Arizona drivers are legally required to follow the rules of the road, exercise caution, and put safety first as they drive, meaning that they do not have the right to ignore others in the area. Yet hundreds of accidents occur every year between vehicles and pedestrians because a driver failed to pay attention and failed to acknowledge the rights of the pedestrian, leading to accidents that almost always result in injuries.
When a crash between a car and a person occurs, the pedestrian will suffer the brunt of the impact because there is nothing surrounding that person to absorb a collision. The large, heavy design of cars means that a pedestrian who is hit will be injured more often than not, often critically or even fatally.
Pedestrian injury lawyers in Phoenix and Arizona understand that these collisions can be the fault of the driver, the pedestrian, or both, depending on the facts of a specific crash. But when a collision occurs at a crosswalk, fault usually lies with the driver.
That appears to be the case in a Saturday collision in Tucson that left a 28-year-old man dead. Police believe that the man, a pedestrian, was crossing East Speedway Boulevard within a crosswalk when he was hit by a pickup truck driven by a 74-year-old man. Witnesses reported that the elderly driver left the scene of the crash without stopping but eventually returned to the accident after he was followed by other drivers who got the elderly man’s attention.
It is not yet clear what caused the collision to occur or why the 74-year-old left the scene but police believe that the man was at fault for the crash which caused the death of the pedestrian. As such, the elderly man has been arrested and faces charges of second degree murder in connection with the collision.
The laws in Arizona recognize that accidents can be the fault of one person but can cause injuries to another, leaving a victim with medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering that can change a victim’s life. Because of this, the law allows these accident victims to make a financial recovery against the responsible driver for their damages. In the tragic event that a victim dies as a result of a crash, the victim’s surviving family members may be able to make a claim instead.
If you have been hurt in a collision, call a Phoenix pedestrian accident lawyer at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free telephone consultation. We have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day to take your call at (602) 819-5191 or toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER and there is no obligation on your part associated with the telephone call. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we want to help you understand your legal rights and whether you maybe entitled to a monetary recovery. Call us today and let us help you recover from your accident.
Prior Blog Entries:
SUV Collides With Light Rail, Several Injured, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 17, 2013.
Suspected Drunk Driver Flees Scene After Glendale Crash, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 14, 2013.
Resources:
Man arrested in pedestrian’s death at crosswalk, www.myfoxphoenix.com/Associated Press, published October 20, 2013.