A pedestrian accident in Fort Wayne can be stressful and expensive. With decades of legal experience, a Fort Wayne pedestrian accident lawyer from our law firm will work to secure the fair compensation you deserve, so you can focus on healing. Call us for a free case evaluation.
In this Article
What Indiana Laws Protect Pedestrian Safety?
According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, drivers must yield to pedestrians in both marked and unmarked crosswalks. Pedestrians must obey traffic signals and use sidewalks or crosswalks when available. If there is no sidewalk, you must walk facing oncoming traffic. Drivers have a duty to exercise due care and be particularly cautious around school zones and vulnerable pedestrians.
Do I Need an Attorney for an Indiana Pedestrian Accident?
Yes, if a pedestrian’s physical injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence, injury victims can take legal action. A Fort Wayne personal injury attorney can gather evidence (such as medical records, eyewitness statements, and surveillance footage), consult with experts, identify negligent parties, and negotiate with insurance companies. Most cases settle during negotiations, but if yours doesn’t, your Fort Wayne injury lawyers can file a lawsuit to recover full compensation.
Common Causes of Fort Wayne Pedestrian Accidents
Types of driver negligence:
Distracted driving (like cellphone use)
Failing to obey traffic signals and speed limits
Recklessness
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Other causes:
Malfunctioning traffic signals
Poor visibility caused by bad weather
Common pedestrian accident injuries include severe lacerations, internal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, head trauma, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, nerve damage, and other injuries.
What to Do When Pedestrian Accidents Occur in Fort Wayne
When pedestrian-car accidents happen, follow these steps:
Seek medical attention and keep all records of your medical treatment.
Call 911 to report the incident. Obtain a copy of the police report.
Don’t admit fault or post about the accident on social media.
Obtain contact and insurance information.
Contact us to discuss a personal injury claim.
Who Is Liable for Pedestrian Crashes in Fort Wayne?
Liability for pedestrian crashes in Fort Wayne depends on negligence. Drivers may be at fault for failing to yield, driving distracted, or speeding. Pedestrians can share responsibility if they act recklessly, such as crossing outside crosswalks or stepping into traffic. Government agencies or private property owners could share blame if they failed to maintain safe conditions, and those conditions caused the accident.
Indiana’s comparative negligence laws (Indiana Code § 34‑51‑2) allow you to recover damages if you’re partially at fault, provided your fault is 50% or less. Compensation decreases by your fault percentage, but no recovery is allowed if you’re 51% or more at fault.
Can an Injured Person Recover Compensation for a Fort Wayne Pedestrian Accident?
Injured pedestrians can seek compensation for serious and catastrophic injuries. Settlements can include medical bills (hospital, doctor, and physical therapy costs), lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages in extreme cases. When devastating injuries lead to pedestrian fatalities, eligible family members can file wrongful death claims.
How Much Is My Fort Wayne Pedestrian Accident Case Worth?
An experienced attorney assesses the worth of a case by examining economic and non-economic damages, the severity of injuries, medical expenses, permanent scarring, lost income, and emotional distress.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit?
According to the Indiana Office of Court Services, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Indiana is typically two years from the accident date. There may be some exceptions to this time limit, so be sure to consult an experienced personal injury attorney promptly to understand your deadlines.
Contact Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries in a pedestrian accident caused by a negligent driver, contact a Fort Wayne pedestrian accident lawyer. Our legal team has a strong track record of helping injury victims across the Midwest, and we can help you with financial recovery.
Free Initial Consultation
We offer a free consultation to review your pedestrian-motor vehicle case, explain Indiana’s legal process, and answer your questions. Our Fort Wayne personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t pay attorney fees unless we win your case.
Get help from a Fort Wayne pedestrian accident lawyer when you've been injured as a pedestrian in an accident caused by someone else's negligence.
$7.5 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when a support wall fell and struck him. (Highest award on record for a construction injury in DuPage County at the time).
$3.2 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when he fell in an uncovered foundation trench, ranking as the highest award on record for a construction injury in McHenry County at the time.
$3 Million
Recovery for the family of a man struck by a garbage truck that was making an illegal turn.
$2.2 Million
Recovery for a salesman injured in an automobile collision.
$2 Million
Recovery for a man struck by a speeding vehicle as he waited for the CTA bus.
$1.5 Million
Recovery for a truck driver that was struck by another car on the expressway while his vehicle was disabled.
$1.4 Million
Recovery for a computer programmer that slipped and fell in the washroom at work.
Recovery for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in a parking lot. At the time, this was the second-highest recovery on record in DuPage County for a similar injury.
$800,000
Recovered for a disputed wrongful death claim against a trucking company. The company denied they were involved in the collision.
$660,000
Recovery for a truck driver that was injured while unloading his trailer.
$550,000
Recovery for a person who slipped and fell in a grocery store.
$550,000
Recovery for a woman who injured her neck in a motor vehicle collision.
$500,000
Recovery for a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle while standing on the sidewalk.
$500,000
$500,000 Policy limit settlement for a 48-year-old woman injured in a Cook County head-on collision after another driver made an unsafe left turn into traffic.
$460,000
Recovery for a truck driver that tripped and fell in the parking lot while making a delivery.
$450,000
Recovery for a dental assistant who slipped and fell at work on an unnatural accumulation of ice.
$425,000
Recovery for a union worker struck by a speeding vehicle.
$425,000
Recovery for a passenger in a vehicle struck by an inexperienced driver.
$415,000
Recovered for a woman that required neck surgery after aggravating an existing neck injury in a truck accident.
$400,000
Recovery for a lab technician injured while transporting equipment.
$370,000
Recovery for a construction worker injured on faulty equipment at a construction site.
$315,000
Recovery for a motorist struck by a falling utility pole.
$310,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$300,000
Recovery for a bicyclist struck by a vehicle.
$300,000
Recovery for a 16-year-old girl who suffered a skull fracture after her e-bike struck a metal driveway marker placed along the roadway.
$250,000
Recovery for a young woman struck by another vehicle.
$250,000
Recovered for a woman who sustained a partial finger amputation and other injuries in a rollover car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$250,000
Recovered for a 60-year-old woman involved in a car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man hit by a semi-truck while operating a go-cart.
$250,000
Recovered for an individual who suffered a severe knee injury after a slip and fall on a wet floor at a Will County retail store.
$240,000
Recovery for the injured party struck by another vehicle.
$235,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$235,000
Recovery for an inventory clerk injured when shelving toppled onto her.
$219,000
Recovery for a restaurant patron that slipped and fell in the bathroom.
$200,000
Recovered for an airline employee struck on the runway at O’Hare International Airport.
$190,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$175,000
Recovered for a child injured by fireworks at a fourth of July celebration.
$170,000
Recovered for a person injured when she slipped and fell exiting a major retail store.
$150,000
Recovered for a woman who fractured her leg when she was struck by a vehicle.
Latisha S.
Great service. They helped me get my money, and everyone was very pleasant even though the health insurance took a while. Everything was on point on Kryder’s side.
(312) 223-1700