Utah Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Hit and runs, car crashes, bicycle accidents, and even motorcycle accidents can involve pedestrians. These can quickly become one of the worst kinds of accidents since pedestrians do not have metal shells, helmets, or other protection to prevent injuries.

Local and state governments work hard to ensure that roads are maintained and functional for everyone to use. In many cases, though, roads are still considered dangerous, and traffic study after traffic study, they find different ways to improve roadway systems and user safety. For many in Utah, sometimes that work is too late.

Valley Law Accident and Injury Lawyers in Utah work hard to help victims of pedestrian accidents find compensation for their injuries. If you were involved in a pedestrian accident, give us a call today at (801) 810-9999 or contact us online form to schedule your initial consultation.

How a Utah Pedestrian Accident Attorney Can Help

Dealing with injuries and handling a pedestrian accident case all on your own is difficult and likely will result in missing out on the compensation you would have received had you worked with an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer. Our team at Valley Law Utah understands state law, insurance companies, and how other parties can be held liable for the damages they caused you.

UDOT confirms that in Utah alone, there were over 50 fatalities in 2022 associated with pedestrian accidents. In many cases, increased pedestrian accidents are tied to aggressive driving, DUIs, distracted driving, and other risky driving behaviors.

The reality is that accidents can and will happen. But as a victim of a pedestrian accident in Utah, what can you do to help your case?

Victims of a pedestrian accident should immediately reach out to an experienced Utah pedestrian accident lawyer to guide and build their case. Working with the right legal expert can give you the best chance of receiving compensation to address your injuries.

Pedestrian-driver accidents are not new to Utah attorneys—or decreasing in occurrences either. Finding the right legal team to help you throughout your case is your best bet to secure the compensation you deserve.

Working with the right Utah lawyer will enable you to :

• Provide the proper application of Utah state law and regulations
• Document all your damages and medical treatment, including costs and lost working hours
• Build your case showing that the defendant was at fault
• Properly analyze evidence and know what to ask for
• Give you legal representation when talking to insurance companies or in court

Statute of Limitations

Every state in the country has placed limits on the amount of time someone can wait before presenting a lawsuit for a case. For pedestrian accidents — as it is considered personal injury case — Utah state law allows for four years before the statute of limitations law applies.

While four years seems like a long time, time can go by quickly when dealing with medical appointments, recovery, and insurance companies. Once the four years pass, the statute of limitations prevents any lawsuits related to the incident from being presented to the court, and if they are, the judge will likely dismiss the case under the justification that the statute of limitations applies.

Don’t let the statute of limitations run out. Call Valley Law Accident and Injury Lawyers in Utah and let us review your case. Missing this date can cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in compensation that you would likely otherwise receive.

When the Statute of Limitations Stops or Is Paused

Some situations allow for the “clock to stop” in pedestrian accident cases. While these rules do not apply to everyone, cases in which they do involve:

• Minors under the age of 18 — The time for minors does not start until they turn 18
• Later discovery of an injury — In these cases, the statute of limitations period begins on the date the harm was discovered or should have been
• The defendant is out of state — The clock will start once they enter the state again

In most cases of pedestrian accidents, unless the victim is a child, the statute of limitations will remain unchanged and grant four years to file a lawsuit against the defendant.

Types of Pedestrian Accidents

Just like other car accidents, pedestrian accidents can vary in how they happen. Pedestrians can commonly be involved in crosswalk collisions, parking lots, and hit-and-runs.

Crosswalk Collisions

Streets are designed to have designated crosswalk areas at intersections for pedestrians to use when directed by signals. However, hits at crosswalks are common and happen when the driver is making a turn — whether turning left or right. In some cases, cars do not stop behind the line and enter the crosswalk area, without looking to see if a pedestrian is in the right of way.

Parking Lot Accidents

Parking lots — especially those that are busy — create a perfect environment for a pedestrian accident. In parking lots, there are all the elements needed to cause some kind of incident, whether it’s drivers backing out of their space without looking behind them or someone running a stop sign or speeding. All of these can lead to someone getting hurt.

Hit and Run Accidents

Unfortunately, this kind of accident is the leader in pedestrian accident fatalities. What defines a hit and run is where the aggressor leaves the scene of an accident without thought for the person that they injured. Whether the negligent party leaves on purpose or due to a fight or flight reaction, what they did was illegal and carries serious criminal repercussions.

Repercussions of a Pedestrian Accident Can Be Long Term

A pedestrian accident victim will likely face a long road to recovery before they can return to some sense of normal. In some cases, injuries can be so severe that it will take months, if not years, until they fully recover.

The burden of medical costs associated with these kinds of accidents is the highest of any type of motor vehicle incident, costing over $135,000 on average. This level of damage occurs because the impacts during a pedestrian accident are often not singular or simple. Depending on the speed of the impact, victims can find that their bodies hit another vehicle multiple times before it’s over.

Victims of a pedestrian accident will soon find that they are accruing astronomical expenses in order to recover from their injuries. These costs involve loss of work income, medical costs, legal fees, court costs, ambulance costs, insurance deductibles, property damage, other losses, and more.

When you work with a qualified pedestrian accident lawyer, all of these costs will be accounted for and included in your case. Your attorney will make sure to gather all relevant information, especially any tied to medical bills. While it may not seem that small expenses make a difference, when you add everything up, it can become astronomical very quickly.

Injuries in a Pedestrian Accident Can Be Difficult to Diagnose and Treat

Whether the accident involves a bicycle, truck, or car, the injuries sustained from a pedestrian accident can be life-altering, if not fatal. Many victims who survive these kinds of accidents face multiple fractures and breaks, especially to their wrists, arms, shoulders, legs, and even their backs.

In some cases, there are compound fractures that can lead to punctures in the skin from bone breaks. It is not uncommon for someone made a victim in an accident like this to be airlifted to a hospital for immediate medical assistance. Pedestrian accidents can often lead to injuries so severe that the victim can potentially succumb to them and pass away, even if they receive medical intervention.

Overall, victims still see musculoskeletal injuries and brain injuries, like TBIs, if they are hit during a  pedestrian accident. The road to recovery in these cases can be brutal, with numerous doctor appointments, prescriptions, surgeries, and physical therapy sessions, not to mention the loss of working hours for adults that can carry significant financial impacts on their family’s lifestyle and stability.

Children Are at Higher Risk of Being in a Pedestrian Accident

Parents take time to teach their children proper pedestrian safety rules, and children should practice those each time they are walking to or from school or are out in the neighborhood with their friends.

The number of children involved in pedestrian accidents under the age of 9 doubled in 2022 from 2021, with more than a dozen children being killed versus 6 in 2021. This totals to 4% of the total fatalities in Utah in 2022 alone.

Given the increase in child-related pedestrian accidents, parents should take extra care when walking their children, or teaching them road rules and how to cross streets. Remind children that they should not be distracted on their phones or wearing headphones and pay attention to the road signs and traffic.

Call Our Experienced Utah Pedestrian Accident Law Firm

Valley Law Accident and Injury Lawyers are here for you when you need us most. Our team has decades of experience handling cases, like pedestrian accidents in the State of Utah, and knows what to look for when it comes to evidence and what compensation can be recovered to offset damages and injuries.

Pedestrian accidents are terrifying and, in many cases, can be fatal to the pedestrian involved. Those who survive can find themselves seriously injured and coping with a lot of pain and medical treatments that can last months, if not for the rest of their lives.

The good news is that attorneys are standing by and waiting to assist you. Speak to an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer in Utah today when you call (801) 810-9999 or contact us online to schedule a free case review.