Pedestrian Accidents matters in Santa Monica
Santa Monica is one of the most walkable cities in Southern California, and that is exactly why pedestrian crashes are so common here. The Third Street Promenade is closed to cars and full of foot traffic, the Santa Monica Pier draws crowds year-round, and tourists stream across Ocean Avenue and Colorado toward the beach, often unfamiliar with the streets. Big Blue Bus riders cross busy boulevards to reach their stops, and drivers distracted by the scenery or hunting for parking do not always see them.
When a vehicle strikes a person on foot, the human body has no protection, and injuries are frequently severe. California law gives pedestrians strong rights, but enforcing them takes evidence and persistence.
Why pedestrian crashes happen here
- Heavy foot traffic around the Promenade, the Pier, and Main Street
- Tourists and rental-car drivers unfamiliar with one-way streets and crosswalks
- Drivers turning across crosswalks on Ocean Ave, Colorado, and Lincoln Blvd
- Pedestrians crossing to and from Big Blue Bus stops on busy boulevards
- Drivers distracted by the beach, parking, and congestion
The right-of-way law
Under Vehicle Code section 21950, drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Pedestrians, in turn, must not suddenly leave a curb into the path of a vehicle, but the core duty to yield rests with the driver. California's pure comparative negligence rule means that even if a pedestrian is found partly at fault, they can still recover, with the award reduced by their percentage of fault. If a public entity may share responsibility, for example through a dangerous intersection or malfunctioning signal, special rules apply, including a claim that must usually be presented to the entity within six months under Government Code section 911.2.
Injuries and case types
- Traumatic brain injuries and skull fractures
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Broken legs, hips, and pelvic fractures
- Internal injuries and organ damage
- Severe road rash, lacerations, and scarring
What you may be able to recover
A pedestrian accident claim can include economic damages for emergency care, surgery, rehabilitation, future medical needs, lost wages, and lost earning capacity, along with non-economic damages for pain, disability, and the disruption to your life. Because the value of any case depends on its specific facts, we cannot promise a result, but we work to capture every loss and present it clearly.
Deadlines and the courthouse
Most California personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the incident under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. But if a city, county, or other public entity is involved, you generally must first file an administrative claim within six months under Government Code section 911.2, a much shorter window that is easy to miss. Santa Monica pedestrian cases are typically filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court at the Santa Monica Courthouse on the Westside.
How MMG Law Firm helps
From Glendale, attorney Mihran M. Ghazaryan represents injured pedestrians across Santa Monica and all of California. We gather surveillance footage, witness statements, and signal timing where a public entity may be involved, and we handle every deadline so nothing is missed. Consultations are free, we work on contingency with no fee unless we win, and we serve clients in English, Armenian, and Russian.
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.