Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in New York City

New York’s roads are home to more than just motor vehicles. In fact, New York City is one of the most walkable in the U.S., leading to millions of pedestrians entering and leaving each day.

The population density, compact urban design, lack of parking, and access to public transportation — not to mention professional visitors and passing tourists — keep everyone on their feet, whether heading to work, grabbing lunch, meeting friends, or going home for the night.

Unfortunately, the larger the number of pedestrians, the more accidents involve them. Data from the New York Police Department and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Reported 9% of car accidents in New York City last year involved an injured or killed pedestrian.

Since 1998, the New York City pedestrian accident attorneys at David Resnick & Associates, P.C. have worked tirelessly to enforce New York laws that allow victims of negligence to hold the responsible party liable for damages resulting from the accident.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one to negligence as a pedestrian, we want to hear your story. Once you partner with David Resnick & Associates, P.C., your physical, emotional, and financial well-being is the priority. Call us today for a free case evaluation.

Our law firm represents accident victims throughout New York City, including Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx, and only works on a contingency basis. You do not pay our legal fees if we do not win your case. That’s a promise.

What are the Most Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in New York City?

Getting injured in a vehicle collision while on foot is often the result of the motorist’s negligent actions or inaction. In a city as heavily congested as New York City, it is easy to see near misses, actual accidents, and tragic fatalities anywhere pedestrian and vehicle traffic meet — which is everywhere, all the time.

Some of the top causes of pedestrian accidents in New York City include but are not limited to:

• Aggressive driving/road rage.
• Disregarding yield signs or pedestrian crossing lights.
• Distracted driving, especially texting or using a cellphone while driving, which is illegal in New York State.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Drowsy/fatigued driving.
• Failing to yield the right of way at marked crosswalks or intersection
• Inadequate vehicle maintenance, especially tire and brake maintenance.
• Overtaking a vehicle stopped to yield to a crossing pedestrian.
• Reckless driving, including excessive speeding or swerving through traffic.
• Running red lights or stop signs.
• Speeding or driving too fast for conditions.
• Turning without signaling or checking for pedestrians crossing the intersection.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident caused by negligence, contact our skilled New York City personal injury attorneys today to discuss your case and how the incident has impacted your life. Our experienced lawyers offer free consultations to all personal injury victims throughout New York City and take all qualifying cases on a contingency basis, so you pay no upfront or out-of-pocket fees and nothing if we do not win your case.

New York City Pedestrian Accident Injuries are Often Catastrophic or Permanent

The tragic truth about pedestrian accidents, injuries, and fatalities in New York City is that they happen too often. 8,600 of the 100,508 car accidents in New York City involved a pedestrian last year and resulted in 8,484 pedestrian injuries and 116 fatalities.

These numbers have changed the lives of the survivors and left families grieving from traffic accidents that could have been prevented.

The most common types of New York City pedestrian accident injuries reported to local hospitals include, but are not limited to:

• Dislocated joints.
• Fractured, broken, or crushed bones.
• Head injuries, including Traumatic Brain Injuries.
• Internal bleeding.
• Limb amputations.
• Loss of mobility.
• Neck and spinal cord injuries.
• Organ damage.
• Paralysis.
• Torn tendons, muscles, and ligaments.
• Wrongful death.

After you’ve suffered injuries in a collision, you may have the right to recover compensation from the negligent driver who hit you.

Pedestrian accident victims can obtain financial recovery for losses, including:

• Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation for the injuries sustained in the collision.
• Costs of long-term care, such as home health services, for disabilities resulting from injuries.
• Loss of wages/income after becoming disabled from work or experiencing reduced earnings due to injuries or disabilities.
• Physical pain and emotional distress.
• Reduced quality of life due to disabilities or visible scarring/disfigurement.

If you’ve suffered severe injuries in a New York City pedestrian accident, get experienced legal help to pursue compensation in a personal injury case. Contact David Resnick & Associates, P.C. today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a New York pedestrian accident lawyer. We can explain your legal options for seeking compensation and accountability. Our legal team has dedicated themselves to protecting the rights of injury victims in New York, and we can do the same for you.

New York Laws Protecting Pedestrians

Both state and local laws help protect pedestrians from accidents with motor vehicles in New York City.

State Laws

The New York Vehicle and Traffic Law contains multiple statutes to protect pedestrians. Some of these traffic laws include:

• VAT §1150– Pedestrians shall follow traffic signals but, in all other places, have the privileges afforded by Article 27 of the VAT.
• VAT §1151– At intersections without functional traffic-control signals, drivers must yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway unless a pedestrian crosses at a point with a pedestrian tunnel or overpass, in which case the pedestrian shall yield the right of way to vehicles. Drivers may not overtake and pass a car stopped at a marked crosswalk or intersection to permit pedestrians to cross the road.
• VAT §1151-A– Drivers emerging from an alley, building, private road, or driveway must yield the right of way to a pedestrian on a sidewalk crossing such alleyway, driveway, or private road.
• VAT §1152– Pedestrians crossing the road other than at a crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection must yield to vehicular traffic.
• VAT §1153– Notwithstanding other provisions, drivers approaching a crosswalk or intersection must yield to a crossing pedestrian accompanied by a guide dog or using a guide cane.
• VAT §1156– Pedestrians shall use sidewalks where provided. When a road does not have sidewalks, pedestrians shall walk along the left side or shoulder of the road, facing traffic traveling in the opposite direction, moving as far to the left as possible upon the approach of vehicles.

Local laws

Section 4-04 of the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Traffic Rules requires that:

• Drivers exercise due care to avoid crashes with pedestrians.
• Pedestrians obey all traffic signals, lawful orders, and directives of law enforcement.
• Drivers yield to pedestrians crossing in crosswalks if there are no traffic or pedestrian control signals and the vehicle’s path is close enough to the pedestrian to put the pedestrian in danger.
• Pedestrians refrain from suddenly leaving a curb or walking into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
• Drivers refrain from passing vehicles stopped at crosswalks to permit pedestrians to cross.
• Pedestrians refrain from entering restricted areas, including those with signs, fences, barriers, or other devices prohibiting entry.
• Pedestrians cross intersections only at designated crosswalks.
• Pedestrians use crosswalks to cross roads on any block with traffic-control signals at both intersections bordering the block.
• Drivers yield to pedestrians when the pedestrian control signal displays a WALK sign, a green hand symbol, or a green walking figure.
• Pedestrians yield to drivers when a pedestrian control signal shows a DON’T WALK sign, a red hand symbol, or a red standing figure. Pedestrian control signals also count down the time remaining to cross, and pedestrians should not enter an intersection when this countdown shows insufficient time to cross.
• Drivers yield to pedestrians already in crosswalks when the traffic-control signal changes. Pedestrians should proceed to a curb as soon as possible when the traffic-control signal changes.

What are the Most High-Risk Areas for Pedestrians in New York City?

The New York City Department of Transportation identified various “priority corridors” with the highest rates of pedestrian accident injuries and fatalities. Over the past several years, the city has focused on installing measures in these corridors to improve pedestrian safety.

Some of these high-risk areas include:

Bronx

• Grand Concourse between 138th St. and Mosholu Parkway
• Hunts Point Avenue between Halleck Street and Southern Boulevard
• 170th Street between Clay Avenue and MLK Boulevard.
• 138th Street between Madison Avenue Bride and Locust Avenue
• Fordham Road between Tiebout Avenue and University Heights Bridge
• Bruckner Boulevard between Cypress Avenue and Bruckner Expressway

Brooklyn

• Flatbush Avenue (north leg) between Fulton Street and Grand Army Plaza
• Malcolm X Boulevard between Fulton Street and Broadway
• Eastern Parkway between Plaza Street E. and Ralph Avenue
• Utica Avenue between Malcolm X Boulevard and Avenue S

Manhattan

• 8th Avenue between Hudson Street and Columbus Circle
• 42nd Street between FDR Drive and 12th Avenue
• Canal Street between Broadway and Bowery
• 23rd Street between Avenue C. and 11th Avenue
• Avenue of the Americas between Church Street and Central Park S.
• 7th Avenue between 11th Street and Central Park S.
• 14th Street between FDR Drive and 10th Avenue

Queens

• Union Street between 25th Road and Franklin Avenue
• Junction Boulevard between 32nd Avenue and Queens Boulevard
• 108th Street between 32nd Avenue and Queens Boulevard
• Sutphin Boulevard between Rockaway Boulevard and Hillside Avenue
• Fresh Pond Road between Flushing Avenue and Myrtle Avenue

Contact Our Skilled NYC Personal Injury Attorneys at David Resnick & Associates, P.C. to Help Build Your Case for Success

The legal team at David Resnick & Associates, P.C., understands the impact pedestrian accidents can have on you and your family. We work hard to obtain the maximum damages you’re entitled to. We serve accident victims in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, the Bronx, and all of New York City.

Contact the New York law firm of David Resnick & Associates, P.C., online or call us at 212-279-2000 today for a free consultation about your case.

There is never a charge to speak with our skilled New York City personal injury attorneys. If your case qualifies to move forward, we will handle every aspect from start to finish without charging any upfront or out-of-pocket fees. Unless we win your case, you will pay nothing for our elite personal injury attorney services. That is a promise.