It is very important that both pedestrians and the vehicles driving on the roads pay attention while pedestrians are crossing the streets in order to avoid pedestrian accidents. Drivers must yield to pedestrians when they have the right-of-way and pedestrians must take precautions to cross streets in crosswalks and when traffic signals show that pedestrians can walk.
One place pedestrians generally do not have to worry about cars is on the sidewalks. Sadly, sometimes drivers lose control and veer into an area they are not meant to go.
Recently in New York, a teenager was injured after being struck by a vehicle while walking his dog on a sidewalk.
Vehicle drives onto sidewalk, striking teenager
The driver apparently lost control when the brakes on the vehicle went out. The driver ended up striking the teenager who became pinned by the car. A number of bystanders came to help the boy immediately and were able to move the car enough to get the teenager free. The victim was brought to the hospital with a number of injuries and as of the report, he was in critical, but stable condition.
Pedestrians do not generally look out for or think that they will be struck by a car while walking on the sidewalk. When they are struck by a vehicle in that manner it is almost always the driver’s fault and they may be required to compensate the victim for their injuries.
While it is not usually in the manner that the teenager was struck in the situation above, there are many pedestrians who are struck by vehicles every year in Brooklyn. The pedestrians usually suffer severe injuries that require hospital stays or extensive rehabilitation as they heal from the injuries. These types of injuries can completely change the victim’s life. Receiving the proper compensation is not always easy though. Experienced attorneys understand how to deal with insurance companies and may be useful.