New York City streets are brutal. Over 10,000 pedestrians get struck by vehicles every single year in this city. Many don’t survive. Many who do survive carry injuries that change their lives forever. If you or someone you love was hit by a car, a truck, or any other vehicle, you need to understand what caused it and who is legally responsible. A skilled pedestrian accident lawyer NYC residents trust can make the difference between a lowball settlement and the compensation you actually deserve.
Here is a straight look at the most common causes of pedestrian accidents in New York City.
Driver Negligence Is the Leading Cause
Negligent drivers cause the majority of pedestrian accidents in NYC. Full stop. These are the behaviors that show up most often in our cases:
- Failure to yield at crosswalks. Drivers are legally required to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks. Many do not. They roll through turns, rush intersections, and treat pedestrians as obstacles rather than people.
- Speeding. NYC has a 25 mph default speed limit, but countless drivers ignore it. Speed dramatically increases the severity of injuries. A pedestrian hit at 40 mph faces a far higher chance of death than one hit at 20 mph.
- Distracted driving. Phones. GPS. Food. Passengers. Anything that pulls a driver’s attention off the road can kill a pedestrian in seconds.
- Failure to check blind spots. Large trucks, delivery vehicles, and SUVs have significant blind spots. Drivers who fail to check them before turning or backing up hit pedestrians who are clearly visible to anyone paying attention.
- Drunk and impaired driving. Alcohol and drugs slow reaction time and impair judgment. These crashes often happen at night and tend to be severe.
If a driver was negligent, they are liable for your injuries. Their insurance company knows that. They will also try to minimize what they pay you. That is where we come in.
Dangerous Road and Intersection Design
Not every pedestrian accident is purely the driver’s fault. New York City has thousands of intersections with poor visibility, inadequate lighting, missing crosswalk markings, and signal timing that gives pedestrians almost no time to cross safely.
When a dangerous road condition contributes to an accident, the City of New York or another government entity may share liability. These cases have strict notice requirements and short filing deadlines. You typically have only 90 days to file a Notice of Claim against a city agency. Miss that window and you lose your right to sue.
We identify every responsible party in your case. That includes the driver, the vehicle owner, and any government body responsible for maintaining safe streets.
Construction Zones Create Serious Hazards
New York City is always under construction. Temporary walkways get thrown up with minimal thought for pedestrian safety. Barriers block sightlines. Sidewalk closures push pedestrians into the street and into traffic.
When a pedestrian gets hurt because a construction company or property owner failed to maintain a safe walkway, that is a premises liability and construction accident case. These injuries are serious. Pedestrians forced into live traffic have zero protection.
General contractors, subcontractors, and property owners all have a duty to protect pedestrians near their worksites. When they fail that duty, they are accountable.
Rideshare, Taxi, and Delivery Vehicles
NYC streets are packed with rideshare and taxi drivers constantly stopping, starting, and pulling over unpredictably. Add in the surge of delivery vehicles, e-bikes, and scooters, and you have a recipe for serious pedestrian injuries.
Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies carry commercial insurance. Yellow cab operators and fleet owners carry their own policies. When these vehicles hit pedestrians, there is real insurance coverage available. But these companies and their insurers fight hard to limit payouts.
Attorney Keith Silverstein spent 25 years on the insurance defense side. He knows exactly how these companies instruct their adjusters to handle claims. He knows their tactics because he used them. Now he uses that knowledge to fight for injured pedestrians instead.
What You Do Next Matters
Get medical attention immediately. Document everything. Call a lawyer before you talk to any insurance adjuster.
Insurance companies record your statements and use them against you. They make early offers that sound reasonable but rarely cover your long-term medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. You have one shot at full compensation. Do not give it away.
If you were injured as a pedestrian in New York City, contact Keith D. Silverstein & Associates today. We offer a free consultation and you pay no fees unless we win. Call us now at 212-385-1444.
