If it seems like nearly every day, you read a story on the news about pedestrians getting hit by cars in Fresno, you’re not wrong. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), 127 pedestrians sustained injuries or died in traffic accidents throughout Fresno County in 2019. Often, these crashes devastate the person on foot, who suffers severe or fatal injuries from getting hit by a motor vehicle.
You can have our Fresno pedestrian accident lawyer handle your personal injury claim for your wounds. The team at Nadrich & Cohen can also manage your wrongful death claim if a close relative died of their pedestrian accident injuries. When you work with us, you get to focus your efforts on recuperating from injuries and rebuilding your life while we take care of legal matters.
The Average Settlement for a Fresno Pedestrian Accident
There is no such thing as an average or typical amount of compensation for a Fresno pedestrian accident. However, there are several reasons why.
Every Pedestrian Accident Is Unique
One person might be lucky enough to escape with bruises or stitches. Unfortunately, another individual might have disabling or fatal injuries.
Damages Vary By Pedestrian Accident Case
How much each person incurs in medical bills and loses in income from missing work also differs from one case to another. Each of these losses factors into calculating a settlement or jury award.
Insurance Coverage and Policy Limits Matter
The insurance coverage the at-fault party has purchased could affect the monetary damages you recover. For instance, someone who only bought the minimum amount of automobile liability insurance (or has no car insurance) might have limited ability to pay for your losses.
When the at-fault party’s car insurance does not cover your losses, you could pursue other options—like their personal assets in a lawsuit. For example, after we obtain a judgment from the court, we could garnish the defendant’s wages and bank accounts or put liens on personal assets like their home, vehicles, or investment accounts.
Sometimes, the defendant has other liability insurance that can help pay your monetary damages. For example, some buy “umbrella” liability insurance as an add-on to their homeowner’s policy. Also, your automobile insurance policy might pay for some of your losses, particularly if you carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
Damages Available in Pedestrian Accidents in Fresno
Even though there is no average settlement for Fresno pedestrian accidents, you might find it helpful to understand the types of damages available in personal injury claims. Remember, every case is different, so the damages you could pursue will depend on the facts of your accident and situation.
Medical Expenses
Nadrich & Cohen Accident Injury Lawyers
(559) 241-0411
You can recover the reasonable cost of all medical treatment you need for your injuries. These include:
- Ambulance transport
- Emergency department care
- Hospital stays
- Doctor visits
- Surgeries
- Diagnostic procedures
- Physical therapy
- Prescription drugs
Lost Income
People often miss time from work while recuperating from a pedestrian accident. If you did not get paid for the time that you could not work because of your injuries or medical treatments, you have an economic loss that you can include in your claim.
In addition, if your injuries leave you unable to earn as much money as before the accident, you might have a claim for diminished earning capacity. This situation often arises because of a lingering disability, chronic pain, weakness, or other impairments.
Pain and Suffering
This category refers to the physical discomfort and emotional distress one suffers from the accident and injuries. Our team can help you calculate the value of this noneconomic, intangible loss.
Other Intangible Losses
A person might experience disfigurement from extensive scars, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or loss of enjoyment of life from the impact of the accident and injuries. Again, we can determine how to value these noneconomic damages in your claim.
Possible Liable Parties to Sue in a Pedestrian Accident
You could sue a negligent driver if their careless or reckless actions caused them to hit you while walking along a Fresno roadway. Unfortunately, a person driving a car or truck often does not notice a pedestrian because they were distracted, drowsy, impaired by alcohol, texting, or simply daydreaming.
However, other parties could share responsibility for the crash. For example, you could hold the City of Fresno liable because of negligence because of:
- Insufficient lighting on a busy road
- Lack of crosswalks or traffic signals
- Dangerous street or sidewalk design
- Poor road or sidewalk maintenance
No matter who you decide to sue for damages, CCP § 335.1 gives you two years to file your personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
Check Out Our Client Testimonials
You probably like to check out online reviews of businesses before engaging with one. Often, it saves you a great deal of time and trouble to read what other people post about their experiences. So, here are just a few of our many five-star Google reviews:
- “I submitted a form on their website at 8pm at night and expected to receive a call the next day. Someone contacted me within 15 minutes of sending the form. I hired them to handle my car accident case, and they did a great job and left nothing to chance.” — Kimberly B.
- “Great job on my accident case. Great people to work with. They answered my calls and emails quickly and were always patient with me no matter how many questions I had. I highly recommend them.” — Urania R.
You can contact us for a free initial consultation and see for yourself why our clients are so happy with our hard work, compassion, and results.
Contact a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer With Nadrich & Cohen Today
The Fresno pedestrian accident lawyers at Nadrich & Cohen go to bat for people injured due to others’ carelessness. We handle these and other personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you do not pay any upfront legal fees.
You can schedule your free case evaluation today by calling our Fresno office or filling out our online form.
