Pedestrian Accidents

Personal Injury Attorneys Representing Clients Across Colorado

Pedestrians are vulnerable when crossing streets. All too often, motorists do not exercise the caution and care that pedestrians deserve. No matter how careful we try to be on foot, no human is a match for the size, speed, or weight of a motor vehicle. If you have been injured in an auto-pedestrian accident or lost a loved one due to a driver or bus operator’s negligence and require the assistance of a pedestrian accident lawyer in the Denver metro area, rely on Chalat Hatten & Banker. You are likely facing a long and complicated legal process, but we can help. Our personal injury attorneys have represented people who have suffered severe injuries or fatalities while commuting as pedestrians throughout Colorado.

Why You Should Hire a Pedestrian Accidents Lawyer Today

A pedestrian accident may involve various traffic laws, employee/employer laws, premises liability laws, and negligence claims. The injuries also tend to be medically complex, as pedestrians frequently suffer from at least two points of impact. The first being with the vehicle during the collision, and the second being with the ground, which often results in more severe injuries, including spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. Studies show claimants who have a personal injury attorney by their side typically walk away with about three times as much compensation (after legal fees) when compared to those who handle their pedestrian accident claims on their own. Without the expertise and experience of a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer, victims are, unfortunately, at the mercy of the insurance company and their sometimes-scrupulous settlement tactics.

Why Choose Chalat Hatten & Banker’s Personal Injury Attorneys?

At Chalat Hatten & Banker, our personal injury attorneys are not only proficient in the relevant laws, procedural rules, and the medicines that may affect pedestrian accidents cases, but we’re also undeniably effective at negotiating with insurance companies. This is our trade and what we do every day, year-round. We have over three decades of expertise and experience with pedestrian accident claims to get pedestrian accident victims the maximum compensation they deserve. Check out our case reviews and testimonials, which illustrate our proven track record of success for our clients.

What Sets Us Apart

• At Chalat Law, we maintain close working relationships with traffic reconstruction experts, medical experts, and experienced forensic engineers. And through years of practice, we have a keen understanding of the science of momentum analysis and the use of technology to fully develop the story of the accident.
• Our attorneys have decades of experience successfully representing pedestrian victims. We have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our clients.
• We are not a settlement mill, and you are not a case number so you will never be treated as such. Our lawyers are your point of contact when you hire us. We believe in hands-on case management and a direct line of communication to ensure our clients understand what we are doing on their behalf, from the start to the very end.
• We operate on a contingency fee basis. You do not have to pay any legal fees unless we secure a settlement on your behalf.

Pedestrian Laws

• Pedestrians must follow the flashing Walk and Don’t Walk signals
• A pedestrian must use the crosswalks where adjacent intersections have traffic signals. Crossing in unmarked areas is considered jaywalking
• Pedestrians must yield to all vehicles while crossing outside of a marked crosswalk
• A pedestrian may not suddenly leave the curb and walk or run into an oncoming vehicle’s path that is close enough to be considered hazardous
• Pedestrians must yield to all vehicles while crossing the road where there is a pedestrian tunnel or overhead crossing

Driver Laws

• Drivers must yield the right of way when pedestrians are within the same half of a crosswalk as their vehicle
• This law also applies to stop signs or flashing red lights, regardless of whether or not the traffic signals are working or missing entirely
• If a vehicle has stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the roadway, whether at a marked or unmarked crosswalk, a driver may not pass or go around the stopped vehicle

Other Rights and Duties of Pedestrians

• If a public roadway does not have a sidewalk, pedestrians must walk along the shoulder of the road, facing traffic
• If a sidewalk along a roadway exists, a pedestrian must walk on it
• Pedestrians must use common sense and be aware of their surroundings. They must do whatever is reasonable and prudent to stay out of harm’s way

Pedestrian-Bus Accidents in Denver: Light Rail, MallRide, RTD

Here in Denver, many pedestrians have been injured while interacting with the city’s various forms of mass transit. Our personal injury attorneys have seen many people injured while boarding or unloading from Regional Transportation District (RTD) buses, the RTD-operated MallRide shuttle bus system on Denver’s 16th Street Mall, and the RTD’s light rail trains, which travel outside the city limits and throughout the Denver metro area.

Pedestrian accident claims involving a bus line can be challenging in terms of the legal framework. That’s because the RTD itself is a government entity. Government entities are subject to special protections (though not necessarily immune from the claims process), while many of its drivers are contractors who work for private (non-governmental) companies. Other bus accidents may involve similarly sophisticated legal issues.

A pedestrian accident often results in catastrophic injuries. These injuries may prevent a victim from being able to work for weeks, months, or even years and may affect one’s ability to participate in activities and hobbies, care for children, and do everyday things like household chores. To make matters worse, insurance companies are notorious for undervaluing the extent of an injured person’s damages after an accident. They will go to great lengths to avoid fairly compensating a victim for their injuries, many of which will affect the victim for the rest of their life. Because of this, it is critical to retain a pedestrian accident lawyer who has the experience to value the extent of your damages properly and to be there to negotiate with the insurance company.

A pedestrian accident victim may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages, including all of the following:  

• Current and future medical expenses, including hospital bills, surgery, and other ongoing medical needs such as physical therapy and prescription medications
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning potential
• Mental pain and suffering

Personal Injury Attorneys with Decades of Legal Experience

For decades, our team of personal injury attorneys and legal professionals at Chalat Hatten & Banker have successfully represented the rights of pedestrian/bus accident victims in Denver and surrounding areas of Colorado. We understand the complex legal issues that arise from accidents involving buses operated by government entities, school buses, and charter buses. We have extensive experience with light rail accidents and RTD bus accidents and know how to get our clients the compensation they deserve. We encourage you to reach out to our personal injury law firm today to request a consultation.