## Pedestrian accident claims in California Pedestrian-vehicle collisions produce among the most severe injuries in personal injury law — there's nothing between a person and a 2-ton car. California pedestrian-injury cases get a 2 years statute of limitations. ### California framework - **Statute of limitations:** 2 years - **Jaywalking enforcement:** Decriminalized via Freedom to Walk Act (effective 2023) **Worth knowing about California:** California decriminalized jaywalking in 2023 — police can no longer cite or stop pedestrians for crossing outside crosswalks unless an immediate danger exists. ## Common scenarios - **Crosswalk crashes** — driver fails to yield to pedestrian in marked or unmarked crosswalk - **Right-on-red incidents** — driver turns without checking for pedestrians - **Backing-up incidents** — driver in driveway, parking lot, parking space - **Distracted driver** — phone use, eating, looking away - **Drunk / impaired driver** - **Speeding** — particularly on residential streets - **Failure to yield at intersection** - **Hit-and-run** — particularly common; UM claims become critical - **Parking-lot incidents** — slow speeds but real injuries - **School-zone violations** ## Pedestrian right-of-way Most state codes establish: - **Pedestrians have right-of-way in marked or unmarked crosswalks** at intersections - **Pedestrians must yield outside crosswalks** when crossing mid-block - **Drivers must exercise due care** to avoid hitting pedestrians regardless of fault - **Special protection for children, elderly, and disabled** — drivers held to higher standard ## The jaywalking trap If you were crossing outside a crosswalk when hit, defense attorneys will use that to push fault onto you. Depending on your state's negligence rule: - **Pure contributory** (AL, MD, NC, VA, DC) — even 1% pedestrian fault bars recovery - **Modified comparative** — fault threshold (50% or 51%) bars recovery if exceeded - **Pure comparative** — recovery reduced by your share of fault Even in plaintiff-friendly states, jaywalking can chip 30-70% off a recovery. ## Decriminalization wave Several states (CA 2023, MN 2023, NV 2023, NY 2024, DC 2024) have decriminalized jaywalking — making it no longer a criminal offense. This affects: - Police can't stop you solely for jaywalking - No criminal record - BUT — civil liability for jaywalking still applies. You can still be found comparatively at fault in a civil case. ## Hit-and-run cases Many pedestrian crashes are hit-and-run. Critical steps: - **Get medical care** before anything else - **Report to police immediately** — required for UM coverage - **Look for witnesses** — get names and contacts before they leave - **Check for surveillance** — businesses, traffic cameras, doorbell cameras - **Notify your insurer** — UM coverage is often the only source of recovery - **File with your state's victim compensation fund** for medical costs ## Damages Pedestrian-injury damages typically include: - **Medical expenses** — often catastrophic; multiple surgeries, rehab, long-term care - **Lost wages** — pedestrian crashes often cause months of work loss - **Lost earning capacity** — for permanent injuries - **Pain and suffering** - **Permanent impairment / disfigurement** - **Future medical care** - **Loss of consortium** for spouses - **Wrongful death** in fatal cases ## Who can be liable - **The driver who hit you** - **The driver's employer** — if driving for work - **Government** — for dangerous road design, missing crosswalks, broken signals (notice of claim required) - **Vehicle manufacturer** — if the vehicle had a defect that caused / worsened the crash - **Bar / restaurant** — dram-shop liability if driver was over-served - **Property owner** — for incidents on private property with negligence ## Insurance considerations - **Driver's auto liability** — primary source - **Pedestrian's UM/UIM** — applies even when you weren't in a vehicle (in most states) - **Pedestrian's PIP / Med-pay** — pays your medical bills regardless of fault, in no-fault states - **Health insurance** — pays medical bills with subrogation rights against settlement - **Workers' comp** — if hit during work-related travel ## Evidence to preserve - Crash scene photos / police report - Vehicle damage photos - Pedestrian's injuries (date-stamped, over time) - Witness names / contacts - Surveillance / dashcam / cellphone video - Medical records from ALL providers - Driver's cell records (subpoena) - Lighting / signal / signage photos - Skid mark and roadway evidence ## What you should do If you've been hit as a pedestrian in California: get medical care first, document everything, do NOT speak with the at-fault driver's insurance until you have an attorney, and contact a pedestrian-accident attorney quickly. Most California attorneys offer free consultations and work on contingency. Time-sensitive evidence (surveillance footage, witness memories) needs urgent preservation. --- *This guide is general information about California law as of early 2026 and is not legal advice. Pedestrian-injury law has fact-sensitive issues (jaywalking, lighting, hit-and-run, government claims). Talk to a licensed California attorney about your specific case.*