Orange County Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

What Our Orange County Injury Lawyers Can Do For You

There are many things an injury lawyer does to help protect your legal rights. What follows are some of the things we do to support our clients throughout the claims process:

• Gather Evidence — Collecting and preserving evidence is a critical step in building a personal injury claim. This can include police reports, medical records, photographs of the accident scene and injuries, witness statements, and any relevant surveillance or dashcam footage. Proper documentation helps create a clearer picture of the incident and the damages incurred.
• Negotiate Settlement — Our pedestrian accident lawyers can handle communications and negotiations with insurance companies on your behalf. We work to address any challenges that may arise during the process, including claims denials. We can assess whether settlement proposals reflect the full extent of your losses. Additionally, we advise victims on how to respond to insurers, as their statements could potentially undermine their claims.
• Establish Liability — Even if an injury case appears straightforward, legal issues may still arise. Our injury attorneys can help identify all potentially liable parties and review insurance policies that may apply to your case. This process can provide a clearer understanding of your options and the factors that may affect your claim. Our lawyers also work to seek accountability from the at-fault parties.
• Estimate Damages — Injury victims may be eligible to seek compensation for financial losses, including medical bills and lost wages, as well as for non-financial losses such as emotional distress. These intangible losses, often referred to as “pain and suffering,” can be a significant part of a personal injury claim but can be challenging to demonstrate without proper documentation and supporting evidence. Our team may consult with qualified professionals to help evaluate and estimate the impact of your pain and suffering.
• Connect with Medical Providers — Consider consulting with our injury lawyers to address any questions you may have regarding your medical bills and care needs. We can help you explore options to facilitate proper treatment for your injuries.

Receiving timely medical treatment is important not only for your recovery but also to document your injuries for any potential claim. Delays in treatment can affect both your overall health and the documentation of your injuries, which can influence the assessment of your claim.

Your health insurance carrier is responsible for covering any medical treatment under your plan. Health insurance includes Medicare, Medicaid, and marketplace health plans. They typically cover emergency care, including ambulance services and ER visits. If you are paid for the same bills later in a personal injury settlement, the carrier can seek reimbursement, and our lawyers can handle that at the end of your case.

If you do not have health insurance, there are alternative options available for obtaining ongoing care and treatment. Some medical providers, including chiropractors, may accept patients without upfront payment by working “on lien.”  This means the provider’s fees are paid from your personal injury settlement once your case is resolved. Our lawyers can help you make the financial arrangements that fit your situation.

• File a Claim — Our pedestrian accident lawyers can handle the process of filing a lawsuit on your behalf, including preparing and submitting the necessary paperwork to the court, and serving all defendants as required.
• Litigation and Trial Representation — Most personal injury cases are resolved through settlement, but if your case proceeds to trial, our lawyers can manage the litigation process. This includes gathering and exchanging evidence through discovery, such as document requests, written questions, and depositions, as well as handling motions related to proof. We also continue settlement discussions when appropriate.

If the case goes to trial, we work with expert witnesses and present evidence to demonstrate the impact of your injuries. Our team addresses challenges from the defense, such as disputes over fault or the severity of your injury, and presents supporting evidence to help the court fully consider the facts of your case.

Who Is Liable For Pedestrian Injuries?

Liability for pedestrian injuries falls on the person or entity legally responsible for causing the accident. Those found liable may be obligated to compensate the injured party for their damages.

Our attorneys work to identify all potential defendants who may share responsibility in a pedestrian injury case. What follows are the most common defendants in a pedestrian injury case.

Drivers

Often, pedestrian accidents are due to a driver’s negligent acts. Drivers may be distracted by a smartphone, navigation program, or other electronic devices in the vehicle. They may be engaged in activities like eating or drinking instead of watching the road.

Additionally, they could be impaired by drugs, alcohol, prescription medications, or other substances. They could be committing another traffic infraction (such as running a red light). In all of these cases, the driver may be held liable for hitting the pedestrian, and their auto insurance carrier may be required to compensate the pedestrian for the injuries sustained.

Bicyclists​

Pedestrians can also be struck by bicyclists on the road. Bicycle accidents are less common than car accidents because there are more cars than bikes. However, a bicyclist’s strike can potentially cause serious injuries to a pedestrian. These cases can be complex because they often involve no auto insurance policies. You may consult a pedestrian accident lawyer to help you understand your rights and legal options for seeking compensation under the law.

Property Owners

Dangerous road conditions cause some pedestrian injuries. Imagine, for example, that you were trying to cross a parking lot in a poorly lit parking garage. Drivers might be unable to see you in the low lighting. Under these circumstances, the garage owner could be found liable for failing to correct the dangerous condition on their property.

Apartment managers and landlords can also be held liable for dangerous conditions that cause pedestrian accidents around their properties. Suppose that a landlord repeatedly ignored your requests to repair a crumbling stairwell. If you were later injured while trying to walk on those stairs, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against the negligent landlord.

Store owners, sports arena managers, concert venue owners, and water park operators can also be found liable for injuries that occur on their property. Even private homeowners can be held liable in certain circumstances. If you have been injured while walking on anyone else’s property, our pedestrian accident lawyers in Orange County can review your case and explain your legal rights.

Parents Of Minor Drivers

In some cases, parents can be held responsible for their child’s negligence. Guardians or parents can be found liable for “negligent entrustment” when they allow a child who is unlicensed or inexperienced to use their vehicles. Parents can also be held liable when they provide alcohol to a minor who later causes a car accident.

Not every car accident involving a minor driver will automatically result in liability for the parents. Your injury lawyer will need to prove specific actions the parents took in order to establish their own liability.

(Giving alcohol to minors is usually clear evidence of negligence.) Our Orange County pedestrian accident lawyers at Arash Law will review your claims to determine if you have a legal case against the minor driver, the driver’s parents, or all three individuals.

Employers

Employers can be held liable for injuries caused by their employees acting within the scope of their work. This includes accidents involving employees driving work vehicles or even personal vehicles while running work-related errands. If you were on the job when you were hit, your own employer might also be held liable to compensate you for your injuries through a workers’ compensation claim.

Workers’ compensation is usually supplemental to other injury claims. Our lawyers can review your case and help determine other potential avenues for compensation.