Local office in San Jose, CA45 E Julian StDirections

Pedestrian accident in San Jose?Talk to a lawyer for free.

Almost half of the people killed in traffic in San Jose in 2025 were on foot, according to San Jose Police. If a driver hit you, talk to us before the insurance company 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.
Get my free consultation
Call our San Jose office(408) 516-428324/7 line: (800) 985-9565

No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation. Clients may be responsible for case costs. Read the disclaimer

San Jose from the air at sunset, with downtown and the hills behind it
They are very helpful. They explain everything so I could understand.
Ruben A.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.

View all results

Here to protect your interests, not the insurance company's

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

Insurers bring adjusters, investigators and lawyers to every serious claim, and they value claims to control cost, not to make you whole. After an accident on Monterey Road, White Road or Tully Road, an adjuster may call within days, and what you say can shape the rest of your claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Did a driver fail to yield at a crosswalk, a corner or a driveway?
  2. Were you injured, even if you walked away from the scene?
  3. Will the settlement cover your treatment and lost income months from now, not just today?

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
San Jose from the air at sunset, with downtown and the hills behind it

Our office in San Jose

Local pedestrian accident lawyers,right here in San Jose.

Not every firm that advertises in San Jose has an office here. We do.

Our office is on Julian Street downtown, a few blocks from VTA's Saint James light rail station and a short walk from the courthouses on North First Street. Can't get here? We'll come to you, at home or in the hospital.

Nearby officesSalinasStocktonModesto

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 reviews fromour clients.

  • 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
Letty was nice and helpful when she was helping me out with my case. Obviously I was worried, but she made the process go by easier.
Lizeth E.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
Very friendly people. They are courteous and kind. … I would recommend this law firm to friends and family.
Leonardo D.Google review
Excellent and very professional service.
Noe D.Google review

What you can recover aftera pedestrian accident in California.

Drivers must yield to people in a crosswalk, including an unmarked one at an intersection, and owe due care to people on foot anywhere on the road. When a driver causes the accident, they and their insurer can be held responsible for what it cost you.

Economic damages

The costs you can add up

  • Emergency care, surgery and hospital bills
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity
  • Clothing, glasses, phone and other belongings

Non-economic damages

The harm that has no receipt

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of companionship
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • About halfof San Jose's traffic deaths in 2025 were people on footSan Jose Police counted 20 people on foot among the city's 41 traffic deaths. In 2022, the City counted 49%, though walking makes up a small share of trips.
  • 1 in 5California drivers had no insurance in 2023About 20%, according to the Insurance Research Council. If one hit you, the uninsured motorist coverage on your own car insurance can usually pay for your injuries, even though you were walking.
  • 80%What you keep if you were 20% at faultCalifornia's pure comparative fault rule reduces your award by your share of the blame instead of erasing it, even if you were crossing outside a crosswalk.

After a pedestrian accident in San Jose,what comes next.

The report, your own insurance, crosswalk rules, your health, dark streets and deadlines, explained.

Valero Law Group attorneys meeting around a conference table
  • Getting the report
    If you were injured, call 911, or San Jose Police at (408) 277-8900, so an officer comes out: SJPD's online form is only for accidents where no one was injured. Ask for the report number, then allow at least 45 days before you request the report online, or for $16 by mail or at the counter. When someone is killed, SJPD's Traffic Investigations Unit investigates, and that report is requested by mail or in person.
  • Crosswalks, and crossing outside them
    Since 2023, California's Freedom to Walk Act has barred police from stopping or ticketing people for crossing outside a crosswalk unless a reasonably careful person would have seen an immediate danger of being hit. And since 2024, parking has been banned within 20 feet of a crosswalk, on the side traffic approaches from: if a parked car or truck hid you from the driver, photograph where it was.
  • Get checked, even if you walked away
    Head, neck and back injuries don't always show up right away. If something feels off in the days after, it's worth getting checked, even if you were already seen at the scene or in the ER. Keep every record, bill and receipt together.
  • If it was dark, or there may be video
    Most of the accidents that killed or badly injured people on foot in San Jose happened after dark. If a streetlight was out where you were hit, photograph it and report it to the City's DOT Dispatch at (408) 794-1900. Ask nearby businesses and homes for security or doorbell video right away: it can show who had the right of way.
  • Public agencies have shorter deadlines
    Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years. If a VTA bus or train, a City or County vehicle, or a dangerous crosswalk, signal or streetlight played a part, a written claim is usually due within six months, to the agency that runs it: VTA for its buses and trains, the City for its streets and signals, the County for Capitol and most other expressways, the State (Caltrans) for state highways.
  • Your own car insurance can cover you on foot
    If the driver had no insurance, or drove off, the uninsured motorist coverage on your own car policy can usually pay for your injuries, even though you were walking. It covers your spouse and relatives who live with you too. When a driver flees, report it to police within 24 hours; the coverage generally also requires that the car actually hit you.
A man and a boy in traditional Colombian hats and jerseys holding Valero Law Group signs at a community event

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
Ver esta página en español

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 San Jose pedestrian accident.

How long do I have after a pedestrian accident in San Jose?
Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). If a public agency's bus, train, vehicle, crosswalk or signal was involved, a written claim usually comes first, within six months, and if it's rejected, a lawsuit usually has to follow within six months of the notice. Call us early so no deadline slips by.
I wasn't in a crosswalk. Do I still have a case?
It doesn't rule one out. Crossing outside a crosswalk doesn't, by itself, make the accident your fault: drivers still owe due care to people anywhere on the road. Under California's pure comparative fault rule, any share of the blame you're given reduces an award instead of erasing it. And the police report isn't the last word on fault, especially when the person who was hit couldn't give their side at the scene.
Where are people on foot hit most in San Jose?
About half of the accidents that killed or badly injured someone on foot from 2021 to 2025 happened on or right next to the major streets the City calls its Priority Safety Corridors, where "a disproportionately high number of traffic deaths and severe injuries have occurred." The City calls Monterey Road "a high fatality and injury corridor," and more people were killed while walking there from 2021 to 2025 than on any other San Jose street. Capitol Expressway and most of Almaden Expressway, also high on that list, are County roads, so a claim about the road itself usually goes to the County, not the City.
My child was hit by a car. What should I do?
Get your child seen by a doctor, even if the injuries seem minor, and keep the records. For a claim against a driver, the two-year limit is generally paused until a child turns 18 (Code of Civil Procedure §352), but that pause doesn't apply to a claim against a public agency, so the six-month rule still does.
A VTA bus or a City vehicle hit me. What's different?
VTA, the City and the County are public agencies, so a written claim has to come first, usually within six months, before any lawsuit. Claims against the City of San Jose go to the City Clerk at City Hall, 200 East Santa Clara Street, by mail or in person; claims against the County go to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 70 West Hedding Street; and VTA has its own claim form, mailed or hand-delivered to its Board Secretary on North First Street. We can prepare and file the claim for you.
Who pays my medical bills while my case is open?
Usually your own health insurance pays as bills come in, and is generally repaid from the settlement. Some car insurance policies' medical payments coverage also pays when you're hit while walking; it depends on the policy's wording, so send it to us and we'll check. If you have no coverage, some doctors will treat you and wait to be paid until the case ends.
Do you have an office in San Jose?
Yes. Our office is at 45 E Julian St, San Jose, CA 95112, in downtown San Jose. Come in if you like, or we'll come to you, at home or in the hospital. Call (800) 985-9565 any time, 24/7.
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

Our easy 3-stepcase review process.

We make getting legal help simple.

  1. Free consultationCall us 24/7 or fill out our form. We'll review your case at no cost.
  2. Review your caseOur experienced attorneys investigate and evaluate your case to build the strongest claim possible.
  3. Injury litigationWe fight for maximum compensation, in negotiation or in court.
Start my free case review

Don't wait. There are legal deadlines.

A Valero Law Group team member smiling beside a firm car with the VLG logo on the door

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

Your consultation is always free, with no obligation. We're happy to answer any questions and walk you through your options. No pressure, just honest answers.

(408) 516-4283

24/7 line: (800) 985-9565

  • Available 24/7, including weekends
  • Hablamos español
  • Free and confidential, no obligation

Get your free case review

Free and confidential. Sending this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Thank you. We'll call you shortly.

If it's urgent, call us now at (408) 516-4283. We're available 24/7.

This is a design preview, so nothing was sent.

Pedestrian accident lawyers at our nearest offices

Other cases we handle in San Jose

San Jose Personal Injury Lawyer
(408) 516-4283Free review