New York City Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

How Our Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Can Help You

If an accident has left you or a loved one badly injured, our attorneys and skilled legal team will work quickly to gather evidence and establish who is responsible for your accident. Clients count on our dedicated team to:

• Gather statements from the driver and any witnesses we can identify
• Obtain any video camera footage of the accident
• Collect evidence from law enforcement accident reports, which may indicate a charge against the driver
• Demand driver cellphone records, which may indicate activity at the time of the crash, i.e., distracted driving
• Identify all possible sources of compensation
• Work with victims to add up all costs and losses related to the accident, as well as project further losses
• Consult with medical and financial experts to develop detailed reports that substantiate the claim for compensation

You should never sign anything or accept any payment from an insurance company without speaking to an experienced NYC pedestrian accident attorney. Insurers work to settle claims quickly and for as little as possible. Once they have a signature on a settlement offer, they can close the case and move on.

The legal team at Zlotolow & Associates will investigate your accident to identify all of your costs and losses so we can aggressively negotiate for maximum compensation. We prepare solid legal cases and smart strategies that allow us to negotiate from a position of strength. And we will we never recommend that you accept less than you deserve.

Most cases can be favorably settled outside of court. However, when insurers refuse to offer proper settlements, our team is always prepared to take your fight to court.

Don’t let someone else’s negligence create a lasting financial burden for you and your family. Let our skilled legal team demand the justice and the full insurance compensation available for you.

Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in NYC

New York City pedestrian accident statistics and our own experience as personal injury lawyers tell us that most of these types of accidents are due to driver negligence and error. Sadly, pedestrians are occasionally stuck by motor vehicles in intentional acts of violence.

The primary causes of NYC pedestrian accidents are:

• Distracted driving. Smart phones, texting, and the use of other portable electronic devices have made the problem of distracted driving worse in recent years. Driver inattention leads to traffic accidents more quickly in a dense urban environment like New York City. The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that more than one-third of pedestrian accidents studied are due to distracted driving.
• Failure to yield. This act of negligence involves a driver failing to yield to a pedestrian who is crossing the street with the light, in a legal crosswalk, or at a marked stop sign-controlled or uncontrolled crosswalk. Nearly all failure-to-yield pedestrian crashes occur at intersections that have crossing signals, the NYC DOT reports. This occurs despite state law requiring drivers to yield to pedestrians.
• Left-hand turns. As a driver turns left, his or her visibility is partially blocked by the vehicle’s A-pillar (the support between the windshield and side window), which makes it more difficult to see pedestrians. This makes left-hand turns more dangerous to pedestrians than right-hand turns. The NYC DOT reports that left-turn crashes outnumber right-turn crashes 3 to 1.
• Speeding. Vehicle speed combined with limited sight distance (particularly on city streets) and/or slippery pavement (due to inclement weather) increases the likelihood of being unable to stop and avoid hitting a pedestrian. Increased speed also exponentially increases the force of impact and the seriousness of injury in a pedestrian accident.
• Alcohol (drunk or impaired driving). Crashes caused by drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs are more than twice as likely to result in a fatality, accident statistics show.
• Crossing against the signal. Although more pedestrians are struck while crossing the street with the signal than crossing against the signal, an accident while crossing against the signal is much more deadly due to vehicle speed.

Pedestrians have a level of obligation for their own safety when on the streets of New York, including the need to cross at intersections, in crosswalks, and with the lights. However, drivers have a legal obligation to yield to pedestrians.

Drivers are expected to do whatever it takes to avoid hitting someone: slow down, stop, honk their horn as warning, or swerve if others won’t be endangered. Drivers should also exercise extra caution as they approach children, adults who appear to be incapacitated or confused, or the elderly, who may have mobility problems.

If you have been hurt or lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident, contact Zlotolow & Associates today to learn how we can help.

Contact Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in New York

If you or a loved one has been hit by a car, truck, motorcycle, or any motor vehicle in New York, you need to speak with our experienced pedestrian accident attorneys as soon as possible. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal rights, and let us get started investigating your case today.

Call Zlotolow & Associates or fill out our online form to learn how our team can make a difference in your financial future.

In addition to helping clients with their pedestrian accident cases in New York City, we also service The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, and Suffolk.