Pedestrian Accidents matters in San Bernardino
San Bernardino's downtown core, its long commercial corridors, and its transit routes put a lot of people on foot near fast-moving traffic. E Street, Highland Avenue, and Baseline Street carry heavy vehicle volumes through areas where residents walk to shops, bus stops, and the transit center. Wide multi-lane arterials, long distances between marked crossings, and drivers turning without looking all raise the risk for anyone crossing on foot.
When a vehicle strikes a pedestrian, even at moderate speed, the human body absorbs the full force. These are among the most serious injury cases we see, and proving who had the right of way is often the heart of the dispute.
Why pedestrian crashes happen here
- Drivers failing to yield at marked and unmarked crosswalks downtown
- High-speed traffic on wide arterials like Highland and Baseline
- Turning vehicles that do not check for people in the crosswalk
- Poor lighting and long gaps between safe crossings
- Distracted driving near transit corridors and bus stops
California's crosswalk right-of-way law
Vehicle Code section 21950 requires drivers to yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing within any marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Pedestrians, in turn, must not suddenly leave a curb into the path of a vehicle that is close enough to be an immediate hazard. In practice, a driver who strikes a person lawfully in a crosswalk usually bears significant responsibility, though the facts of each crossing matter.
When a public entity may be involved
If a dangerous roadway design, a missing or broken signal, or an obscured crossing contributed to the crash, a city or county may share fault. Claims against a public entity carry a special, shorter deadline: under Government Code section 911.2, you generally must present a written claim to the entity within six months of the incident. Missing that step can bar a claim that would otherwise be valid, so it is important to act quickly.
Injuries and case types
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord and back injuries
- Pelvic and lower-limb fractures
- Internal injuries
- Wrongful death
Compensation you may pursue
California's pure comparative negligence rule lets you recover even if you were partly at fault, with your recovery reduced accordingly. You may seek economic damages — medical care, future treatment, lost wages, and lost earning ability — and non-economic damages such as pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. We never promise a figure or a result; outcomes depend on the specific facts.
Deadlines, courthouse, and how MMG Law Firm helps
For most claims you have two years to file suit under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, but the six-month government-claim deadline can come first when a public entity is involved. San Bernardino pedestrian cases are handled at the San Bernardino County Superior Court, San Bernardino Justice Center. From our Glendale office — a manageable drive via the 210 — we represent injured pedestrians here and statewide, with free consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian and contingency representation, so there is 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.