If you have watched the news lately, you’ll see a story about a person being hit by a motor vehicle nearly every day. Whether people are walking to school, work, the bus stop, or just for fun, pedestrians are everywhere. However, Californian roads are increasingly hostile to pedestrians. California has the highest death rate in the country for pedestrians.
JML Law understands that pedestrians are at a severe disadvantage in motor vehicle collisions. A driver may be relatively unharmed while the pedestrian often sustains serious and life-threatening injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian-involved collision, you need a pedestrian accident attorney in Los Angeles, California. You have your recovery to focus on; let us handle the rest.
California Man Seriously Injured in Hit-and-Run
A hit-and-run collision left a California pedestrian with serious injuries. According to the California Highway Patrol, 52-year-old John Vanderlinde was walking along Highway 140. Suddenly, he was hit from behind by an unknown vehicle. Officers found Vanderlinde lying on the shoulder of the road.
The pedestrian suffered major injuries to his leg. He was flown to Community Regional Medical Center by helicopter. Police are still investigating the collision. They believe the vehicle continued east on Highway 140 and headed towards Mariposa. Authorities are asking anyone who may have information regarding the hit-and-run contact the California Highway Patrol at 209-356-6600.
Officer Eric Zuniga of the Highway Patrol commented that there is little to no shoulder along the stretch of highway that Vanderlinde was walking when he was struck from behind. Also, there is very little light.
How Safe Are Californian Roads
According to the numbers, Californian roads are increasingly hazardous for pedestrians. The California Office of Traffic Safety has seen;
- A 26% increase in pedestrian fatalities over a four-year period
- In the latest reporting year, 14,000 pedestrians were injured, and another 893 were killed
- Compared to the rest of the country, California has a 25% higher death rate for pedestrians than the national average.
With general trends promoting walking for health and environmental reasons, the numbers may increase as more people walk over driving. If a negligent driver has hit you, please contact the dedicated attorneys at JML Law today.
Why You Need JML Law
Suppose you find yourself in the hospital after being hit by a careless motorist. You start adding up the costs in your head; ambulance ride, hospital stay, tests and exams, treatment, physical therapy, loss of wages until you can go back to work. If your head is spinning, you are not alone. Often people rely on the insurance company to cover most of their costs. However, insurance companies are not designed to look after the best interests of the people. They put their bottom line first.
Were you texting while walking? Did you jaywalk? Did you look both ways while crossing the road? Were you wearing light-reflecting clothes or equipment?
An insurance company may ask you several questions to determine liability. If they find you bear some responsibility, you may not have as many of your bills covered, if any at all.
That is why you need the highly sought personal injury attorneys at JML Law. We put your needs first so you can have peace of mind while you recuperate. Our Los Angeles, California pedestrian accident attorneys will secure the compensation you deserve. Contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling us at 818-610-8800.
