San Bernardino Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Request Free ConsultationSan Bernardino is not known for being the most walkable city. In fact, the Inland Empire is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous areas for pedestrians in all of California. People who wish to navigate San Bernardino on foot must contend with high-risk factors such as speeding traffic, a lack of sidewalks and pedestrian walkways, and inadequate lighting.
Despite drivers having a legal responsibility to drive prudently and watch for pedestrians, many careless drivers cause severe and sometimes deadly pedestrian collisions each year. If you or a loved one has been hit by a car in San Bernardino, the accident lawyers at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP can help you pursue justice and seek maximum compensation.
What Makes Us the Top Choice in San Bernardino
- Our San Bernardino personal injury lawyers have decades of experience handling automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian accident claims in California. We are a team of proven, award-winning trial lawyers who are nationally ranked and locally known.
- We have secured billions of dollars in successful settlements and jury verdicts for our personal injury clients. This includes a $34.1 million verdict in a San Bernardino trial for a pedestrian injured by a motorist. When results matter, clients choose us.
- We pride ourselves on providing outstanding customer service. Our attorneys are here to provide support, encouragement, and guidance to you and your family during this difficult time. We want to help you make informed, confident decisions about your pedestrian accident case.
- Our attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t charge anything in attorney’s fees unless we win the client’s case. You won’t pay your pedestrian accident lawyer from Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP any money in fees upfront, guaranteed.
Why Hire a San Bernardino Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
Recognition For Our Hard Work
It can be difficult to handle a pedestrian accident case alone. If you are unrepresented, an insurance company may try to take advantage of you to protect its own profits. If you have suffered a catastrophic injury that will require future medical care, for example, an insurance company may attempt to vastly undervalue your foreseeable costs to save its investors money.
If you hire a San Bernardino accident attorney to handle your claim, however, your lawyer will negotiate for maximum compensation on your behalf using a personalized legal strategy. Your attorney can build the strongest possible case from the beginning by investigating the pedestrian collision, determining who is legally responsible (liable), gathering critical evidence, and hiring qualified experts to strengthen your claim with testimony.
After collecting evidence and using compelling storytelling to build a narrative around this evidence, your lawyer will go up against insurance companies or represent you in court to seek justice against the at-fault party/ies. Meanwhile, you will have the peace of mind to focus on healing from your serious injuries.
What Is a Pedestrian Accident In San Bernardino?
A pedestrian accident describes a collision between a motor vehicle – a car, commercial truck, vehicle, bus, or motorcycle – and someone who is on foot, such as a person who is walking or jogging. People who are on skateboards, roller-skates, or in wheelchairs are also classified as pedestrians.
Pedestrian accidents can result in severe or life-changing injuries for the pedestrian due to the force of the impact from the large and heavy motor vehicle. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users in California, as they are completely exposed and unprotected from injury. This often leads to devastating traffic accidents.
Pedestrian Accident Facts and Statistics in California
San Bernardino is the setting of thousands of bicycle and pedestrian collisions each year. In 2024, San Bernardino County reported 14,615 total injuries and deaths connected to motor vehicle collisions. Cyclists and pedestrians were involved in 6 percent of all traffic accidents from 2022 to 2024.
In 2022, the most recent year data is available, 677 pedestrians in San Bernardino County were injured and killed in traffic accidents. One hundred thirty-seven (137) of these pedestrian accidents occurred within San Bernardino city limits. San Bernardino County has seen a 2 percent increase in its number of pedestrian accidents since 2015.
Intersections are especially dangerous locations for pedestrians in San Bernardino due to the proximity to street traffic and the risk of drivers breaking right-of-way rules. Some of the most dangerous intersections in the city for pedestrians are Del Rosa Avenue and Date Street, Tippecanoe Avenue and Hospitality Lane, E Street and Highland Avenue, and Waterman Avenue and Baseline Street.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in San Bernardino
If everyone shared the road with due care, caution, and according to California’s right-of-way laws, pedestrian accidents would never occur. Unfortunately, this is not the reality. On an average day in San Bernardino, drivers make careless and reckless decisions, and poorly designed sidewalks and crosswalks cannot guarantee pedestrian safety.
Drivers
The most common cause of pedestrian accidents in the Inland Empire is negligence, or the failure to act with reasonable care. The most glaring example is driver negligence. Motor vehicle drivers can make many mistakes behind the wheel that threaten pedestrians’ lives, including:
- Speeding, especially in pedestrian-heavy areas
- Speeding in school zones
- Driving while distracted
- Texting and driving
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Failing to stop at a crosswalk
- Reversing without looking
- Passing school buses
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Drowsy driving
- Reckless or unsafe driving
Negligent drivers can collide with pedestrians in crosswalks, at intersections, in parking lots and when backing out of driveways. In these scenarios, the driver can be held liable and made to pay through his or her automobile insurance policy or other assets.
Unsafe Roads and Sidewalks
Another main cause of pedestrian-vehicle collisions is poor roadway design or a lack of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. Most parts of San Bernardino were not designed with pedestrians in mind. This affects the city’s walkability and increases the risk of pedestrian injuries and San Bernardino wrongful deaths.
Road conditions that can contribute to pedestrian accidents include a lack of sidewalks and crosswalks, broken pedestrian signals, dangerously designed intersections, poor visibility and inadequate lighting, and faded road or crosswalk markings.
It is the city government’s responsibility to maintain reasonably safe public spaces for all road users, including pedestrians and bicyclists. The negligent failure to uphold this duty of care could make the government liable for a pedestrian injury or death in San Bernardino.
Injuries Associated With Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents send hundreds of individuals to hospitals throughout the Inland Empire each year. These collisions can cause critical and fatal injuries to the person on foot due to the force of the impact.
Common types of pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Amputations
- Fatal injuries (wrongful death)
- Bone fractures
- Crush injuries
- Internal injuries
- Lacerations or abrasions
- Injured muscles, nerves, or ligaments
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional injuries
Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP is a team of highly experienced personal injury attorneys who can help you seek justice no matter what type of injury you or a loved one suffered in a San Bernardino pedestrian collision. We will connect you to top doctors in the region and do everything possible to maximize your physical and emotional recovery, in addition to your financial one.
How to Prove Negligence in a Pedestrian Accident
California operates under a fault-based system. This means the person or party found to be at fault for a pedestrian collision will be held responsible for paying for the victim’s injuries, medical bills and other crash-related losses. It is up to the victim to prove fault “based on a preponderance of the evidence,” or using enough evidence to show that the defendant is more likely to be at fault than not.
Most pedestrian accident cases require proof of a driver’s negligence. Motor vehicle drivers in California are legally required to purchase at least $30,000 in bodily injury or death insurance per person, $60,000 in bodily injury or death insurance per accident, and $15,000 for damage to property. This insurance should be available to pay for your medical bills and other losses if a driver is found liable for negligence. Many motorists and commercial vehicle operators carry much larger insurance policies.
There is also the possibility of a third party sharing liability for your accident, such as the government for failing to maintain safe environments for pedestrians. This can increase the amount of insurance coverage available to pay for your bills. Our attorneys can investigate your accident to identify all liable parties and gather evidence to prove negligence, such as police reports and witness statements.
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Steps to Take After Getting Hit By a Car in San Bernardino
It is important to know what steps to take after getting hit by a car in San Bernardino so that you can preserve your health, safety, and legal rights as much as possible. Here’s what to do:
- If you need to move for your safety, get to a safe location out of the road. Otherwise, remain still and wait for paramedics to arrive.
- Check yourself for injuries, bearing in mind that adrenaline from the accident may be masking pain. Get medical attention immediately.
- Call 911 to report the accident. Getting a police report can be instrumental in proving and winning your claim.
- Get the motor vehicle driver’s name, contact information and car insurance information. Don’t admit any fault for the accident or apologize to the driver.
- Take photographs of the crash scene and your injuries before you leave. Check to see if there are any nearby traffic or surveillance cameras, as well.
- If there were any witnesses who saw the pedestrian accident take place, get their names and contact information.
- If you have car insurance, report the incident to your own insurance company. File a report right away, but don’t give too many details about the accident before speaking to an attorney.
- Gather your medical records and other information pertaining to the accident. When you’re ready, file an injury claim with the at-fault driver’s car insurance company.
- Don’t agree to give the insurance carrier a recorded statement about the accident. If you are offered a settlement, consult with an attorney before accepting.
- Contact the local pedestrian accident attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP for a free case review to learn your rights and legal options.
You can contact us any time after being struck by a vehicle for legal advice and assistance with the claims process. We can help you take the correct steps and avoid common mistakes that could potentially hurt your claim.
How Much Is My Pedestrian Accident Claim Worth?
There is no such thing as an “average” pedestrian accident settlement, as each case is unique. The value of a case will vary based on the case’s individual factors, such as injury severity and the losses suffered by the victim, as well as insurance policy limits.
In California, civil laws allow a victim of negligence to seek financial compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Common examples include:
- Hospital bills and medical care (present and future)
- Lost wages or employment opportunities
- Damaged property or personal belongings
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Depression or anxiety
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Wrongful death damages, if applicable
In some cases that involve gross negligence or recklessness by the defendant, punitive damages may also be available. If you were hit by a drunk driver in San Bernardino, for example, a judge may award additional punitive damages to punish the at-fault party.
What Is the Filing Deadline For A San Bernardino Pedestrian Accident?
If you need to file a personal injury lawsuit regarding a pedestrian accident in San Bernardino, you will only have two years from the date of the accident to do so. This is the filing deadline on most personal injury claims under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, also known as the statute of limitations.
However, if you need to bring a claim against a government entity, you will have a much shorter deadline. Under the California Tort Claims Act, actions against the state or municipal government must be brought within just six months of the harmful incident. Certain circumstances can alter the statute of limitations, making it critical to contact an attorney as soon as possible. If you wait too long, you could lose the right to recover compensation.
Contact Our San Bernardino Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Review
A pedestrian-vehicle collision can have severe consequences, but you don’t have to face the challenges of this situation alone. If you or a loved one was hurt in a recent pedestrian accident in San Bernardino or anywhere in the Inland Empire, contact Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP for a free case review with a knowledgeable lawyer.
Call (310) 928-6200 24/7 to schedule your consultation, where you can tell your story to an experienced pedestrian accident attorney in San Bernardino and get free legal advice. We will help you understand your legal rights and discuss your options for seeking justice at no cost or obligation to hire us.