If you were hit by a car while walking in a Los Angeles crosswalk, get medical attention immediately, call 911, document the intersection and vehicle, obtain witness information, and be careful about speaking with the driver’s insurance company before you understand your rights. California law generally requires drivers to yield to pedestrians using marked and unmarked crosswalks, although the specific facts of the collision still matter.

Pedestrian crashes can cause devastating injuries because there is nothing protecting you from the force of a moving vehicle. You may suddenly be dealing with an emergency room visit, surgery, missed work, mounting medical bills, pain, and an insurance company already looking for ways to reduce what it pays.

The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus has represented injured Californians since 1987 and has recovered more than $2 billion for clients. If you were struck while walking in Los Angeles, call 818-784-8544 for a free consultation.

What Should You Do If You Are Hit by a Car in a Los Angeles Crosswalk?

What you do immediately after a pedestrian accident can affect both your health and your ability to recover compensation.

Take these steps whenever possible:

1. Call 911. Ask for police and emergency medical assistance.
2. Get medical treatment immediately. Do not assume you are fine because you can stand or walk.
3. Photograph the scene. Take pictures of the crosswalk, traffic lights, signs, vehicle, license plate, skid marks, and your injuries.
4. Get witness information. Independent witnesses can become extremely important when the driver later disputes what happened.
5. Look for cameras. Businesses, homes, buses, parking structures, and traffic systems near the intersection may have captured the collision.
6. Do not argue about fault at the scene. Stick to what happened and let the evidence establish liability.
7. Be cautious with insurance adjusters. A recorded statement can be used to minimize or challenge your claim.
8. Speak with a pedestrian accident attorney quickly. Important video and physical evidence can disappear.

Even if you were transported by ambulance and could not gather evidence yourself, an attorney may be able to investigate the intersection afterward.

Who Is at Fault When a Car Hits a Pedestrian in a Los Angeles Crosswalk?

In many Los Angeles crosswalk accidents, the driver is primarily responsible because drivers have a legal duty to watch for pedestrians and yield when required.

Common examples of driver negligence include:

• Failing to yield while turning
• Running a red light or stop sign
• Speeding through an intersection
• Texting or using a phone
• Driving while distracted
• Making an unsafe left or right turn
• Driving under the influence
• Failing to see a pedestrian already in the crosswalk
• Accelerating before a pedestrian has safely cleared the vehicle’s path

Being inside a crosswalk can substantially strengthen a pedestrian’s liability argument, but fault is not automatically determined solely by the painted lines on the road.

The timing of the traffic signal, where the pedestrian was positioned, the driver’s speed, visibility, witness statements, camera footage, and other evidence can all matter.

What Does California Law Say About Pedestrian Right of Way?

California Vehicle Code §21950 states that drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

The statute also requires drivers approaching pedestrians in a crosswalk to exercise due care and reduce speed or take other action when necessary to protect the pedestrian.

Pedestrians also have responsibilities. A pedestrian should not suddenly step into the immediate path of a vehicle that is so close that a collision cannot reasonably be avoided.

That distinction matters because insurance companies frequently attempt to shift some responsibility onto an injured pedestrian.

Being struck in a crosswalk does not mean the insurance company will simply accept responsibility and write a fair check.

The evidence still matters.

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Crosswalk Accident?

A pedestrian injured by a negligent driver may be able to pursue compensation for both financial and personal losses caused by the collision.

Serious pedestrian cases must be evaluated based on the full long-term effect of the injury, not merely the medical bills that exist during the first few weeks after the crash.

For example, someone who suffers a fractured leg requiring surgery may face months of rehabilitation, missed work, future medical treatment, and lasting limitations.

A traumatic brain injury or spinal injury can create medical and financial needs that continue for years or even a lifetime.

That is why accepting an early insurance settlement before the extent of your injuries is known can be dangerous.

Common Injuries After Being Hit by a Car

Pedestrian accidents often produce more serious injuries than ordinary vehicle-to-vehicle collisions because the human body absorbs the impact directly.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

A pedestrian may strike the hood, windshield, pavement, or another object after impact.

Brain injuries can include concussions, memory problems, cognitive impairment, headaches, dizziness, personality changes, and more serious permanent neurological damage.

Broken Bones and Orthopedic Injuries

Common fractures involve the legs, ankles, hips, pelvis, arms, ribs, shoulders, and wrists.

Some require surgical fixation using plates, screws, rods, or other hardware.

Spinal and Back Injuries

A severe impact can cause herniated discs, vertebral fractures, nerve damage, or spinal cord injuries.

These injuries may affect mobility, employment, sleep, and ordinary daily activities.

Internal Injuries

Internal bleeding and organ injuries may not always produce obvious symptoms immediately after the collision.

This is one reason prompt medical evaluation is so important.

Scarring and Disfigurement

Lacerations, road rash, facial injuries, and surgical procedures can cause permanent visible scars.

Emotional Trauma

Being struck by a vehicle can also cause anxiety, nightmares, fear of crossing streets, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and other psychological effects.

Those consequences should not be ignored when evaluating the true impact of the accident.

What Evidence Can Prove the Driver Was at Fault?

Pedestrian accident cases are frequently won or lost based on evidence.

Useful evidence may include:

• Police collision reports
• Surveillance video
• Dashcam footage
• Traffic-camera evidence when available
• Witness statements
• Cellphone records
• Vehicle event data
• Photographs of the intersection
• Traffic signal sequencing
• Skid marks and vehicle damage
• Medical documentation
• Accident reconstruction
• Driver statements
• Rideshare or commercial vehicle records where applicable

Video can be particularly valuable in a disputed crosswalk accident.

The problem is that private businesses and other entities may overwrite surveillance footage relatively quickly.

A Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney can attempt to identify potential video sources and send preservation requests before evidence disappears.

What If the Driver Blames You for the Accident?

Do not assume your case is over merely because the driver or insurance company claims you were partly responsible.

California uses a pure comparative negligence system.

That means responsibility can be divided between the people involved in an accident. If an injured pedestrian is found partially responsible, compensation can potentially be reduced by that percentage rather than automatically eliminated.

Suppose total damages were determined to be $500,000 and the pedestrian was found 20% responsible. A comparative-fault analysis could reduce the recoverable amount to $400,000.

This is one reason insurance companies aggressively investigate whether a pedestrian:

• Entered after the signal changed
• Was distracted
• Entered suddenly
• Crossed outside the expected area
• Failed to observe approaching traffic

Those allegations should be tested against the actual evidence rather than simply accepted.

What If the Driver Has No Insurance or Leaves the Scene?

A hit-and-run or uninsured-driver accident can make recovery more complicated, but it does not necessarily mean there is no source of compensation.

Depending on the circumstances, potential options may include:

• Identifying the driver through witnesses or surveillance footage
• Pursuing the driver’s liability insurance if the driver is found
• Examining applicable uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
• Investigating whether the driver was working for an employer
• Determining whether another company or party shares responsibility

Your own automobile insurance policy may potentially provide uninsured-motorist protection when you are injured as a pedestrian, depending on the terms of the policy and facts of the collision.

Hit-and-run cases should be investigated quickly because identifying the vehicle often depends on rapidly locating video, witnesses, license-plate information, or physical evidence.

How Long Do You Have to File a Pedestrian Accident Claim in California?

California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1 generally provides two years to bring an action for personal injury caused by another person’s wrongful act or negligence.

But waiting two years to begin investigating a pedestrian collision can seriously damage a case.

Evidence may disappear much sooner.

There is also an important exception when a public entity may be responsible.

If, for example, your accident involves a government vehicle or potentially dangerous public property, California Government Code §911.2 generally requires a government claim involving personal injury to be presented within six months of accrual.

That is a much shorter deadline.

Speak with an attorney promptly whenever a city, county, public transit agency, government vehicle, dangerous roadway condition, or other public entity might be involved.

Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Pedestrian Accident Claim

Several avoidable mistakes can make an insurance company’s job easier.

Waiting Too Long to Get Medical Care

A treatment delay gives the insurer an opportunity to argue that your injury was minor or came from something other than the crash.

Giving a Recorded Statement Too Quickly

Insurance adjusters may ask questions designed to produce statements that can later be used to dispute liability or injury severity.

Accepting an Early Settlement

An offer made before your medical condition is fully understood may fail to account for future treatment, surgery, lost earnings, or permanent impairment.

Once a claim is fully released, you generally cannot return later because your injuries turned out to be worse than expected.

Missing Medical Appointments

Treatment gaps can allow insurers to argue that your injuries resolved or were not serious.

Posting About the Accident on Social Media

Photos, videos, comments, check-ins, and other posts can be taken out of context and used against you.

Waiting to Preserve Evidence

Video disappears. Witnesses become harder to locate. Memories fade.

The earlier an investigation begins, the more evidence may be available.

How a Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Help

A serious crosswalk injury case involves much more than submitting medical bills to an insurance company.

An attorney may investigate liability, preserve evidence, identify insurance coverage, calculate future damages, communicate with insurers, consult medical or accident-reconstruction experts, negotiate a settlement, and prepare the case for litigation when necessary.

At The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus, we have represented injured people throughout Los Angeles and California since 1987 and have recovered more than $2 billion for our clients.

Our job is to handle the insurance company and the legal fight while you focus on your medical care and recovery.

Hit in a Los Angeles Crosswalk? Protect Your Rights Now

A pedestrian accident can change your life in seconds.

One moment you are crossing the street.

The next you may be in an ambulance, facing surgery, unable to work, worried about medical bills, and wondering who is going to help you put your life back together.

You do not have to figure everything out yourself.

The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus offers free consultations and is available 24/7. There are no attorney fees unless we win your case.

Call 818-784-8544 to speak with a Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyer.

The sooner an investigation begins, the sooner critical evidence can be preserved and your rights can be protected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the right of way in a Los Angeles crosswalk?

California Vehicle Code §21950 generally requires drivers to yield to pedestrians crossing within marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections. Pedestrians must still exercise reasonable care and should not suddenly enter the immediate path of an approaching vehicle.

Can I sue if I was hit by a car in a crosswalk?

You may have a personal injury claim if a negligent driver or another responsible party caused the collision. Potential compensation can include medical expenses, lost wages, future medical care, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other damages.

What if the insurance company says I was partly at fault?

California’s comparative-negligence rules may allow you to recover compensation even if you are assigned part of the responsibility. Your recovery can be reduced according to your percentage of fault, making evidence of how the collision occurred extremely important.

How much is a Los Angeles pedestrian accident case worth?

There is no fixed average that accurately predicts an individual case. Value depends heavily on injury severity, medical treatment, permanent impairment, lost income, future care, available insurance, liability evidence, and how the injuries affect your life.

Should I talk to the driver’s insurance company?

You should be careful before providing a recorded statement or accepting a settlement. The other driver’s insurance company is evaluating the claim on behalf of its insured and may look for evidence that reduces liability or damages.

How soon should I contact a lawyer after being hit in a crosswalk?

As soon as reasonably possible. Early investigation can help preserve surveillance footage, identify witnesses, document the intersection, obtain records, and prevent important evidence from disappearing.

Related Articles

• What To Do If You’re Hit By A Car As A Pedestrian In California — Step-by-Step Guide
• What Should I Do After Being Hit By A Car As A Pedestrian In California?
• What Should I Do Immediately After A Pedestrian Accident In California?
• What Is Pain And Suffering In A California Personal Injury Case?
• Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus
Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys
818-784-8544
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