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Pedestrian accident?Talk to a lawyer for free.

Drivers must yield to you in any crosswalk, painted or not. Talk to us before their insurer does.

  • No fee unless we winWe only get paid when you get paid.
  • Zero upfront costYour consultation is free, with no obligation.
  • Hablamos españolNative Spanish speakers. No confusion. No delays.
  • Available 24/7We'll meet you at your home or hospital.
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No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation. Clients may be responsible for case costs. Read the disclaimer

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They were fast at responding… They truly make sure you are properly taken care of!
Ashley S.Valero Law Group clientGoogle review

Results that speak.Millions won for injured clients.

We've won over $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Recognized for excellence

Avvo Rating: Excellent, Top Rated Personal InjuryTop Rated by Super Lawyers
  • $6.25MPersonal injuryA confidential personal injury settlement.
  • $5MAuto accidentFor a husband and wife after the husband suffered a brachial plexus injury.
  • $2.34MAccident claimA win for a client injured in an accident.
  • $1.5MAuto accidentA win for a client injured in an auto accident.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

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Working for you, not the driver's insurer

Insurance companies have a team.You should have one too.

A pedestrian's claim usually goes to the insurer of the driver who hit you, or of the company they were driving for. Its adjusters and lawyers work to keep the payout low, and the first call often comes while you're still recovering.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Did a driver turn into the crosswalk, run a light or back out without looking?
  2. Did pain or bruising show up after you'd already left the scene?
  3. Would the offer still pay for treatment and missed paychecks next year?

From one of our car accident cases

The insurer's best offer$410,000

What we won for our client$4.4M

A car accident that left our client with a neck injury. Most people would have taken the offer. We won more than ten times as much.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

Get my free case review
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12 offices, one team

Pedestrian accident lawyersnear you, anywhere in California.

Every one of our offices handles pedestrian accident cases. Pick yours below for the local details, or call: if you can't come to us, we'll come to you.

Also serving Los Angeles, Ontario, Oakland and communities statewide. In Washington, see our Tacoma office.

All office locations

Why choose Valero Law Group?

We champion every case,big and small.

Whether your case is worth $5,000 or $5 million, we bring the same skill, attention and determination to every client we represent.

So don't let the size of your case keep you from seeking justice: every injury deserves serious representation. Let us fight for the compensation you're owed while you focus on what matters most, your recovery.

They made me feel like a priority, and they put my needs first as a client.

IsabelValero Law Group client

400+five-star Google reviews

Real clients,in their own words.

  • Samuel M. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $881,000 settlement check
    Samuel M.$881,000
  • Victoria M. smiling in front of the Valero Law Group logo wall with her $625,000 settlement check
    Victoria M.$625,000
  • Karina C. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with her $625,000 settlement check
    Karina C.$625,000
  • Angela M. smiling and pointing to her $625,000 settlement check
    Angela M.$625,000
  • Destiny H. smiling with her $500,000 settlement check
    Destiny H.$500,000
  • Javier P. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $375,000 settlement check
    Javier P.$375,000
Valero group has been helpful and prompt to work with. Thanks to Letty for being supportive and getting us started in the right direction.
McKim J.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
Valero Law Group Injury Lawyers made me feel heard and confident to win my case. Thank you so much!
Erika M.Google review
…They make you feel welcome, very knowledgeable. Anything you need to ask. They will answer it.
Kevin F.Google review

What a California pedestrianaccident claim can recover.

Under California law, people are responsible for the injuries their carelessness causes. A driver who carelessly hits someone on foot can be made to answer, usually through their insurer, for the losses that follow, from the emergency room to the months of recovery.

Economic damages

Costs that come with a bill

  • Ambulance, emergency care, surgery and hospital stays
  • Rehabilitation, mobility aids and help at home
  • Paychecks missed now and earnings lost later
  • Clothing, glasses, a phone or anything else damaged

Non-economic damages

Losses no bill can show

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Fear of crossing streets, anxiety and lost sleep
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Walks, work and family time you can no longer enjoy
  • 28%of California's 2024 traffic deaths were people on footIn all, 1,090 people walking were killed on the state's roads that year. Nationally the share was 18% (NHTSA crash data).
  • 20 feetNo parking this close to a crosswalk since 2024California's "daylighting" law (AB 413) makes the last 20 feet before any crosswalk, painted or not, a no-parking zone on the side cars approach from, unless a city has posted another distance. The point is to let drivers and walkers spot each other, so a parked truck that blocked the view can matter to a claim.
  • 1 in 5California drivers carried no insurance in 2023That's 20.4% by the Insurance Research Council's estimate. If you or a family member you live with has car insurance, its uninsured motorist coverage can cover your injuries even though you were on foot.

After a pedestrian accident in California,what comes next.

The report, your health, the evidence, the crosswalk rules and the deadlines, in the order they come up.

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  • Make sure a report gets written
    When someone is injured, a 911 call brings an officer to write a report; get its number before you leave the scene or the ER. City police usually handle accidents on city streets; on freeways and in unincorporated areas it's usually the CHP, which takes copy requests online.
  • Get checked, and keep every record
    Some injuries, concussions among them, can take hours or days to show, so a doctor's visit makes sense even if you walked away. Keep the discharge papers, bills and receipts in one place, along with notes on how you feel from week to week.
  • Save the video before it's gone
    Security and doorbell cameras near the crossing may have caught what happened, and many record over old footage. Ask nearby businesses and homes quickly, and photograph the signal, the crosswalk lines, the lighting and anything that blocked the view.
  • No painted lines can still mean a crosswalk
    Where two streets meet at roughly right angles, the stretch joining the sidewalks on each side is a crosswalk by law, painted or not, unless a sign bars crossing there or it's where an alley meets a street. Drivers must yield to you there and slow down or stop as needed to keep you safe.
  • Driveways, lots and stopped cars
    Before crossing a sidewalk to enter or leave a driveway or parking lot, a driver has to let anyone walking on it go first. And when one car stops at a crosswalk for someone crossing, the cars behind it may not pass it. If either happened, note where each car was while you still remember.
  • A public agency means a shorter clock
    The usual window to sue a driver is two years. If a city bus or another public vehicle hit you, or the crossing itself was in a dangerous condition, the case begins with a written claim filed with that agency, usually due six months after the accident. For a crossing on a state highway, the claim goes to the state (Caltrans).
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Al Barro Foundation: supporting over 400 orphans in Mexico

From the community, for the community.

Hablamos español.

We're a Hispanic-focused firm with native Spanish-speaking attorneys. We understand your family's needs, walk you through every step in your language, and fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.
…they speak excellent Spanish, know how to help, and look out for their clients' best interests.
Yesica H.Google review
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Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.

Common questionsafter a pedestrian accident in California.

How long do I have to make a pedestrian accident claim in California?
Generally two years from the day you were hit to file a lawsuit (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). A claim involving a city, county or state agency is due much sooner: the written claim usually has to be filed within six months. Video and witnesses can disappear long before either date, which is why an early call helps.
Do I have to live near one of your offices?
No. We handle pedestrian accident cases throughout California, with offices between Stockton and Palm Desert, and if getting to us is hard, we'll come to your home or your hospital room.
I crossed mid-street or against the light. Do I still have a claim?
It doesn't by itself rule one out. Under California's Freedom to Walk Act (AB 2147), in force since 2023, police may stop someone for that only when a reasonably careful person would have recognized an immediate danger of a collision. The crossing rules still exist, but a driver still owes due care to anyone in the road, and under comparative fault a share of the blame lowers what you recover instead of ending the claim.
The driver didn't stop. Who pays?
If the driver fled, uninsured motorist coverage can treat them like a driver with no insurance, whether the policy is yours or belongs to a family member you live with. Three conditions usually apply: the car must have actually struck you, the accident must be reported to the police within 24 hours, and the insurer needs a sworn statement within 30 days. What to do next is on our California hit-and-run page.
Is the deadline different when a child is hit?
Often, yes. Against a driver, a child's two years generally don't start running until their 18th birthday (Code of Civil Procedure §352). Claims against a public agency get no such pause, so the six-month rule still applies, though the agency must generally accept a late claim for a child requested within a year. Either way, have your child examined and keep the records.
Who pays my medical bills while the claim is open?
Your health insurance usually pays the bills as they arrive, then takes its share back out of the settlement. On some car policies, medical payments coverage also covers the policyholder hit on foot; whether yours does is in the fine print, and we can read it for you. With no coverage at all, some providers treat now and collect from the recovery when the case ends.
I don't have car insurance. Can I still make a claim?
Usually, yes. California's rule taking pain-and-suffering damages away from uninsured motorists (Civil Code §3333.4) applies to the owner or driver of an uninsured vehicle involved in the accident, and a person on foot is neither. Without a policy of your own there's no uninsured motorist coverage to fall back on, though, so the driver's insurance, and any policy held by a family member you live with, matter more.
What does a pedestrian accident lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.
Attorney Kyle Valero
Kyle ValeroAttorney, Valero Law Group

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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a pedestrian accident lawyer today.

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