Imagine this scenario: You are out taking a walk around your neighborhood, school, or office. You have an expectation that if you follow the rules and use common sense, you will be safe. Unless you find yourself tripping and falling, walking is generally fairly safe. However, it is possible to be hit by a car, truck, or other vehicle. Pedestrian accidents like have a high instance of being fatal or causing serious injuries.
If you are in this position of having been hit while a pedestrian then you may be wondering who can be held accountable. In some cases, victims believe that the city or other local government was at fault. If that is what you believe then we urge you to keep reading and then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
How common are pedestrian accidents?
Many people are shocked to learn how high the number of pedestrian accidents actually is. Note that more than 100,000 people are injured in pedestrian accidents each year. What’s worse is that about 6,000 of those are killed. The reality is that pedestrians almost always have the right away yet these accidents are still so common. There are many potential causes, including distracted driving, drunk driving, poorly hit intersections, poorly thought out signage, etc.
The driver is not always 100% at fault – the city may be partially responsible
It is likely at least partially the fault of the driver when they are involved in an accident with a pedestrian but the fault is not necessarily 100% theirs. In some cases, a car can hit a walker or runner if the road is not properly designed. For example, if a driver is at a broken traffic light, if the crosswalk has a poor design, if necessary signs are missing, if the street is not lit, or if the pavement is broken, and any of these issues impacted the accident, then the government can be found at least partially at fault.
Suing the government may be more complicated than you think
If the government was at least partially negligent and that negligence contributed to the accident then it may seem simple: They are open to a lawsuit. Unfortunately, the reality is not often that simple. It is not as simple to sue the government as it is to sue a person or a business. There are special procedures for suing the government and there are also unique time limits. For example, you would likely have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit against a person but would only have six months to do so against the government.
If you have a case that you believe necessitates filing a lawsuit against the government then you need a personal injury attorney who is familiar with suing the government. You will find just that when you contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for your free legal consultation. We know the unique rules and regulations and we are ready to help you with this case.
