The greater Seattle area is a highly walkable area. Residents and tourists alike enjoy exploring the city by foot, and the city government offers several pedestrian programs to support its stated mission for “people to walk safely and with pleasure in ever-increasing numbers through a variety of city-led programs as well as ways for communities to advance their mobility and place keeping goals.” While there are many designated pedestrian walkways and plenty of safe crossings at busy intersections throughout the Seattle area, the reality is that those who travel by foot must still share the road with bicyclists, motorcyclists, cars, and trucks. Accidents happen for any number of reasons, from poor road conditions to distracted driving. Unfortunately, pedestrian accident injuries can be particularly severe, especially if the incident involves a large motor vehicle traveling at high speeds. Some of the most common injuries in pedestrians hit by cars include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, fractures, internal injuries, and severe soft tissue damage (to name a few). These injuries often require extensive medical treatment and substantial rehabilitation therapies, which can be costly and emotionally challenging to navigate. In some cases, pedestrian accident injuries may be severe enough to cause permanent disability or otherwise reshape the course of your life.
As you cope with the aftermath of a pedestrian accident injury in Seattle, King County, or Washington state, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed and anxious about how this event will affect your life. However, you do not have to move through this stressful time on your own. Enlisting the guidance of a dedicated and trusted Seattle pedestrian accident injury lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and options for pursuing the compensation you need to support the costs of your recovery. As Seattle’s go-to personal injury law firm, Menzer Law Group is committed to providing every client with the personalized legal services they need to secure a fair and favorable outcome. We are dedicated to managing each case with the highest level of professionalism and care, which means that we are intentionally selective in the cases we take on to ensure that we can channel our efforts into cases where we believe we can have the most profound impact. We offer a complimentary case review to help you get started on your legal journey, so please reach out to our office today. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common pedestrian injuries and the steps you can take to maximize your chances of preparing a successful claim that secures you the compensation you deserve.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Washington State
Pedestrian accidents can happen for any number of reasons. In many cases, a distracted or negligent driver’s actions can contribute to a collision with another vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian. If your pedestrian accident injuries were caused by a negligent driver, you may be entitled to recover compensation through an insurance claim or by filing a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. The details of every accident are different, so working with a knowledgeable and experienced team of pedestrian injury accident attorneys is highly recommended to ensure that you understand your legal options. Below are just a few risk factors that may increase the likelihood of a pedestrian accident in Washington state.
Speeding
When motor vehicles like trucks or cars travel at high speeds, it takes longer for drivers to brake for pedestrians. Moreover, high speed collisions tend to cause more severe injuries, as the force of the impact can break bones or cause catastrophic injuries. In some cases, these injuries can be fatal.
High Density Areas
The majority of pedestrian accidents occur in high-capacity urban areas, which means that both pedestrians and quick-moving cars and trucks share space with each other—increasing the likelihood of an accident. For instance, retail centers are common locations for pedestrian accidents, as these shopping destinations are adjacent to multi-lane roads with posted speed limits of 45-55 miles per hour. Pedestrians wanting to cross these roads to access the shopping center are often at an increased risk of suffering an injury from distracted drivers traveling at relatively high speeds in these dense areas.
Intoxicated Driving
Another significant risk factor for pedestrian accidents is intoxicated driving. According to 2021 data, alcohol was involved for the driver (and/or the pedestrian) in nearly half of fatal pedestrian crashes. Drivers who have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent have impaired reaction times, which impedes their ability to drive safely and brake in time for pedestrians.
Recognizing the Most Common Pedestrian Injuries in Washington
When a pedestrian is struck by a motor vehicle, the resulting injuries can be serious and wide-ranging in their nature and severity. Since pedestrians do not have any external protection, their injuries can be catastrophic, permanent, or life-threatening. Let’s explore some common pedestrian injuries so that you can get a sense of the complex medical interventions and treatments that are often necessary in such cases.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, “A traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to a brain injury that is caused by an outside force. TBI can be caused by a forceful bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body, or from an object entering the brain.” In other words, any damage to the brain by external impact (like a car striking the head or the head landing forcefully on the ground after being struck by a car) can cause a TBI. These injuries can exhibit symptoms that range from mild to severe; however, some people with TBIs do not experience immediate, obvious symptoms (which may lead to delayed care and diagnosis). The recovery process for TBIs varies considerably from person to person; some patients may see an improvement in symptoms within a relatively short time frame, while others may require intensive rehabilitation or cognitive rehabilitation therapy to help them regain speech capabilities, physical control, or other brain functions.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is an incredibly complex and delicate body part, and damage to the spinal cord can lead to life-altering injuries like paralysis. The precise nature of the symptoms will depend on where the spinal cord injury occurs. For instance, the site of the injury can make all the difference between whether the pedestrian accident victim suffered an incomplete injury (i.e., the spinal cord is still able to send some messages to or from the brain) or a complete injury (meaning that there is no nerve communication below the injury site). Complete spinal cord injuries can cause permanent paralysis or loss of limb sensation and function below the injury site. Many spinal cord injury victims require extensive medical treatment, and some patients may need to use a wheelchair for the rest of their lives.
Severe Soft Tissue Damage
The impact of a large motor vehicle can be devastating. If you are struck by a quickly moving car or truck, you may suffer injuries like contusions, lacerations, strains, sprains, dislocations, tears, or internal bleeding. Soft tissue injuries can be painful, and they may require medical treatment like surgery to ensure that all of the organs and internal systems continue to function properly.
Broken Bones and Fractures
It’s common for pedestrian accident victims to have broken bones from the force of the collision. Serious bone breaks are not uncommon, and compound fractures (where the broken bone punctures the skin) can be especially painful and difficult to treat. These injuries often require lengthy recovery periods and physical therapy to help the injured party regain strength in the affected area.
How a Skilled Pedestrian Accident Injury Lawyer Can Help
As you move through the painful realities of your physical injuries, it’s natural to also become concerned about the exorbitant medical bills, lost wages, and other unanticipated costs associated with the accident. These financial anxieties can make an already stressful situation even more difficult and overwhelming. However, it’s essential to recognize that you have the right to explore your options for recovering compensation from the party whose negligence led to your pedestrian accident injuries. At Menzer Law Group, we are more than prepared to handle serious injury claims arising from all sorts of incidents, including pedestrian accidents. If you have been injured because of the negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct of another person or party, you may be entitled to recover compensation to account for the injuries and distress you have suffered. With the counsel of a knowledgeable and caring legal advocate, you can trust that your best interests are being protected at every opportunity while you continue to focus on what matters most—your recovery.
Pedestrian injuries can cause severe and lasting harm, and the treatments are often extensive and costly. If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident in the greater Seattle area, you may be entitled to pursue and recover compensation to support the costs of your recovery. At Menzer Law Group, we believe that representing accident victims is about more than just presenting legal claims—it’s about restoring lives. We offer a complimentary case review to ensure that your situation aligns with our specialized areas of expertise so that we can focus our efforts on cases where we believe we can have the most profound impact. Please call our office today at (206) 903-1818 for a complimentary review of your claim.
