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PEDESTRIAN INJURY ACCIDENTS

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St. George Pedestrian Injury Accident Lawyer Personal Injury Attorney | Washington County, Iron County, Salt Lake County, Entire Utah

Whenever an accident between a pedestrian and a car, truck or motorcycle, there is one sure victim; the pedestrian.  By definition, pedestrians have virtually no protection in an accident and are always vulnerable to injuries from impacts with larger and heavier moving objects.  The force of impact with an automobile, truck or motorcycle will cause immediate traumatic physical injuries followed by secondary injuries when the pedestrian is thrown to the pavement or against another stationary object. As a result, pedestrians often suffer severe and disabling injuries when these accidents occur.

In 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 4,743 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, and another 76,000 pedestrians were injured. This averages to one crash-related pedestrian death every 2 hours, and a pedestrian injury every 7 minutes.  Pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash on each trip.  In 2012, pedestrian deaths accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes.  The majority injured pedestrians are either children or the elderly.

Driver’s failing to yield to pedestrians in cross walks is a major cause of pedestrian accidents, but surprisingly over 70% of all vehicle v. pedestrian accidents occur outside of intersections.  Lighting is also a factor as the majority of pedestrian fatalities occur at night. Other causes include distracted driving, failing to obey traffic controls, speeding and driving under the influence. Although Utah has specific laws giving pedestrians the right of way to pedestrians in most situations, pedestrian accidents still happen.

In Utah there is an interesting twist in the law involving PIP coverage.  A pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle is treated the same as a passenger in the motor vehicle. The pedestrian is automatically covered by the driver’s or owner’s PIP coverage.  That means that the first $3,000.00 in medical expenses will be paid by the other party’s insurance carrier, regardless of who was at fault.  

Pedestrian accidents are often vulnerable to allegations that the pedestrian was negligent, careless, inattentive, or even stepped in front of the vehicle, without giving the operator sufficient time to avoid the collision.  Because of these issues, the successful resolution of any pedestrian v. vehicle accident will almost always require the assistance of legal counsel to address and defeat claims of pedestrian negligence.

Attorney Altman has been honored as one of the Best Attorneys of America and received the NAOPIA TOP TEN(10) award.  The National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys is an organization devoted to recognizing the top Personal Injury lawyers in the nation and less than 1% of the more than 1 million attorneys in the United States have received this prestigious award.

If you or your child has been involved in a pedestrian accident ,Please contact the Law Offices of David Altman, a top Saint George personal injury law firm dedicated to helping pedestrian injury accident victims and winning their cases for over thirty five (35) years in Utah and California.

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