Need an Injury Attorney for a Pedestrian Accident in Utah?
In Utah, pedestrian accidents don’t cease to exist – in fact, 30 pedestrians are hit and killed by a car and 785 are hospitalized or treated in an emergency room following a horrific accident with a motor vehicle. Sometimes these accidents are life-changing events causing serious injuries that make it difficult for a pedestrian to get back up on their feet in their dire time of need. The Utah Highway Safety Office has reported that the percent of crashes involving pedestrians has increased for the 7th year in a row. A high percentage of pedestrians injured and killed in accidents were between the ages of 10 to 24.
However, many drivers fail to realize that pedestrians have the right of way at marked and unmarked crosswalks. This means that, generally, a pedestrian has the right to cross the street at any location, unless it is prohibited by law and posted on signs in that area. Every year, drivers fail to abide by these rules, hitting children and adults when they are not paying attention to the roads around them. What happens if you are involved in a pedestrian accident that has caused your life to turn upside-down? You may have questions for us, and we have answers.
Driver’s Duty of Care to Pedestrians
Pedestrians are entitled to the highest duty of care on our roadways due to the fact that they are susceptible to the most injuries since they have no protection from the outside elements. This is why drivers are constantly supposed to be on the lookout for pedestrians so they can avoid them on the roadways at any cost. However, common forms of negligence take place every year involving cars and pedestrians:
- Improper lane use that forces pedestrians onto roadways
- Unmarked crosswalks leading to intersection accidents
- Left-hand turn accidents when drivers are not looking out for pedestrians
- Use of electronics by both pedestrians and car drivers
- Dark clothing that makes spotting a pedestrian nearly impossible at night
Proving Liability in a Pedestrian-Related Accident
Drivers violate the rules of the road every single year, contributing to thousands upon thousands of pedestrian-related accidents. You must be able to show that a driver owed you a duty of care based on specific road-related laws and that they breached this duty to you. A good example of this is an accident where a driver is texting while driving and hits you because drivers are never supposed to take their eyes off the roads. If you can prove that a party acted negligently, you may be able to receive compensation for a variety of damages, such as permanent injuries, lost wages due to missing work, medical bills that keep piling up, and more.
Serious injuries almost always occur in pedestrian accidents. You should always have an attorney on your side in these cases so that you can meet deadlines on time, seek medical treatment, stand up to the big name insurance companies, and more. Have you been injured in a Utah pedestrian accident? Turn to us today for help with your 0case.