Am I Liable for an Accident with a Delaware Distracted Pedestrian?

Pedestrian accidents often lead to catastrophic Delaware personal injuries and deaths. Being the driver in this situation can be overwhelming when you have to face potential liability issues and paying for damages. However, you may not have to pay for all the damages if the pedestrian was partially at fault for the accident through negligence. One form of growing negligence is distracted pedestrians. Talk to a Delaware Personal Injury Lawyer to learn more.

WHAT IS A DELAWARE DISTRACTED PEDESTRIAN?

Distracted pedestrians are people who only look at their phone screen while walking across a street or parking lot. With Delaware distracted pedestrians on the rise, more and more accidents seem to be happening each year with an alarming number of pedestrian deaths across the world. This has led many governing authorities to launch campaigns to increase the public’s awareness of this problem.

In the year 2017 alone, around 6,000 pedestrians were killed on United States roads. The dangers of crossing busy streets while using a cell phone are numerous. Our peripherals are limited and cannot be fully relied on when crossing roads. When someone is staring at their phone, not only are their peripherals impaired but their attention and reaction time may also be hindered.

Since Delaware distracted driving is considered negligent, distracted pedestrians are also usually considered negligent. Most pedestrian accidents end with the pedestrian being compensated. However, the few pedestrian accidents that involve a negligent pedestrian often end up with some compensation going to the driver or with the driver not being held liable for all the damages suffered by the pedestrian.

WHEN ARE DELAWARE PEDESTRIANS CONSIDERED NEGLIGENT?

While rare, Delaware negligent pedestrians exist and can cause property damages and injuries to drivers. A pedestrian is considered negligent when they break the law or are walking across the street while not fully conscious. Common forms of these types of pedestrian negligence include:

• Pedestrians under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Pedestrians with full focus on their phones and nothing else around them
• Jaywalking pedestrians
• Pedestrians who ignore walking and traffic signals
• Misusing crosswalks

A distracted pedestrian accident can happen on crosswalks as much as parking lots, especially with busy traffic. Due to the complexity of pedestrian negligence and distracted pedestrians, you may want to talk to a lawyer about your case if you need additional compensation or if you are concerned about your liability. Accidents with negligent pedestrians are difficult, but not impossible to defend with the right legal help.

PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT ATTORNEY IN DELAWARE

You may not have to face liability issues if the pedestrian was partially at fault for the accident. Try talking to a Delaware Pedestrian Accident Attorney if you have legal concerns about the accident or questions about compensation. All you have to do is call Edelstein Martin & Nelson today at (302) 295-5050 for a free consultation. You could be eligible to receive signficant compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Our experienced legal team of Delaware car accident lawyers is located in Wilmington, DE.