attorney in the District of Columbia?

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

Pedestrian accidents lawyers can help you in the following ways:

Determining who is at fault: A personal injury lawyer can help figure out who is at fault in an accident. They can look at the scene of the accident, gather proof, and talk to witnesses to figure out who was at fault.
Maximizing compensation: An attorney can help you get the most money out of the accident by talking with insurance companies and other people involved. They can help you get compensation for things like hospital bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other costs.
Representation in court: A pedestrian accident lawyer can defend you in court and help you understand the law. They can tell you what your rights are 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 victims of personal injury 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. Never leave the site of an automobile pedestrian collision. Call 911 for any injury victims. Give them the info directions and a firm overview of the auto accidents.

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What Are the Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Washington, DC?

According to the District Department of Transportation, approximately 650 pedestrian-related accidents occur each year in DC. When drivers are aggressive or inattentive, crashes occur. The leading causes of pedestrian accidents:

Distracted Driving: Fiddling with the radio, texting or talking on the phone, eating, read 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 are blocking out the sound with headphones while crossing the street.
Impaired Pedestrians: We all know that drinking and driving are not only illegal but deadly. But there are times that pedestrians can be under the influence of drugs and alcohol. 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 be looking straight ahead to make sure they are ok 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.
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.

What Injuries Can Occur in a Pedestrian Accident in DC?

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 the fact that car passengers have 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:

Broken bones and fractures, especially in the lower extremities, as the trunk of the body is usually the first to come into contact with the car.
Soft tissue damage, including lacerations, dislocations, sprains, and deep contusions.
Head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries.
Spinal cord injuries, which can lead to partial or complete paralysis.
Amputation.
Death.

Learn More in a Free Consultation at Our Pedestrian Accident Law Firm

If you were injured by a negligent driver, then our DC pedestrian accident lawyers are here to help. 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. If a favorable resolution cannot be reached, then you do not have to pay a fee.

Call (202) 960-4596 or contact us online to speak to a 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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