Tacoma Pedestrian Injury Lawyer

Did you get hurt in a pedestrian accident in Tacoma someone else caused? If so, contact Park Chenaur and Associates LLP to learn about the available legal options. We have fought for injured clients since 1999 and are ready to do the same for you.

Pedestrian accidents are often devastating. The body can’t withstand the violent forces of a motor vehicle crashing into it. Severe injuries commonly occur, requiring significant medical treatment to heal.

At Park Chenaur and Associates LLP, we understand what you’re going through and want to help. Call us or complete our online contact form for a free consultation today. Our experienced Tacoma pedestrian injury lawyers will review your case with you and determine what we can do for you.

Why Choose Park Chenaur and Associates LLP?

At Park Chenaur and Associates LLP, our legal team has over two decades of experience representing accident victims. Since opening our firm, we’ve handled more than 10,000 personal injury cases. Our track record speaks for itself, with notable case results, such as:

$200,000 settlement for a young man struck by an SUV, causing lacerations and a fractured fibula and tibia
$100,000 settlement for a homeowner who sustained a concussion and broken ribs and hip when hit by a car while chasing vandals out into the street

When you hire us, we will provide personalized attention and support until the end of your case. We know how challenging it can be to pursue action against a negligent driver while treating a serious injury. It’s stressful and overwhelming. You don’t have to go through this alone. We will remain by your side and do everything we can to simplify your life.

Park Chenaur and Associates LLP holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating possible. We also have five-star reviews on Facebook and Google. Call us at (253)-INJURED for a free consultation, or meet us at our Tacoma office, conveniently located less than two miles from State Route 16.

An Overview of Pedestrian Accidents in Tacoma

Tacoma is a beautiful city with multiple districts to explore. An inattentive driver can hit you with their vehicle whether you’re walking on the sidewalks to visit the boutiques in the Proctor and Stadium districts or strolling along Sixth Avenue searching for a restaurant or music venue. According to statistics from the Washington Department of Transportation, pedestrian-involved crashes resulted in seven fatalities and 17 suspected serious injuries in a single year in Tacoma.

Pedestrian laws outline the rights and responsibilities of pedestrians and other road users, including:

Obey traffic control devices and signals unless otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer
Bicyclists and drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and sidewalks
Pedestrians must use sidewalks when they’re available or walk on the left side of the road or shoulder facing traffic if no sidewalks are available
Pedestrians cannot leave a curb and move into traffic so suddenly a driver cannot stop
Every motorist must exercise care to avoid crashing into a pedestrian on any roadway and shall warn the pedestrian when necessary by sounding the horn
Drivers must stop at intersections with a marked or unmarked crosswalk for pedestrians to cross
Vehicles have the right of way if a pedestrian crosses the street anywhere other than within a marked crosswalk or at an intersection

Another law requires accident victims to file a lawsuit within a specific timeframe. In Washington, the statute of limitations allows an injured person three years to initiate a lawsuit against another party. That means you have three years from the date of the pedestrian accident to file suit against the negligent motorist.

Common Types of Pedestrian Accidents and Injuries

Pedestrian accidents can occur for various reasons. Driver error is often a contributing factor, such as distracted driving or failing to yield.

The most common types of pedestrian accidents include:

Parking lot accidents. Although collisions in parking lots are typically at low speeds, pedestrians can still sustain severe injuries. A driver might enter a lot without checking for passing pedestrians or focus on finding their destination and fail to notice someone walking in front of their car.
Crosswalk accidents. Crosswalks exist so that pedestrians have safe places to cross the road. However, some drivers disobey right-of-way laws and crash into people walking in the crosswalk.
Left-turn accidents. A left-turn accident can occur if a motorist turns left at an intersection without checking the street they’re turning onto for pedestrians.
Backing up accidents. Drivers must look behind them before backing out of a parking spot. They can drive into a pedestrian behind their vehicle if they don’t.
Right-turn accidents. Drivers can turn right at a red light in some situations. However, completing the turn without allowing pedestrians to cross in front of them can lead to an accident.

Pedestrians don’t have the same safety devices as motor vehicle occupants. They’re at the mercy of the car, flying debris, and other factors. Injuries can be severe or life-threatening. Sometimes, the consequences of a pedestrian accident are fatal.

The most common injuries pedestrians sustain in traffic accidents include:

Loss of limb
Traumatic brain injury
Internal bleeding
Psychological trauma
Broken bones
Road rash
Permanent scarring or disfigurement
Paralysis
Back and neck injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Nerve damage
Deep lacerations
Disability

Pedestrian Injury Compensation

Every Washington resident driving a motor vehicle must meet one of these liability insurance requirements:

Carry liability insurance with minimum coverages for bodily injury and property damage
Apply for a certificate of deposit to pay the Department of Licensing for liability insurance
Have at least a $60,000 liability bond filed by an authorized surety bond company in Washington

You can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance company even though you were a pedestrian when the crash occurred. You can also file a lawsuit if you’re within the statute of limitations.

The compensation you receive can cover your accident-related losses, such as:

Ambulance services, surgeries, physical therapy, and other medical expenses
Loss of earnings
Lost future earnings
Pain and suffering
Inconvenience
Emotional distress
Loss of business or employment opportunities
Cost of repairing or replacing personal property

Determining the value of your case can be challenging. Calculating expenses is simple. However, monetizing non-economic losses such as pain and suffering might be tricky.

Multiple factors can affect the compensation you recover, such as:

Liability insurance policy limits
The total cost of medical care and other necessary expenses
Whether the injury is permanent or disabling
Emotional effects of the accident
Length of the recovery period
Availability of evidence against the negligent party
Type and severity of the injury
Effect of the injury on daily life, such as the ability to complete basic tasks, go to work, or participate in physical activities
The estimated cost of medical treatment needed in the future

You should hire a Tacoma pedestrian injury lawyer from Park Chenaur and Associates LLP immediately after getting hurt in an accident. Pedestrian injury claims and lawsuits are complex and challenging to handle, especially while trying to recover from an injury. We can take over and handle the entire process so you can focus on what matters most—attending doctor’s appointments and getting your life back on track.

Our legal team knows how to investigate pedestrian accidents to determine fault and collect the available evidence to maximize the value of a case. We will aggressively negotiate with the insurance company for a settlement we believe is fair. If the insurer denies the claim or doesn’t offer an adequate amount of money to cover your losses, we can file a lawsuit.

Fighting the Insurance Company

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 223,135 hospitalizations and 64,362 deaths related to traumatic brain injury occurred in one year in the United States. These figures represent over 611 brain injury-related hospitalizations and 176 deaths daily.

You must comply with state laws to sue someone for causing a brain injury. In Washington, the general personal injury statute of limitations allows a three-year timeframe to file a lawsuit. That means you have three years from the date of your brain injury to initiate a lawsuit against the negligent party.

The timeframe differs if a healthcare professional’s error causes brain injury. The statute of limitations for medical malpractice allows a three-year or one-year time frame depending on the circumstances. You must file suit within three years of the medical malpractice or within one year of discovering the injury is due to a medical error, whichever period ends later. However, you can’t bring legal action against the medical provider more than eight years after the date of the medical malpractice.

You can toll or delay the statute of limitations if the negligent act involves intentional concealment, fraud, or a foreign body without diagnostic or therapeutic effect or purpose left behind in your body. That means the timeframe temporarily pauses if a foreign body causes injury or the doctor participates in fraudulent activity or attempts to hide what happened. The one-year period starts when you have actual knowledge of the concealment, fraud, or foreign body.

What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident

The steps you take after a pedestrian accident can affect the outcome of your case. You must be careful while discussing details with anyone other than your lawyer. Anything you say can become evidence against you, so it’s better to say less.

You or someone else involved in the crash will have called 911. Law enforcement can investigate to determine who is at fault. They should have written a police report outlining their observations and opinions about the collision. However, the report isn’t solid evidence of liability. You can use it to support your claim, but the insurer might argue whether the officer’s report is factual.

Park Chenaur and Associates LLP can handle gathering evidence from the scene of the accident if you can’t. Contact us as soon as possible so we can start working on your case. We will investigate to find out whether any video surveillance captured the accident. We can use that information to find out if there were witnesses, and if so, we could obtain witness statements that could help your case.

You likely already started treatment before seeking representation. If not, go to the hospital for an examination immediately. You need physical documentation of your injury to show it happened in the crash. If your initial doctor recommends follow-up care, listen to them. You should attend every necessary appointment regularly without allowing significant time to pass between each one.

Gaps in treatment are helpful to insurance companies eager to avoid payouts. They look at gaps as evidence of a non-existent or non-serious injury. It can lead to a denied claim or a lower settlement than you deserve. That’s why following the recommended treatment plan is vital.

Maintaining adequate documentation is another essential step. You should keep copies of your medical records, bills, and anything else related to the accident. Although we have the resources to acquire evidence to use in claims and lawsuits, sending us everything you have can help. We can compare your documents with ours to ensure we have complete and accurate records.

You should avoid social media while your case is pending. You might think commenting on someone’s post or sharing a photo of a dinner outing is harmless. However, you might not realize insurance companies and defense attorneys review public online accounts for evidence they can use to disprove an accident victim’s allegations. Some posts might contradict the severity of your injury. Frequent online activity can suggest you care more about your social status than about healing.

Get Help With Your Case From a Tacoma Pedestrian Injury Lawyer

attorneys rick and angel — Rick Park & Angel Chenaur, Pedestrian Injury Lawyers

Seeing a car coming toward you and knowing you can’t prevent an accident is scary. Your injuries might prevent you from proceeding with your usual routine. Affording your medical bills and other expenses seems impossible if you can’t return to work. It’s an overwhelming situation for anyone to face.

Park Chenaur and Associates LLP is ready to step in and help. We can protect your rights and aggressively pursue the maximum possible compensation. We understand no amount of money can change what happened, but it will provide some financial security after the accident. Reach out to a personal injury lawyer.

If you sustained injuries in a pedestrian accident due to someone else’s negligence, call (253) 345-2555 or contact us online for a free consultation. We take cases on contingency, so you’re not responsible for upfront fees or costs. We’re also available 24/7, so you can reach us when you need us the most.