La Vergne Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Walking to a nearby store, crossing a street, or taking an evening stroll through your neighborhood should be safe, everyday activities. As a pedestrian, you expect drivers to pay attention, respect crosswalks, and give you enough room to walk safely. Unfortunately, when a motorist fails to notice someone on foot, the consequences can be devastating.
At Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers, our La Vergne pedestrian accident lawyers help people who have been struck by cars, trucks, and other vehicles pursue compensation for their injuries. We understand how frightening these accidents can be, especially when you’re left with broken bones, difficulty walking, or injuries that may permanently affect your independence. Our goal is to help you obtain the financial recovery you need while making the legal process as manageable as possible.
Attorneys Joe Weir and Tony Kestner began their careers defending insurance companies. Today, they use that experience to advocate for injured pedestrians and their families. You’ll speak with an attorney right away when you contact our firm, and every client has a dedicated case manager who helps answer questions and keep them informed.
Walking Safely Through La Vergne
People walk throughout La Vergne for many reasons. Parents accompany children to school, residents enjoy neighborhood walks, and shoppers travel between stores and parking areas. Others walk for exercise, to reach public spaces, or simply to get from one place to another.
Murfreesboro Road and Waldron Road are busy corridors where pedestrians may encounter turning vehicles, commercial entrances, and intersections with substantial traffic. Drivers entering shopping centers or leaving parking lots may focus on finding an opening in traffic without noticing someone crossing a driveway or walking along a sidewalk.
Neighborhood streets and areas around Veterans Memorial Park also bring pedestrians into contact with motorists. Children playing near the street, older adults taking walks, and families enjoying outdoor activities depend on drivers remaining attentive.
Even parking lots can be dangerous. Pedestrians walking behind parked vehicles or crossing driving lanes may be difficult for distracted motorists to notice, especially when vehicles are backing out of spaces.
The risk is especially troubling because people on foot have little opportunity to protect themselves when a vehicle suddenly moves into their path.
Common Ways Pedestrians Are Struck by Vehicles
Many pedestrian accidents occur during ordinary activities, often when someone is simply trying to cross a street or reach a sidewalk.
Our attorneys represent people injured in situations involving:
- Drivers turning into occupied crosswalks
- Motorists failing to stop for pedestrians at intersections
- Vehicles backing into people in parking lots
- Drivers crossing sidewalks while entering or leaving driveways
- Distracted motorists failing to notice pedestrians ahead
- Speeding vehicles striking people on neighborhood streets
- Drivers failing to yield near schools and public parks
- Hit-and-run accidents involving pedestrians
A common concern in these cases is that the driver may claim not to have seen the pedestrian. However, motorists have a responsibility to watch for people walking near their vehicles and to operate with reasonable care.
When that responsibility is ignored, injured pedestrians may have the right to seek financial accountability.
Your Rights When Crossing the Street in La Vergne
Pedestrians have a right to expect drivers to watch for them, especially at intersections and crosswalks. Tennessee law requires motorists to respect pedestrian crossing rights and take reasonable precautions to avoid hitting someone on foot.
The rules depend partly on where you’re crossing and whether the intersection has working traffic signals.
Crossing at a Traffic Light
When a pedestrian signal displays WALK, you have the right to begin crossing, and drivers must yield to you. If the signal changes to DON’T WALK while you’re already crossing, you may continue to the sidewalk or a safety island. Drivers must still respect your right to finish crossing.
This is particularly important when vehicles are turning. Even if a driver has a green light, that doesn’t give them permission to turn into a pedestrian who has the right of way.
Crossing at an Intersection Without a Traffic Light
At crosswalks without working traffic signals, Tennessee generally requires drivers to yield when a pedestrian is crossing on the driver’s half of the road or is approaching closely enough from the other half to be in danger. Motorists must slow down or stop when necessary.
Not every crosswalk has painted lines. Certain intersections have legally recognized crossings even without visible markings, so the absence of white stripes doesn’t necessarily mean you were crossing improperly.
Drivers also cannot pass another vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk to let someone cross.
Crossing Outside a Crosswalk
People don’t always have access to a nearby crosswalk, particularly along roads with limited pedestrian facilities. Tennessee generally requires pedestrians crossing outside recognized crosswalks to yield to vehicles. Between adjacent intersections with working traffic signals, pedestrians ordinarily must use a marked crosswalk.
However, crossing outside a crosswalk doesn’t automatically make you responsible for an accident. Drivers still have a legal duty to pay attention, maintain control of their vehicles, and take reasonable steps to avoid striking pedestrians.
If you were hit outside a crosswalk, you may still have a valid injury claim. The important issue is whether the driver’s negligence contributed to your injuries and how Tennessee’s fault rules apply.
When a Pedestrian Injury Takes Away Your Independence
Being struck by a vehicle often causes injuries that make standing, walking, and moving around extremely painful. Because a vehicle may initially strike the legs or hips, pedestrians frequently suffer fractures, knee damage, and other lower-body injuries.
Broken hips, crushed ankles, pelvic fractures, and torn ligaments can require surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. Some people must use crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs while recovering, and others experience permanent mobility limitations.
Pedestrians can also suffer concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage when they’re thrown onto the pavement. These conditions may affect balance, coordination, memory, and physical independence.
Beyond the physical injuries, everyday life may become much more difficult. Getting groceries, climbing stairs, walking a dog, or simply crossing a parking lot can become painful or intimidating. Some accident victims develop anxiety about walking near traffic long after their visible injuries have healed.
At Weir & Kestner, we recognize that being able to walk comfortably and independently is an essential part of everyday life. We pursue financial recovery that reflects the treatment, assistance, and lasting limitations caused by a pedestrian accident.
Pedestrian Accidents Involving Children and Older Adults
Children and older adults face particular risks when walking near motor vehicles.
Younger children may have difficulty judging how quickly a vehicle is approaching or recognizing when a driver intends to turn. Because they’re smaller, drivers may also have more difficulty seeing them around parked vehicles and other obstacles.
Injuries to children can affect their schooling, physical development, and ability to participate in activities they enjoy. A serious pedestrian accident may create medical and rehabilitation needs that extend well beyond childhood.
Older adults often face a more difficult recovery from broken hips, head injuries, and other trauma. An accident may permanently reduce a person’s ability to live independently, even if they were active and self-sufficient beforehand.
Tennessee law requires drivers to exercise appropriate precautions when children or other vulnerable pedestrians are present. When a negligent driver causes serious injuries, our attorneys help families pursue compensation that addresses the injured person’s individual needs.
Financial Recovery After a Pedestrian Accident
A pedestrian injury can create financial challenges that extend far beyond an emergency room visit. You may need surgery, physical therapy, mobility equipment, or help with everyday responsibilities. Missing work can add further pressure at a time when medical expenses are increasing.
Depending on the circumstances, recoverable damages may include medical expenses, future treatment, lost earnings, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent impairment, and diminished quality of life.
For people with lasting mobility problems, compensation may also address necessary home modifications, personal assistance, and other expenses related to reduced independence.
Joe Weir and Tony Kestner understand how insurance companies evaluate injury claims because they previously represented insurers. They use that experience to pursue appropriate settlements, respond to unfair attempts to blame pedestrians, and take cases to court when necessary.
Our focus is on obtaining a result that addresses how the accident has affected your ability to live and function comfortably.
Shared Fault in a Pedestrian Accident
After a pedestrian accident, a driver or insurance company may argue that the person walking was partly responsible. Perhaps the pedestrian crossed outside a marked crosswalk, misunderstood a signal, or entered the road when a vehicle was approaching.
Being partially responsible doesn’t necessarily mean you lose your right to compensation.
Tennessee uses a rule called modified comparative fault. Generally, you can recover damages if you’re less than 50% responsible for the accident, although your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
If you’re found 50% or more responsible, you’re generally unable to recover damages under this rule.
At Weir & Kestner, we understand that pedestrian accidents aren’t always as straightforward as an insurance adjuster might suggest. Our attorneys work to protect injured pedestrians from unfair blame and pursue the financial recovery permitted by law.
Time Limits for Filing a Pedestrian Injury Claim
Tennessee generally gives injured pedestrians one year to file a personal injury lawsuit. In most pedestrian accident cases, that one-year period begins on the date the person was struck.
The deadline matters even if you’re still receiving treatment or discussing a settlement with an insurance company. Those discussions ordinarily don’t stop the one-year period from running.
Some exceptions apply. Claims involving injured children may have different deadlines, and certain cases involving criminal prosecutions started within one year of the accident may qualify for a two-year filing period.
Because these exceptions depend on specific legal requirements, it’s important not to assume you have extra time.
Speaking with a lawyer promptly can help ensure that your right to pursue compensation is protected.
Legal Help That Makes Recovery Easier
After a pedestrian accident, you may be dependent on others for transportation, medical appointments, or basic household activities. Dealing with legal paperwork and insurance communications can make an already stressful recovery even harder.
At Weir & Kestner, we aim to take those legal burdens off your shoulders. Your dedicated case manager helps keep you informed, while our attorneys handle your claim and provide guidance when important decisions arise.
We want you to have the time and peace of mind to focus on healing.
Frequently Asked Questions About La Vergne Pedestrian Accidents
Can I recover compensation if I was hit while crossing at a pedestrian signal?
Yes, potentially. If you were lawfully crossing and a driver failed to yield, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim. The applicable traffic signals, the driver’s actions, and the surrounding circumstances can help establish liability.
What if a vehicle hit me while I was walking through a parking lot?
You may be entitled to compensation if the driver failed to exercise reasonable care. Motorists must watch for pedestrians when backing out of parking spaces or traveling through parking areas. A pedestrian doesn’t have to be in a painted crosswalk for a negligent driver to be held responsible.
Can I pursue a claim if I was walking along a sidewalk when a car struck me?
Yes. Drivers crossing sidewalks to enter or leave driveways and parking lots must exercise reasonable care around pedestrians. If a motorist negligently strikes you while you’re walking on a sidewalk, you may have a valid injury claim.
What if my child was injured while crossing the street?
Parents or legal guardians may generally pursue appropriate legal claims on behalf of injured children. Tennessee law has special rules affecting claims involving minors, including filing deadlines and settlement approval. An attorney can help protect your child’s interests and explain the available options.
Can I recover damages if my pedestrian accident caused permanent difficulty walking?
Yes. Permanent mobility limitations may support damages for future medical care, rehabilitation, mobility equipment, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other legally recognized losses. The effect on your independence and daily activities can be an important part of your claim.
Contact Our La Vergne Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Being struck by a vehicle while walking can leave you facing painful injuries, limited mobility, and fears about what the future holds. You deserve a legal team that understands these challenges and is committed to helping you regain financial security and independence.
At Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers, Joe Weir and Tony Kestner provide experienced, compassionate representation for injured pedestrians. We’ll listen to your concerns, explain your legal options, and work to secure a fair recovery while treating you with the personal attention you deserve.
Contact Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. You won’t owe attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. Let our La Vergne pedestrian accident attorneys help you move forward.