Jackson, MS Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Just as Jackson drivers have certain traffic laws they must obey, pedestrians also have a special set of ordinances they must follow. Specifically, pedestrians may not cross the street or otherwise enter the roadway in front of a vehicle which is too close for the driver to yield to the pedestrian. Additionally, pedestrians should walk on sidewalks if they are present. In the business district, pedestrians are generally prohibited from crossing anywhere other than a crosswalk.

Who is responsible when a pedestrian is struck by an automobile? It depends on the facts of the accident. The driver of the vehicle may be at fault, the pedestrian may bear some responsibility, perhaps the local municipality is at fault, or it may be a combination thereof. When multiple parties contributed to a wreck, under Mississippi law, each defendant can be held responsible with the assistance of a pedestrian accident lawyer in Jackson for his or her percentage of fault.

Generally, a driver will be liable for a pedestrian’s injuries if he or she fails to maintain a safe lookout for other cars and people in the roadway. However, if a pedestrian steps off a curb directly in front of a vehicle and the driver does not have time to stop or otherwise yield, then the pedestrian may bear some responsibility according to the City of Jackson Municipal Code & Ordinances and Mississippi law. The allocation of fault is critical in a pedestrian accident case. Under state law, damages for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses may be reduced if the victim contributed to what happened. While not a complete bar to recovery, comparative fault can play a large role in how much the victim can collect.

When can the City of Jackson or another local municipality be responsible for a pedestrian accident? If unsafe street layout or a non-working traffic control device is the contributing factor to the accident, then there may be some responsibility. For example, if a pedestrian crosses at a crosswalk and a malfunctioning street light gives the pedestrian and the driver a green light, then a claim may be asserted accordingly. When the defendant is a government entity within the State of Mississippi, special rules apply. For instance, the statute of limitation is significantly shorter, and a higher burden of proof must be satisfied. This is why you should promptly contact an attorney in the Jackson area if you are involved in a collision.

Seven pedestrians lost their lives in motor vehicle collisions in the Jackson area in 2014, including three in two accidents on I-55. The other fatal accidents occurred on US-80, McDowell Road, the I-20 East Frontage Road, and Capitol Street. The distribution of these devastating events throughout the city shows that tragedy can strike anywhere. Most of the accidents were in the evening hours when drivers may have been rushing home from work or simply tired and less aware of their surroundings.