Family of Pedestrian Who Was Hit by “Road Race” Car in Virginia is Awarded $1.12 Million

We see a handful of deaths and serious injuries every year to pedestrians in cities such as Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton and Chesapeake.

A common question we encounter as Chesapeake pedestrian injury lawyers, is whether a walker has to be crossing the road on a crosswalk to be able to recover damages for his or her injuries.

A tragic case in Northern Virginia illustrates that there are circumstances in which pedestrians who are not crossing the road on a crosswalk have grounds to make a claim against a driver.

A report in Virginia Lawyers Weekly described how a man was crossing the street at night, allegedly talking on his cell phone, when he was hit by a car.

The pedestrian suffered terrible injuries including traumatic brain injury, left pelvic ring fractures, multiple rib fractures and a depressed fracture of the left tibial plateau. He died from a pulmonary emboli about two months after the accident.

Eyewitnesses to the accident said the driver who hit him was engaged in a “road race” with a taxi that had been tailgating him. The defendant said he had not seen the pedestrian as he changed lanes to block the taxicab.

This tragic case illustrates how car driving should never been treated as a race or a game. In the subsequent wrongful death case, the family of the dead man was awarded $1.12 million in a settlement. The family was represented by Charles B. Roberts of Woodbridge, VA.

If you have been hurt in a pedestrian accident in Virginia call our Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers at 757.455.0077 or see CooperHurley.com