Who is at Fault in a Pedestrian Accident?

In North Carolina in 2015, 195 pedestrians died in motor vehicle accidents, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. In total, 8.4 percent of all pedestrians who were involved in a collision lost their lives.

Because pedestrian accidents are so often fatal and often cause serious injuries, it is important to determine who is at fault for causing an accident when a pedestrian and car collide. The person who is at fault for the crash is the individual legally liable for crash losses. This means if a driver was to blame, the driver must compensate the pedestrian or his family for all the harm the pedestrian accident caused to occur.

Both drivers and pedestrians could potentially be at fault for auto accidents. A driver may be at fault in a pedestrian accident if the driver was speeding, moved through an intersection illegally, or did not stop at a crosswalk. A pedestrian may be found at fault if they crossed in the middle of a street, crossed outside of a crosswalk, crossed against a signal, walked into the roadway while intoxicated, or walked along an area where pedestrian access is prohibited.

When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, a Charlotte pedestrian accident lawyer can help to determine who is at fault. If a pedestrian was hurt and a driver was to blame, an attorney can help to pursue a claim for compensation from the driver who caused crash losses.

A pedestrian hurt in an accident should be entitled to be repaid for economic and non-financial loss, while family members of a pedestrian killed in a collision should be provided with wrongful death damages by the driver responsible for the accident.  Contact an attorney to get help making a pedestrian accident claim and proving who should be held liable because he was at fault for the crash.