Bohemia Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Unfortunately, pedestrians are often at significant risk for injury from reckless drivers, poorly maintained roads and sidewalks, snow and ice and other hazards. In many instances, the negligence of others is to blame for pedestrian accidents that cause serious injuries. If you were injured by being struck while walking, getting help from an experienced Bohemia pedestrian accident lawyer may be called for. If retained, a seasoned personal injury attorney could provide personalized and experienced advice about your case and your potential civil recovery.

Common Hazards to Pedestrians

Pedestrian accidents are often caused by the negligence of another person or entity. Drivers who speed, drive while distracted, drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or fail to yield appropriately may strike pedestrians and cause serious injuries. Alternatively, unmaintained sidewalks and uncleared snow or ice may just as easily cause a pedestrian to slip and fall, and non-existent or defective traffic control devices may likewise cause an accident for which a municipal authority or local business could be held liable.

Regardless of the specific responsible party, anyone injured in a pedestrian accident may need to get legal advice about possible claims and compensation they could seek from that party. Experienced pedestrian accident attorneys in Bohemia work hard to help plaintiffs pursue recovery for all their losses and injuries.

Pedestrian Safety and State Law

New York Vehicle and Traffic Law require vehicles to exercise care around pedestrians and likewise levels similar expectations on pedestrians to act responsibly around oncoming vehicles. For example, when there is a working traffic-control signal, pedestrians must comply with the signals.

At crosswalks where there is no operational traffic-control device, on the other hand, New York law requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Pedestrians legally using a crosswalk are presumed to have the right of way.

Pedestrians crossing at a point not in a crosswalk must yield the right of way to vehicles, and crossing an intersection diagonally is prohibited unless authorized by traffic control devices. Where sidewalks are provided and safely passable, pedestrians are to use them, but vehicles must exercise care when passing pedestrians walking on a roadway.

Any violation of any of these laws and regulations may cause the offending party to be deemed at least partially liable for any ensuing accident. A Bohemia pedestrian accident lawyer could go into further detail about how these laws may affect the outcome of a particular civil injury case.

Compensation for Accidents Involving Motor Vehicles

New York has a no-fault insurance system. This means that regardless of who is at fault for an accident involving a motor vehicle, the injury victim must seek compensation through their own insurance company before filing suit against another party.

There are exceptions to this, however, where the victim suffers a financial loss greater than $50,000 and/or a serious injury. If either of these exceptions is true, a civil injury lawsuit may be possible that could allow for recovery beyond the limits of no-fault coverage.

How an Experienced Bohemia Pedestrian Accident Attorney Could Help

Given the legal time limits that apply to any personal injury claim, getting timely legal advice can be crucial to the successful outcome of a case. So, if you were hurt in a pedestrian accident, you may want to get in touch with a Bohemia pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible for a consultation. Do not wait for an insurance company to contact you—get a legal professional on your side by calling today.