Chicago Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

When drivers fail to yield the right of way, they put pedestrians at risk for severe injury. Chicago pedestrian accidents can cause various injuries, including head trauma, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and lacerations.

Were you injured as a pedestrian? If so, you can hold the negligent driver responsible for your losses. A driver can be found negligent if they were distracted while driving and disregarded pedestrian safety.

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, our experienced personal injury attorneys can help you get the financial compensation you deserve. We have a proven track record of success in pedestrian accident cases and will fight for your rights.

Contact a pedestrian accident lawyer at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form today for immediate legal advice and schedule a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.

Did a Driver Hit You or a Loved One in Chicago, Illinois?

If you or a family member has been injured after being struck by a motorist, you might have medical bills that are getting out of control.

You may have missed work and lost wages because of the pedestrian/car accident, or you might be experiencing ongoing pain and suffering.

You Might Be Entitled to Financial Compensation for Your Injuries

You are among thousands of people injured yearly in the United States in pedestrian crashes.

You are seriously injured by the severity of most car/pedestrian crashes. Therefore, you need the help of an experienced Chicago pedestrian accident attorney to help you get compensation from the party responsible for your injuries.

Our Chicago Pedestrian Accident Lawyer is at Your Service

The Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers at our law office are committed to securing the most favorable outcome for people suffering from severe injuries at the hands of negligent drivers.

Our law firm regularly represents injured victims in many practice areas, including those hit by motor vehicles in downtown Chicago and the surrounding Cook County areas, such as Lake County, DuPage County, Kane County, Will County, Tinley Park, and Schaumburg.

We won't charge a fee until we have settled the case for you to ease your financial burden, as all our Illinois pedestrian injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis.

Working with Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC

Our experienced pedestrian accident attorneys have secured seven-figure recoveries for injured pedestrians.

Working with our law office will give you the legal resources you need to go up against auto insurance companies with ample resources of their own. Our personal injury attorneys pay all up-front costs while building your legal case at no out-of-pocket charge.

Resolving Pedestrian/Car Accident Cases

Personal injury cases are messy, complicated affairs and require professionals to sort through the facts, identify your claims, develop them, and present them to a jury.

Each injury attorney in our law firm pledges to keep you informed of developments during every stage of your case. Retaining established pedestrian accident lawyers will ensure you have a compassionate representative fighting against the driver's insurance company.

In some cases, the person at fault for causing the pedestrian accident was driving a company car at the time. In these cases, the driver's employer might be responsible for the injured victims' damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and suffering.

We Have the Experience You Need to Maximize the Value of Your Case

If you had a pedestrian injury in Chicago, you have legal rights to recover damages for the injuries sustained under the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code laws.

The Chicago pedestrian accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC have considerable experience in injury matters, including car accidents, hit-and-run drivers, and collisions with commercial vehicles.

We provide a free consultation during which a pedestrian accident lawyer will give you a candid evaluation of your case.

Throughout our previous pedestrian accident cases, we have seen a range of injuries, including bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries that can leave the victim with severe, life-altering disabilities affecting hearing, vision, cognition, motor function, and behavior.

Our experienced Chicago pedestrian injury attorneys have seen degloving injuries, where skin and muscle are torn away from the bone, joint injuries, internal injuries, paralysis, and pedestrian fatalities.

Disturbing Statistics Regarding Pedestrian Safety in Illinois

A review of data from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reveals the dangers to pedestrians in Illinois are real. In 2018 (the most recent year of pedestrian/car accident scene data released), out of 5,006 reported automobile accidents involving pedestrians, there were 4,711 injuries (over 94% injury rate!).

Moreover, a closer look at the data reveals 1,045 collisions where the injuries were categorized as 'type A'-- the most severe. These are cases where people have sustained major trauma that has resulted in significant medical treatment and forced them to change their daily lives.

When pedestrian accidents occur, the most common minor to major injuries typically include:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal injuries
• Facial and head injuries
• Neck injuries
• Death

The traumatic event typically requires the victim to seek medical attention immediately.

In the confines of the City of Chicago, 2,963 pedestrians were injured, and 64 lost their lives (pedestrian deaths) when they were struck by motor vehicles in documented Chicago pedestrian accidents.

Fatal pedestrian accidents have risen significantly recently, with too many drivers sharing the roadway, disobeying traffic control signals, or driving recklessly. Distracted driving by a negligent driver accounts for a high rate of pedestrian deaths yearly.

Full and Fair Compensation Settlements We've Won for Pedestrians

Each Chicago pedestrian accident attorney in our law office is committed to providing the best possible representation for each client.

While the circumstances involved in each case are different, below are some sample recoveries we've realized for people injured while walking and jogging, primarily within the State of Illinois.

• $3,000,000: Insurance settlement paid to a disabled pedestrian struck by a truck in Chicago.
• $250,000: Awarded to a young lady with ACL injuries when a backing vehicle in a company parking lot struck her.
• $200,000: Settlement for a pedestrian hit by a pick-up truck while crossing a marked crosswalk in suburban Naperville, IL. The driver was issued a ticket for failing to yield to the right of way.
• $350,000: Pedestrian hit by a left-turning taxicab resulting in a broken leg. The compensation matched the policy limit on the taxi.
• $667,000: Pedestrian was injured in an accident involving a company vehicle. The defendant settled the case (no lawsuit was filed) to pay for all damages, including pain and suffering.
• $500,000: Uninsured motorist recovery for a man who was hit, fracturing both legs, while using a crosswalk.
• $1,250,000: Settlement for a child hit by a neighbor's car in the Northern suburbs of Chicago.

Should you have more questions about the value of your claim or personal injury cases on behalf of a loved one, we invite you to speak with an experienced Chicago pedestrian accident attorney in our office for a free consultation regarding your legal rights.

Your Injury Lawyer Will Fight for You

While you focus on recovering from your serious injuries, your pedestrian attorney from our law office will give your case the best chance of a favorable outcome. We will see you through the legal process, providing you with expert legal advice along the way:

• Free consultation: We will use this time to get to know the details of your pedestrian accident case and advise you on the best way forward to obtain financial recovery for your injuries.
• Investigation: Once you have decided to move forward with our services, we will investigate the cause of your pedestrian/car accident and gather the evidence to build a case's liability and damage components for you.
• File a claim: Once we have established a case against the responsible party, we will file a Chicago pedestrian accident claim with their auto insurance company before the statute of limitations expires.
• Settlement negotiation: After making our demand, the insurance company will likely present a settlement offer. Your injury lawyer will negotiate this offer to get the best possible outcome for you.
• Personal injury lawsuit: If both sides cannot reach a fair settlement, your pedestrian lawyer will help you file a lawsuit and prepare your case for trial.

Know Your Rights as an Injured Pedestrian

As someone injured by an automobile accident while on foot, various regulations protect you.

Understanding these will help you prepare for your case and give you peace of mind that you have support for your Chicago pedestrian accident claim.

Illinois and Chicago Pedestrians Laws

According to Illinois traffic laws, when you are in a crosswalk or the light is green, and there is no sign to indicate otherwise, drivers must stop and yield the right of way to pedestrians.

If a pedestrian has entered a crosswalk before the traffic signals change, drivers must allow that person the right of way. This regulation includes any vehicle in that intersection at that time.

Additionally, if a pedestrian enters a crosswalk in front of you while the light is green, you must stop and let them pass.

Illinois Law Protects Pedestrians

Several laws protect people crossing streets and people close to vehicle traffic. The following summarizes the main rules from the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code laws to prevent traffic accidents involving pedestrians:

• Drivers must stop when people are in crosswalks or on school days when they enter/leave a school zone. Drivers must also stop if doing so would prevent further injury or pedestrian/auto accidents.
• Drivers must yield when turning at a red light or intersection; when people are on their side of the road; when foot traffic has the right of way; when people are already in the crosswalk, when the light turns green; when people are leaving a driveway, alley, private road, or building; and when yielding would prevent an injury or pedestrian accidents.
• Drivers must use all due care to avoid pedestrian accidents with people and other vehicles on the roadway. It is incumbent on them to operate their cars or sound horns to prevent a collision.
• State law prohibits drivers from texting and using cell phones when operating vehicles.
• The responsibility is on drivers to avoid accidents, including pedestrian accidents. When incidents arise, the assumption is that the driver caused the crash. These laws protect individuals and penalize negligent drivers.
• When encountering a person at a marked crosswalk, drivers must yield to the individual. In addition, the regulations require drivers to slow, stop completely, or do whatever is necessary to allow the person to go through the crosswalk.

You Can Still Pursue a Claim, Even If You Were Partly at Fault for the Accident

You could obtain compensation for your severe injury, even if your actions contributed to your pedestrian crash. However, your damages will be reduced because the law in Illinois applies the doctrine of comparative fault to all serious injury and other tort cases.

Comparative fault means that a person's financial recovery is reduced by the degree to which the plaintiff (injured person) contributed to their damages.

Further, the pedestrian who has been injured must be 50% or less at fault for their pedestrian accident to recover anything at all. They cannot recover compensation if they are deemed more than 50% responsible for causing it.

For example, if your pedestrian/car accident case is worth $250,000 and you are deemed 25% responsible, you would recover $187,500. However, if you are found to be 51% responsible for the pedestrian/automobile crash, you will recover nothing.

Accidents Happen: What to Do If a Reckless Driver Has Hit You in Chicago, Illinois

Call 911 for emergency medical care after a pedestrian/car accident, even if you believe you are unhurt or not severely hurt.

You may not be aware of the severity of your pedestrian accident injuries until the adrenaline you are experiencing from the accident begins to wear off in the hours or days following the crash.

Receiving a prompt diagnosis from a doctor at a hospital will protect your health and preserve your future right to obtain adequate financial compensation for the medical treatment of your severe injuries.

Once the police arrive at the pedestrian/auto accident scene, they will investigate the incident, get information from you and others involved if possible, and fill out police reports documenting what happened.

If friends or companions are available, have them collect contact information from any individuals who witnessed the event. Once you are safe and have had medical care, speak with an experienced pedestrian injury lawyer about filing a claim against all insurance companies involved.

FAQs About Chicago Pedestrian Accidents

Our law firm is sensitive to the fact that most pedestrian crashes are traumatic events and impact all aspects of your life.

While we have handled many cases, we never lose sight of the fact that this is likely a new situation for you. Below are some commonly encountered questions related to pedestrian accident injuries.

Let Our Chicago Pedestrian Accident Attorney Start the Claims Process for You Today

Were you involved in a pedestrian accident in Chicago? Our Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers have considerable experience in all bodily injury matters and pedestrian crashes, including car accidents, hit-and-run drivers, and collisions with commercial vehicles.

Contact an experienced pedestrian accident attorney today at (888) 424-5757 or use the contact form for a free consultation as soon as possible. Start the process towards total compensation for your injury claim before the statute of limitations expires. We accept all financial recovery cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning no upfront fees are required to initiate your personal injury claim.

All confidential or sensitive information you share with your personal injury attorney remains private through an attorney-client relationship.

Resources:

• NIH - Pedestrian Crash Injuries
• PubMed - Car Accidents Involving Pedestrians