Pedestrian Injuries in New York
When you think about New York City, you likely imagine your city with hundreds and thousands of people walking around or biking outside. Pedestrians, or people using walkways or roads, are everywhere in NYC. In fact, walking or using pedestrian transportation methods are some of the best ways to get around the city – especially if you’re avoiding public transportation and taxi fees! However, pedestrian traffic can lead to health issues and injuries. It’s important for New York City residents to understand that there are legal rights associated with pedestrians. Whether you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident in New York City, Shaevitz & Shaevitz can help you recover compensation for your injuries and hold the negligible party responsible.
Common Pedestrian Injuries in New York
Before understanding what injuries are associated with pedestrian accidents, it’s vital to understand what constitutes a pedestrian. Pedestrians are any people who aren’t using a vehicle for transportation. Common NYC pedestrian types include walkers, runners, skateboarders, and cyclists.
Accidents between pedestrians and vehicles occur frequently at intersections, but they may also happen in parking lots, on sidewalks, and on the side of a road. In all of these cases, pedestrian accident victims may sustain broken bones, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, soft tissue injuries, and significant emotional trauma.
Bone breaks can occur at any part of your body depending on where the impact was and how you land, as the impact is strong enough to break bones. Similarly, when a heavy vehicle strikes a person without protection, or when someone is trapped under a vehicle, it could cause an involuntary amputation.
Next, traumatic brain injuries are common in pedestrian accidents, as if the head is hit on a vehicle or on the ground at a rapid rate, head trauma is likely. With soft tissue injuries like muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries, a person is likely to experience long healing times and significant pain.
Lastly, emotional trauma cannot be ignored, as it can leave lasting consequences after the pain of the accident itself has diminished. It’s important to receive the compensation you deserve after a pedestrian accident.
Pedestrian Rights in New York
To protect pedestrians, from pedestrian injuries there are laws in place to ensure people outside of vehicles are safe in New York. Some of these laws include that motorists must obey and yield to pedestrian crosswalk signs, passing is prohibited in crosswalks, and that pedestrians must obey all traffic signals appropriately. As a pedestrian, you have an equal right to use the road than everyone else, but in a safe and lawful manner. It’s important to recognize a common misunderstanding with pedestrian rights: that pedestrians always have the right of way.
This is not always true, as pedestrians, like motorists, have both rights and duties. This means that in situations where there are no stop signs or cross walks, pedestrians must yield to vehicles.
Additionally, where there are marked crosswalks, they must use those crosswalks. Another duty involves ensuring no pedestrian suddenly enters the path of a vehicle from a curb or other area of safety. Just as vehicles have rights, pedestrians do as well.
Personal Injury Claims for Pedestrian Injuries
If you believe your pedestrian rights were violated, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. These claims can be difficult and emotionally tolling, so it’s often best to work with an experienced Queens injury attorney.
The attorney can help you organize statements from witnesses and involved persons, police reports, medical records, and a variety of other records that can help prove your case. Personal injury claims could award you all of your damage expenses that occurred from your pedestrian accident if deemed successful.
Contact Shaevitz & Shaevitz for Help Filling a Pedestrian Personal Injury Claim
Your health matters most, and if you were involved in a pedestrian accident, your health could have been compromised.
However, with the help of an experienced Queens injury lawyer at Shaevitz & Shaevitz, you may be entitled to full compensation from your experienced damages. For more information about how we can help you along your personal injury claim journey, or for a free consultation, contact us today.
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