Whether it is in a city or residential area, pedestrians are always walking about. Safety precautions are often implemented in area where pedestrian foot traffic is more common. In order to alert drivers that pedestrians might be nearby, signs are posted, speed limits are reduced and there are designated crosswalks equipped with signals. Although these safety features are put in place to reduce accidents, pedestrian accidents still happen, and when they do, the person struck by the vehicle will often suffer serious injuries or even death.
Phoenix police recently responded to an auto-pedestrian accident that involved an SUV and a young man. The accident happened on Indian School Road around 9:30 p.m. When officers arrived, they located a man in his mid-20’s lying in the road. Emergency responders pronounced the man dead at the scene.
According to preliminary reports, the victim was crossing the road mid-block when he was struck. The SUV was traveling westbound on the road when it collided with the pedestrian. The driver of the SUV remained at the scene of the accident.
The incident is still under investigation. The exact cause of the accident isn’t clear and investigators aren’t sure if speed was an issue. It addition, it isn’t apparent at this time who had the right of way. There could be a potential issue with contributory negligence. If the driver is found fully or partially liable for the accident, the family of the victim could file a wrongful death claim. Such a claim might help recover compensation to help cover funeral costs, damages, lost wages and pain and suffering.
Dealing with the death of a loved one is difficult under any circumstances but especially with a tragic accident like this, the circumstances could create a hardship and financial burdens for the people left behind. It is best that family members understand their options and whether or not they can seek compensation to offset the financial hardships the accident caused them.