Pedestrian claims: Can you trust the crossing?

The catastrophic injury team recently acted for an elderly lady that was seriously injured when crossing the road at a pelican crossing.

I’ll paint the scene; it was Christmas eve and our client had been shopping for a final Christmas present for her granddaughter. She’d walked the short journey from the bus stop in Bolton town centre and across the road to Argos at the retail park. This was a journey that she made often and knew well.

On the way back to the bus stop later that afternoon, brand new Baby Annabelle Doll in hand, she waited at the pelican crossing for the lights to turn green.

It all happened very quickly.

First the beeping and the flashes of the green light, then her first step into the road, and then the terrifying sound of a car screeching.

Finally a loud thud.

Our client woke up weeks later in intensive care, after having numerous operations and being told that she had died twice. She was told that she would see the rest of her days out in a wheel chair, and had lost most of her hearing. It was a miracle that she was alive.

Nayyars Solicitors lost no time in pursuing this claim for our client. We knew that she needed compensation quickly in order to provide some financial relief at such a difficult time. The challenge was that the Defendant lorry driver alleged that the accident occurred away from the pelican crossing, and that as such our client had been negligent in stepping into the road.

One member of our team was from the area surrounding the accident location and knew it well. We collated evidence strong enough to prove that our client must have been utilising the pelican crossing, and within three months we had put enough pressure on the defendant that they agreed to pay our client a considerable sum.

Unfortunately, this claim was not an isolated one and accidents at designated crossings happen more than you think. Our advice echoes that to our children; always look right, then left, then right again, whether you are using a crossing or not.

If you are injured as a pedestrian in a road traffic accident, do not hesitate to contact the personal injury team. We know how to get the results you need.

Abigail Smith

Litigation Assistant