Pedestrian Accidents matters in Oakland
Oakland is a walking city, and that exposes people on foot to real danger. Downtown's busy intersections, the long commercial stretches of Broadway, International Boulevard, and Telegraph Avenue, the paths around Lake Merritt, and the crossings near BART stations all put pedestrians in close contact with heavy traffic. Drivers turning across crosswalks, running lights, or speeding through wide arterials cause collisions that leave pedestrians with life-altering injuries.
MMG Law Firm represents injured pedestrians across California and knows how to establish right-of-way and confront the insurers who try to shift blame to the person who was hit.
Why Oakland pedestrian crashes happen here
- Downtown intersections mix dense foot traffic with turning vehicles.
- Broadway, International Boulevard, and Telegraph Avenue are wide, fast arterials where crossing distances are long.
- Lake Merritt draws walkers and runners alongside steady vehicle traffic.
- BART-station crossings concentrate pedestrians at peak commute times.
Crosswalk right-of-way under California law
Vehicle Code section 21950 requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing within any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. The statute also reminds pedestrians not to leave a curb suddenly into the path of a vehicle that is close enough to be a hazard. In practice, a driver's duty to yield and to use due care is the heart of most pedestrian cases, and we build the case around what the driver should have seen and done.
When a public entity may be involved
If a dangerous crosswalk, a malfunctioning signal, an obstructed sightline, or another government-maintained condition contributed to the crash, a public entity may share responsibility. Claims against government bodies follow a separate, much shorter track: Government Code section 911.2 generally requires a written claim to be presented to the public entity within six months of the incident. Missing that deadline can bar the claim entirely, so these cases demand prompt attention.
Injuries, case types, and compensation
Pedestrian collisions commonly cause traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, multiple fractures, internal injuries, and wrongful death. We handle crosswalk strikes, left- and right-turn collisions, hit-and-run cases, and crashes involving dangerous roadway conditions. California permits both economic damages — medical bills, future care, lost wages, and lost earning capacity — and non-economic damages for pain, suffering, disfigurement, and diminished quality of life. Under pure comparative negligence, a recovery is reduced by your share of fault but not barred. No lawyer can guarantee any particular result.
Deadlines, courthouse, and how MMG Law Firm helps
Most California injury claims carry a two-year deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, but the six-month government-claim deadline under section 911.2 can apply where a public entity is involved, so early advice matters. Oakland lawsuits are generally filed in the Alameda County Superior Court, with civil matters heard at the René C. Davidson Courthouse downtown near Lake Merritt. We are based in Glendale, roughly 370 miles south, and we represent injured pedestrians throughout California. We do not keep an Oakland office and we are upfront about it. We investigate, handle insurers, and negotiate remotely, and we appear in Alameda County court when needed. Consultations are free in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency — no fee unless we win.
Our attorney
How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with pedestrian accidents
Pedestrian injuries are usually severe, and the right-of-way analysis is everything. Mihran M. Ghazaryan investigates the crosswalk, signal timing, and roadway conditions, and where a city vehicle or dangerous public road is involved he protects the short six-month government-claim deadline that can otherwise end a case before it starts. He coordinates your care and documents the full extent of your losses.
Types of pedestrian accidents we handle
Crosswalk strikes
Marked or unmarked, California pedestrians retain right-of-way. We identify the sight-line failures and signal timing that tell the real story.
Parking-lot and back-over collisions
Often involve fleet vehicles, rideshare drivers, or delivery contractors. Surveillance footage matters and disappears fast.
Hit-and-run pedestrian claims
Your own UM/UIM policy may reach. Even when the driver is unidentified, recovery is often possible.
Damages
What compensation can cover
Every pedestrian accident claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.
Medical expenses
Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.
Lost wages
Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and suffering
Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.
Property damage
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.
Out-of-pocket costs
Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.
How we work
- 1
Free, no-pressure consultation
We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.
- 2
Investigation and evidence preservation
Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.
- 3
Treatment, demand, and negotiation
We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.
- 4
Litigation when necessary
Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.
What to do right away
- Accept emergency medical evaluation on scene, even if you can walk.
- Take photos of the location — crosswalk, signs, signals — and the vehicle's resting position.
- Get witness names; pedestrian witnesses are common but rarely contacted by police.
- Save the clothing you were wearing — it may be evidence.
- Call us before giving any statement.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Deadlines that matter
Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss the window and the court will almost always dismiss the case, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against government entities are much shorter — generally a written claim within six months (Government Code §911.2). Crashes involving city vehicles, public buses, or dangerous public-road conditions can fall under this rule.
Exceptions exist in both directions — discovery rules, minors, continuing violations, out-of-state defendants — so don't assume your deadline has passed or that you have time to spare. Call (818) 539-7969 and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.