Kirkland Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Whether you are out on a jog or hitting the town with friends, you want to know that you are safe on Washington’s sidewalks. Unfortunately, reckless and negligent drivers can put even the most cautious of pedestrians at risk. These accidents can rapidly change the plans you had for the future.

With the help of a talented attorney, you could hold a negligent driver responsible for your harm. Speak with a Kirkland pedestrian accident lawyer about your options for recovery.

Proving Liability for a Pedestrian Accident

Cars, motorcycles, and trucks can all be dangerous under the right conditions. That said, these vehicles present an even greater danger to pedestrians than they do to one another. A pedestrian walking on the sidewalk is unprotected from the impact of a much larger motor vehicle. As a result, all drivers on the road need to prioritize the protection of both these individuals and others they may encounter. The failure to protect a pedestrian from driver negligence or recklessness is known as the violation of a driver’s duty of care.

Parties who believe that another person’s reckless or negligent behavior resulted in a pedestrian accident may move forward with a legal complaint while recovering from their losses. Injured pedestrians could sit down with a Kirkland attorney to discuss what kind of work goes into the formulation of these complaints and what the process of court communications looks like.

To establish a legal complaint, pedestrians or their next of kin need to name a liable party. They must then draw a clear correlation between injuries, property damage, and/or pain and suffering and the individual they wish to hold responsible in court.

Washington courts will only consider legal complaints delivered within the state’s statute of limitations. Revised Code of Washington §4.16.080 gives all interested parties three years to take legal action against someone who may have wronged them on the road.

Requirements for Kirkland Pedestrians

While the roadway duty of care strives to ensure all parties on the road look out for one another, Washington state does have expectations of its pedestrians. These expectations require pedestrians to act reasonably when moving from place to place. More specifically, these state statutes cover:

• Obedience to traffic signs, as established by RCW §46.61.050
• Reasonable use of sidewalks and crosswalks, as established by RCW §46.61.250
• Yielding to traffic and avoiding oncoming traffic, as established by RCW §46.61.235
• The use of crosswalks and refusal to jaywalk, as established by RCW §46.61.240

A Kirkland lawyer could investigate the circumstances of the collision to see if the pedestrian was in violation of any of these statutes at the time of the accident.

Speak with a Washington Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today

When you are walking on the side of the road, a negligent driver can threaten both your health and financial safety, not to mention that of your loved ones. Fortunately, a Kirkland pedestrian accident lawyer could help you understand your rights and help you take action against the negligent party. Contact our firm today to get started.