Masjedian Law Firm · Accidents
Pedestrian Accidents
A person on foot never wins the physics. When a driver fails to yield, we make sure the law — and the compensation — lands where it should.
A person on foot never wins the physics. When a driver fails to yield, we make sure the law — and the compensation — lands where it should.
Los Angeles is consistently among the most dangerous American cities for people on foot. When a vehicle strikes a pedestrian, the injuries are almost always serious — and the insurance defense almost always tries to move fault onto the person who was walking.
The law favors the pedestrian more than insurers admit. California Vehicle Code § 21950 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks, and imposes a duty of due care toward pedestrians generally — even outside a crosswalk. “Jaywalking” arguments reduce a claim only by an actual, provable share of fault; they do not erase a driver’s duty to see what is there to be seen.
Hit-and-run and uninsured drivers. A shocking share of pedestrian collisions involve fleeing drivers. If you carry uninsured-motorist coverage on your own auto policy, it can compensate you as a pedestrian — many clients don’t realize their car insurance follows them onto the sidewalk. We identify every applicable policy, including household coverage.
Building the case. Intersection and storefront cameras get overwritten in days — we move immediately to preserve footage, gather witnesses, and document the scene, signal timing, and sight lines. Medical documentation is developed for the long arc: orthopedic trauma, head injury, and the future care they require.
Why this firm. Pedestrian cases turn on early evidence and credible trial preparation. Both are firm habits, not add-ons.
Often, yes. Uninsured-motorist coverage on your own or a household member’s auto policy typically covers a pedestrian struck by a hit-and-run driver. We also work to identify the vehicle through cameras, physical evidence, and witnesses.
No. Drivers owe pedestrians a duty of care everywhere, and California’s comparative negligence rule means partial fault reduces recovery rather than barring it. Recent California law has also decriminalized safe mid-block crossings — the insurer’s “jaywalking” story is an argument, not a verdict.
California’s general statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the date of injury (CCP § 335.1). Shorter deadlines can apply — notably a six-month government claim requirement when a public entity is involved — so it is best to speak with an attorney promptly.
Medical expenses and future care, lost wages and earning capacity, and pain and suffering. Because pedestrian injuries tend to be severe, these claims frequently support policy-limits demands against the driver and any additional applicable coverage.
These cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis. You pay nothing up front and owe no attorney’s fee unless the firm recovers money for you.
Submissions are reviewed directly by the attorney. Confidential.