Pedestrian Accidents

The causes of pedestrian accidents range from distracted driving and failure to yield at crosswalks to dangerous intersection designs, inadequate pedestrian signal timing, and poorly maintained sidewalks. In many cases, the city, county, or state government bears some responsibility for maintaining unsafe conditions that contribute to pedestrian injuries.

The Brandi Law Firm has extensive experience representing pedestrians injured on San Francisco, Bay Area, and California streets. Thomas J. Brandi's background as a former Caltrans attorney gives our firm unique insight into how government agencies design and maintain roads and pedestrian infrastructure -- and where they fall short. We use this knowledge to identify public entity liability that other firms might miss.

If you or a loved one has been struck by a vehicle while walking, jogging, or crossing the street in San Francisco or the Bay Area, we can help. Our attorneys will investigate the accident, identify all responsible parties, and fight for the compensation you need to recover.

California Vehicle Code section 21950 requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in both marked and unmarked crosswalks. Drivers approaching pedestrians in crosswalks must exercise all due care and reduce speed or take any other action necessary for the safety of the pedestrian.

Government entities such as the City and County of San Francisco may be liable for pedestrian injuries caused by dangerous conditions including inadequate crosswalk signal timing, missing crosswalks at dangerous intersections, poor street lighting, and defective sidewalks. Claims against government entities require filing a government claim, typically within six months.

California's comparative negligence system applies to pedestrian accidents. Even if a pedestrian was partially at fault, they may still recover compensation, though the award may be reduced proportionally. Our attorneys work to minimize any fault attributed to an injured pedestrian.