Johnstown
Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

On This Page

1. Claiming Compensation If You Were Injured As a Pedestrian
2. How Our Pedestrian Accident Attorneys in Johnstown, PA Can Help
3. Are There Time Limits for Filing Your Pedestrian Accident Injury Claim?
4. Call Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Johnstown, PA, for a Free Case Review

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

October 10, 2022

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

Recent statistics from the Pennsylvania DOT show accidents involving pedestrians represent 2.7% of all reported crashes but account for 12.9% of all traffic accident fatalities. These statistics demonstrate how rare it is for pedestrians to walk away from an accident involving another vehicle unharmed. Serious injuries often require surgery and weeks, if not months, of recovery and rehabilitation, leading to lost income and costly medical bills.

Our Johnstown pedestrian accident lawyers can help determine if the road user was at fault and caused the accident. We can help you understand your options for financial recovery, manage your case, and guide you through the legal process. This way, you can focus on your recovery while we get to work on obtaining a fair settlement for your damages and other losses. 

Claiming Compensation If You Were Injured As a Pedestrian

Injured pedestrians often need significant medical treatment after an accident. The loss of income through being unable to work while they recover, along with worries about paying medical bills and meeting other financial obligations, can be overwhelming. However, you do have options for economic recovery. If the other driver was negligent, you may be entitled to recover damages for your injuries and other losses related to the accident, such as:

• Emergency medical care
• Hospital stays, treatment, and medication costs
• Rehabilitation, counseling, and therapy costs
• Lost income, including future earnings if your injuries affect your ability to work
• On-going and future medical expenses
• Pain and suffering, including emotional distress such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression
• In-home care and assistance
• Any home adaptations needed as part of your ongoing care needs

Showing how the driver was at fault (or negligent) is important in proving your case and recovering compensation. Driver negligence in pedestrian injury claims often stems from:

• Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Texting or using other in-car technologies while driving
• Driving while fatigued
• Speeding and other reckless types of driving
• Failing to obey traffic controls, signs, or signals
• Failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians 

If you believe you have a case, our lawyers are here to support and guide you through the legal process. We offer a free consultation and provide our legal services on a contingency fee basis. This means we can help you build and pursue your case at no financial risk. Meanwhile, to learn how what we do for our clients in more detail, please do read on.

How Our Pedestrian Accident Attorneys in Johnstown, PA Can Help

We help our clients to build and pursue a strong case by:

Investigating What Happened

Investigating the cause of the accident is essential to piece together what happened. From the investigation, we gather vital evidence to prove your case, such as medical records, police reports, witness statements, CCTV footage, and other documents. From this information, we can identify who is responsible and, therefore, financially liable for your injuries and other losses related to the accident.

Proving Your Case

Proving another road user is responsible for your injuries can be complex due to the state and insurance laws that may apply to your case. We will need to prove the other party’s fault to claim damages. Drivers must take reasonable care to avoid harming other road users, including pedestrians and cyclists. If motorists do not take care behind the wheel, by drunk driving, for example, they have failed to uphold this promise of care. 

However, being injured is not proof of fault alone; we will need to show that your injuries were caused by the careless actions of the other party and that you suffered physical, emotional, and financial loss as a result.

Calculating Your Losses

Calculating the full extent of your injuries and losses, including any future costs caused by the accident, can be challenging. However, we are familiar with the process with over 40 years of experience representing injured people. Our attorneys explore every aspect of how the accident has impacted your home, family, and work life to ensure the full extent of your losses is properly evaluated. 

Negotiating With Insurance Companies

Arriving at an appropriate settlement between all parties involves negotiations back and forth. We aim to serve your best interests and push for the compensation you deserve. Similarly, the at-fault party’s insurance company will also have its own interests, namely, settling for as little financial exposure to the claim as possible. As such, we help our clients by evaluating a settlement offer to assess whether it is fair and will be enough to meet all of your needs. If we cannot reach an agreement with the other party, we will not hesitate to take your case to trial. 

Are There Time Limits for Filing Your Pedestrian Accident Injury Claim?

Yes. In Pennsylvania, injured pedestrians generally have two years to file a lawsuit against an at-fault driver per Pa. C.S.A. § 5524. If this deadline expires, it is unlikely the courts will hear your case, so it is advantageous to begin legal action sooner rather than later to ensure your claim is prepared and filed in time.

Call Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Johnstown, PA, for a Free Case Review

If you or a loved one were injured as a pedestrian in an accident caused by a negligent road user, reach out to the attorneys at Berger and Green. With over 40 years of experience to bring to the table, our lawyers are proud of the work we do every day for injured people in Pennsylvania. 

Our client’s needs and well-being drive us to work tirelessly to help injured people get their lives back on track by pursuing the compensation they deserve. So let us put our experience to work for you, too. Start by scheduling a free case review with our team today and learn about your legal options and the next steps for your claim.