Paramus Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Assist Victims

Dedicated representation for serious injuries caused by negligent drivers

Many of us grew up playing in the streets throughout the Garden State. Whenever anyone yelled, “Car! Car!” the game would stop and the kids would move to the side, until the vehicle passed and the game started over. Well, times have changed, and streets have become much more dangerous. From 2012 to today, pedestrian traffic fatalities have increased more than 53 percent. If you or a loved one has been injured as a pedestrian in a traffic accident, Razi & Giampa Law is ready to help. We provide highly professional and personalized legal services for accident victims. We are skilled trial lawyers who go the distance to recover the full compensation you deserve.

The mean streets of the Garden State

In the spring of 2024, a study of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that New Jersey is the most dangerous state in the union for people attempting to cross the street, let alone play touch football. According to the study, from 2017 to 2021, New Jersey recorded 3,030 traffic deaths of which 916 were pedestrians. That means pedestrians accounted for more than 30 percent of traffic fatalities in New Jersey, the highest percentage in the nation.

Severe injuries from pedestrian traffic accidents

When a car hits a person, there’s little doubt about which side wins. But for many pedestrians, it’s the secondary impact against the hard surface of the road, that does the most damage. Resulting injuries can include:

• Concussion and traumatic brain injury
• Whiplash
• Broken bones
• Crush injuries from being run over

When a vehicle is traveling at greater than 25 miles per hour, the impact can be fatal, especially to small children or older adults.

What’s behind the increase in pedestrian traffic injuries in New Jersey?

Authorities note a number of reasons for the spike in pedestrian traffic deaths, most notably distracted driving and distracted walking. Increased traffic congestion leads to irritated, aggressive drivers, who don’t always check for people crossing the street. Increased cellphone use means distraction for drivers who don’t spot a person crossing until it’s too late.

But pedestrians themselves can share some of the blame for unsafe behaviors, such as:

• Intoxication
• Walking while staring at cellphones
• Wearing dark clothing at night on poorly lighted roadways
• Jaywalking

Any of these factors could lead a court to conclude that you contributed to the accident. That ruling could bar you from recovering damages or limit the amount you can recover from the defendant driver, as we explain in the section below.

Finally, the fact that New Jersey’s population is aging is a factor. Older pedestrians need additional time to cross, and many traffic signals don’t afford them those crucial extra seconds. Many crossings are also outmoded, and in our present day can be judged unreasonably unsafe. If so, the government entities that control the crossing can be liable for pedestrian injuries.

Protecting pedestrians from allegations of negligence

As your personal injury attorneys, our job isn’t just to prosecute your case for damages. We must also defend you from allegations by the defense that you contributed to the accident. Under New Jersey’s modified comparative negligence law, your fault for the accident cannot exceed the driver’s, or you are barred from recovering damages. If you share 50 percent or less of the blame, you can recover damages, but the court will reduce the amount in proportion to your share of the blame. Thus, if you are 20 percent responsible and your claim is for $100K, the most you can recover is $80K.

Contact Razi & Giampa Law in Paramus for a free pedestrian injury consultation

Razi & Giampa Law in Paramus provides highly professional and personalized legal services for pedestrians injured in traffic accidents in Bergen County and throughout New Jersey. To schedule a free consultation at our office, in your home, or at the hospital, call us today at 201-534-5011 or contact our firm online.