Were you injured in a pedestrian accident in Brentwood, CA?
At Cohen Injury Law Group, we hold drivers to account when they strike someone on foot in Brentwood.
If a driver struck you while you were walking in Brentwood, the law generally places the duty to yield on that driver, not on you. The insurer may push back on that, and it is where having representation helps. Our Brentwood, CA pedestrian accident lawyer can show the driver failed to yield and hold that driver’s insurer accountable for the harm. Our founding attorney has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients as a recognized trial attorney. Contact our office to tell us what happened and we will get started on your claim.
Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Brentwood, CA
A pedestrian accident case is a personal injury claim brought when a person on foot is struck and injured by a vehicle. Most of these cases come down to a driver who did not yield at a crosswalk, turned without looking, or failed to see the person crossing. The driver who caused the crash, and that driver’s insurer, are usually who the claim is against. Because a pedestrian has nothing between them and the vehicle, the injuries are often severe, from fractures and head trauma to internal harm.
People on foot bear the worst of these crashes. More than 7,000 pedestrians are killed in traffic crashes each year in the United States, and tens of thousands more are injured, according to federal pedestrian data. On the Westside, people on foot share busy streets like San Vicente and Wilshire with heavy traffic, which raises the risk at every crossing. A driver who never sees the person crossing is a danger no pedestrian can fully guard against.
Types of Pedestrian Accident Cases We Handle in Brentwood
Most pedestrian crashes come down to a driver who did not account for someone on foot, and the setting often points to the cause. Below are the pedestrian cases we take for people injured in Brentwood.
- Crosswalk collisions. A driver who fails to yield to someone already in a marked crosswalk is a frequent cause of serious injury.
- Turning-vehicle crashes. A driver turning left or right across a crosswalk can strike a person who has the right of way.
- Backing-up crashes. A driver reversing in a parking lot or a driveway can hit someone they never saw behind the vehicle.
- Distracted or speeding drivers. A driver looking at a phone or moving too fast for the street may not stop in time for a person on foot.
- Car accidents. In a collision, a pedestrian absorbs the full force with nothing to shield them from it.
- Brain injuries. A head striking the pavement or the vehicle can cause lasting harm that may not show right away.
- Wrongful death. When a pedestrian is killed, the family can pursue a claim of its own.
Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group as my Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in Brentwood, CA?
Showing the Driver Failed to Yield
A pedestrian case usually turns on the right of way: whether the driver had a duty to yield and did not. We gather the crosswalk and signal timing, camera footage, and witness accounts, and we reconstruct where each party was in the seconds before the driver struck. Building that evidence is what shows the driver, and not the person on foot, caused the crash.
Experience With Severe Pedestrian Injuries
A pedestrian has no protection, so these injuries tend to be serious, and valuing them means accounting for surgeries, lasting disability, and the care a person may need for years. Our founding attorney, Wayne Cohen, is a recognized trial attorney who has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients. That experience is what a person needs from a personal injury lawyer in Brentwood, CA when the injuries are life-changing and the recovery has to last.
Right-of-way disputes are answered with material that belongs to someone else, whether that is signal timing data from the city, footage from a business facing the crossing, or a witness who has since moved on. Locating and securing it falls to Nicholas Cohen, the firm’s managing partner, a graduate of USC who earned his law degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles.
Understanding Pedestrian Accident Cases
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Pedestrian Accident Cases
Liability in a pedestrian case runs on negligence: a driver who fails to yield, turns without looking, or drives too fast for the conditions has not used the care the law requires. A driver owes people on foot reasonable care, and the duty to yield to someone in a crosswalk is part of it. When a driver breaks a rule meant to protect people on foot, that failure itself points to negligence. A pedestrian found partly at fault still recovers, with the award reduced by that share. Because a person on foot absorbs the full impact, the recoverable damages in these cases often reach serious, lasting injuries.
A pedestrian claim can cover the range of harm a serious collision causes.
- Emergency care, surgery, and a long course of rehabilitation after being struck are recoverable.
- Time lost from work, and any lasting limit on the work you can do, are covered.
- Long-term care and support for a permanent injury are also part of the claim.
- The cost of any assistive equipment or home changes the injury requires is included.
What Are Important Aspects of a Pedestrian Accident Case?
A few things shape how a pedestrian case is handled.
- Insurers often argue the pedestrian stepped out suddenly, so proving the right of way matters early.
- The driver may claim the person was hard to see, which puts the focus on lighting, clothing, and the crossing.
- Because a pedestrian has no protection, pain and suffering from a serious injury is a real part of the claim.
- Physical evidence at the scene fades fast, so an early investigation often makes the difference.
What Is The Pedestrian Accident Case Timeline?
A pedestrian case is often decided by who had the right of way, so we move early to reconstruct it. We document the scene, the crossing, and your injuries while the details are fresh, and knowing what to do in the hours after being struck helps that proof survive rather than slip away. California gives an injured person two years to file suit, but the camera footage and scene details fade in days, so the early work carries the case. We also work out who was driving and what insurance is available, including your own policy if the driver was underinsured. Once your treatment shows how serious the injury is, the claim can reflect its full cost. Most pedestrian claims settle once the right of way is clear, though we prepare each one for trial.
What Should You Bring to Your Pedestrian Accident Consultation?
- The police or incident report from the collision, if one exists.
- Photographs of the crossing, the scene, and your injuries.
- The driver’s information, along with the names of any witnesses.
- Copies of your medical records and the treatment bills to date.
- Anything showing where you were crossing, such as a marked crosswalk or a walk signal.
Because a pedestrian case so often comes down to the right of way, the first meeting is where we plan how to prove it and what to gather next. There is no cost to meet and map out what comes next.
Most Dangerous Locations for Pedestrian Accidents in Brentwood
Some Brentwood crossings and corridors carry more risk for people on foot than others, usually where traffic is heavy and drivers are moving fast. A few stand out:
- San Vicente Boulevard, where a wide, busy roadway meets frequent crossings.
- Wilshire Boulevard, heavy with turning traffic along the south edge.
- Sunset Boulevard, where higher speeds leave a driver little time to stop.
Certain conditions add to the danger:
- Intersections where drivers turn across a crosswalk.
- Unmarked crossings, where drivers may not expect to see someone on foot.
- Parking lots and driveways, where backing vehicles have blind spots.
People on foot can find safety information through the California traffic safety office, and knowing the higher-risk crossings is one way to avoid a collision.
Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation
A pedestrian crash can leave you with serious injuries, mounting bills, and a driver’s insurer already working to blame you. Cohen Injury Law Group builds the case that the driver failed to yield, answers the claim that you stepped into traffic, and pursues the injury’s full cost. There is no fee unless we win. You owe nothing unless we win. You can contact us and we will look into the collision.
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FREE Case Evaluation
- 1 Free Evaluation
- 2 We Build Your Case
- 3 Financial & Emotional Recovery
Office Locations
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Santa Monica
2636 Lincoln Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405 -
Santa Monica – Broadway
520 Broadway, 2nd Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90401 -
Los Angeles
633 W 5th St, Unit 2876A
Los Angeles, CA 90071 -
Ventura
394 E Main St, Suite 302
Ventura, CA 93001
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