Pedestrian Accidents matters in Chico
Where Pedestrians Are at Risk in Chico
Chico's mix of a large university, a walkable downtown, and busy arterials puts pedestrians in harm's way every day. The blocks around Chico State and the downtown grid near Main and Broadway see heavy foot traffic competing with turning cars, and students crossing the Esplanade and Nord Avenue are frequently struck by drivers who fail to yield. Mangrove Avenue and East Avenue carry fast traffic past shopping centers and bus stops where people cross mid-block or wait at poorly lit corners.
Because a person on foot has no protection, even a low-speed impact can cause fractures, head injuries, or worse. Drivers turning right on red, rolling through crosswalks, or distracted by their phones cause many of these collisions, and the injuries are often far more serious than the vehicle damage suggests.
Proving Fault and Protecting Your Claim
California law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks, but insurers routinely argue the walker darted out or crossed against the signal. Attorney Ghazaryan counters those tactics by securing surveillance and traffic-camera footage, interviewing witnesses, and reconstructing the crash so your side is documented. He coordinates with your providers at Enloe Medical Center and other valley facilities so your treatment record is complete.
Injury lawsuits from Chico pedestrian crashes are generally filed in the Butte County Superior Court. If a dangerous crosswalk, missing signal, or a public entity's vehicle contributed, a shorter government claim deadline applies, so prompt action matters. He deals with the adjusters directly and pursues full compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and the lasting effects of your injuries.
The Long Road Back After a Pedestrian Crash
A pedestrian who is struck by a vehicle absorbs the full force of the impact, and the injuries are frequently catastrophic: traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, pelvic and leg fractures, and internal trauma. Recovery can involve multiple surgeries, months of rehabilitation, and lasting disability that affects your ability to work and live independently. The claim has to reflect that full arc of harm, including the future care your doctors anticipate and any reduction in your earning capacity.
Attorney Ghazaryan documents every layer of the loss, from the emergency response and hospital care through the long rehabilitation, and he gathers the wage records and medical opinions that support each category of damages. He also accounts for the emotional toll, which is real and compensable. When the driver's insurer tries to minimize what you went through, he is prepared to file in the Butte County Superior Court and present your case fully so you are not left bearing costs that someone else's carelessness caused.
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.