Important Items You Must Remember If You Are Involved In A Pedestrian Accident

First and foremost Take care of your medical needs first!

1) Don’t move. Chances are a pedestrian will come to your aid. Stay in the position you are in. Don’t move your neck or back. Stay on the ground. Let the emergency responders take you to the hospital. Do not try and be a hero and touch it out. There is a good chance that you are injured. There is always a possibility of internal injuries as well as nerve damage so you may not feel the pain right away.

2) The emergency personnel will want to take spinal injury precautions. Although most of the time its only precautionary, due to the high mechanism of injury (aka, mechanism of impact) the EMT’s, firefighters, or paramedics will take these precautions in almost every accident involving a pedestrian.

C-collar used by emergency responders to stabilize the neck in pedestrian accidents

The c-collar will be slightly uncomfortable but it should not be painful and it should not affect your breathing. If it hurts or is affecting breathing patterns, let the emergency responders know asap.

Backboard used to stabilize the back in a pedestrian injury accident.

Just as the c-collar, the backboard will be slightly uncomfortable but it should not hurt.

3) Remain calm. The emergency personnel will tend to any other injuries you may have. Try and have a bystander call a family member.

4) The police are entitled to get your statement as to how the accident happened. If you are feeling weak or are unable to give them a statement at the scene of the accident, they will likely visit the hospital and get your statement there. If you are medically stable, and it is possible, call your pedestrian accident lawyer. (Best to call before statement is given to the police.)

5) Relax and let the doctors do their work.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a pedestrian accident, contact the Friedman Law Offices today!

Ari Friedman
Personal Injury Lawyer – Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Los Angeles
www.AFriedman.com

A car was going westbound on a major street and the bicycle was going east on the same street. The car makes a left turn on a green light and strikes the bike rider. The accident occurred at about midnight. The bicyclist had a functioning front and rear reflector. Who is at fault and what are the issues, if any.

California law requires a front facing light when operating a bicycle when it is dark outside.

California Vehicle Code section: 21201(d) “A bicycle operated during darkness… shall be equipped with all of the following:

(1) A lamp emitting a white light that, while the bicycle is in motion, illuminates the highway, sidewalk, or bikeway in front of the bicyclist and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle.

(2) A red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear…

We also know the California law requires cars to yield to other traffic before making a left turn:

California Vehicle Code Secion 21801(a) The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left… shall yield the right-of-way to all…

If you were the bicycle rider, an insurance company for the auto might be quick to “deny” your claim simply because you didn’t have a solid front facing light.

Is that right?

Bicycle reflectors are made specifically for cars to see you at night! We have won cases where the insurance company tries to pull a quick one like this.

Representation by a bicycle accident lawyer that has specific experience with bicycle accident cases is a must!

If you or someone you know has been involved in any type of bicycle accident, contact the Friedman Law Offices today!

Ari Friedman
Personal Injury Lawyer – Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Los Angeles
www.AFriedman.com

Bicycle Safety Tips: http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/bicycleriding.html