Pedestrian accidents in New York and New Jersey.
Being hit by a vehicle on foot means serious injuries and, very often, an insurer suggesting you stepped out. We represent injured pedestrians and their families across New York and New Jersey, and we start with the street itself — the crossing, the signals, the sightlines, and what the driver could actually see.
Get looked at properly, and pin down where it happened.
Pedestrian injuries are frequently more serious than they first appear, head injuries above all. Get examined. Then record the exact location, because in these cases the precise spot on the street often decides the argument.
You won’t get all of this right, and you don’t have to. Do what you can, and we’ll work with what you have.
Get examined, even if you can walk away
Go to hospital. Head injuries, internal injuries and fractures do not always announce themselves at the scene, and a delay in treatment is the first thing an insurer points to. Keep every record.
Record the exact spot and the traffic setup
The street and the cross street, which corner, whether there was a marked crosswalk, what the signal was showing, where the vehicle came from, and where it stopped. Photograph it if you can, or ask someone to go back and do it for you.
Get the report and the witnesses
Get the police report number and the officer’s name. Take contact details for anyone who saw it, including people working in nearby shops. Witnesses disappear quickly, and in pedestrian cases they often decide the outcome.
Most New Jersey injury claims have to be filed within two years, and most New York claims within three. If a city, a state agency or a public authority is involved, formal notice can be due within 90 days. Miss the deadline and the claim is usually gone, however strong it was.
How long you have to bring a claimThis page is general information. It is not medical or legal advice for your situation.
These cases turn on the details of one crossing.
Crosswalks, signals and right of way
Whether the crossing was marked, what the walk signal was showing, whether the driver was turning across you, and what the rules were at that junction. Being outside a marked crosswalk does not automatically make it your fault — drivers still have to look.
The vehicle and who was driving it
A driver turning without looking, a driver on a phone, a driver reversing. If the vehicle was a delivery van, a taxi, a rideshare or a company car, the employer may be responsible too, which usually means more insurance behind the claim.
A crash that changes how you get around
Serious pedestrian injuries change how you move, whether you can work, and whether you can manage stairs, shopping or childcare. Those are real losses, and they are the ones an early offer leaves out.
If someone else was responsible, these are the losses a claim is meant to put right.
Medical treatment
The care you have already had, and the care the evidence says you are still going to need.
Lost income
Time off work now, and the earnings you lose if you cannot go back to what you did before.
The effect on your life
Pain, the things you can no longer do, and how long that is expected to last. This is the part with no invoice attached, and the part an insurer values lowest.
What any individual claim is worth depends on its own facts, and no one can tell you that from a web page.
We start with the street where it happened.
Jim Hunt trained at one of the largest law firms in the world. Our attorneys came from the other side of claims like yours — corporate defense and insurance defense in New York City — and they know where a defense lawyer looks to cut a claim down.
We take on fewer cases than most firms, on purpose. That means you deal with an attorney rather than a case handler, your calls get returned, and the person answering knows your file. We’ll handle the insurer so you don’t have to, and we’ll work on getting your medical bills sorted out while the claim runs. You pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
What happens when you call.
Questions people ask after an injury.
Every situation is different. If yours isn’t here, ask us. There’s no cost to ask.
I wasn’t in a marked crosswalk. Does that end it?
No. It is a factor, not an ending. New York and New Jersey both allow a claim where you were partly at fault, with the recovery reduced accordingly. Drivers still have a duty to watch for people on foot.
What if the vehicle was working for a company?
That usually helps you. If the driver was working at the time — a delivery van, a taxi, a rideshare, a company vehicle — the employer can be responsible as well, and there is typically more insurance available.
Why should I write down what I remember now?
Because memory fades fast and the driver’s version gets recorded early. Five minutes of notes on the day, while you still know which corner you were on and what the signal said, is worth more than anything you can reconstruct later.
From start to finish, Jim was pleasant and professional and I’m glad I reached out to him for help. He kept me informed and was easy to reach out to if I had any questions. It was a smooth process and I truly appreciate him going the extra mile to understand my case and reach a fair resolution. I would highly recommend him.
— Jagjit K., Google review
Read more client reviewsPrior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstance. Testimonials are reviews left by actual clients on the firm’s public Google profile, in the client’s own words and shortened in places; clients are not compensated for reviews. A testimonial is not a guarantee or prediction about your case. Read our full disclaimer.
Not a pedestrian accident?
If yours is closer to one of these, start there instead.