Pedestrians Laws in California
Under vehicle code section 21950, pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks always have the right of way. Drivers are expected to slow down and take any other necessary precautions to allow pedestrians to cross roads safely. However, pedestrians must still act responsibly and are prohibited from suddenly standing in the way of passing vehicles or blocking traffic for any unnecessary reasons.
Possible Compensable Expenses
Injured pedestrians who wish to file a claim may be eligible to collect monetary compensation to cover:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitative care
- Property damages
- Lost wages
- Long-term disability
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
Statute of Limitation Laws in California
In most cases, anyone who wishes to file a lawsuit in order to collect compensation for losses must do so within two years from the date of the accident. A pedestrian who was injured may still have the right to file a lawsuit after the two-year period if he or she was not mentally capable of submitting the claim or if any unknown injuries related to the accident were later discovered. Anyone under the age of 18 may also be exempt from the statute of limitations.
Determining Who Was at Fault
Only the party who was responsible for the injuries is required to pay for damages in the state of California. In order for drivers to be considered negligant, it must be proven that they exhibited reckless behavior that caused injuries to the pedestrians and/or resulted in property damages. State law makes it possible for pedestrians to recover some compensation even if they were partially to blame for accidents.