Boston Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
A moment of inattention can change a life.
A person on foot has no protection when a careless driver won’t yield, and injuries are often severe. When negligence caused it, the law lets any injured Boston pedestrian recover.
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A Boston pedestrian accident lawyer fights for you.
A pedestrian has nothing to absorb the force of a vehicle, so a crash that would dent a bumper can shatter bones, injure the spine, or cause a traumatic brain injury. These crashes happen when drivers fail to yield at crosswalks, turn into people who have the right of way, run lights and stop signs, back up without looking, or drive distracted, drowsy, or impaired. People are struck while crossing the street, walking through parking lots, and waiting at the curb. When a driver’s carelessness caused the crash, the injured pedestrian has the right to seek full compensation for the harm that follows.
Pedestrians also face an unfair assumption that they must have darted out or were not paying attention. The evidence often shows the opposite, that the person was in a crosswalk or had the right of way and the driver simply was not looking. Overcoming that assumption takes prompt evidence, the crosswalk and signal timing, witness accounts, and any camera footage. A Boston pedestrian accident lawyer gathers that proof, pushes back on the blame, and pursues the full value of the claim. Larson Law represents injured pedestrians throughout Boston and Suffolk County at no upfront cost, and you pay nothing unless we win.
The coverage after a pedestrian crash can be more favorable than people expect. In Massachusetts, a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle can often access that vehicle’s Personal Injury Protection for initial medical bills and some lost wages, in addition to a claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. When the driver fled or had too little coverage, the pedestrian’s own auto policy’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may also apply. Sorting out which policies respond, and in what order, is an important early step in a serious case.
A serious pedestrian crash brings costs that reach far beyond the first hospital stay, from surgeries and rehabilitation to lost income and the lasting effects of a permanent injury. A lawyer handles the insurers and the investigation so you can focus on recovery, and because we work on a contingency fee, getting answers costs you nothing up front.
Pedestrian crashes take many forms, and most are caused by a driver’s mistake. We help people struck while crossing with the signal, hit by a car turning right or left across a crosswalk, run down by a driver who blew through a light or stop sign, backed into in a parking lot or driveway, or struck by a distracted, speeding, or impaired driver. We also help people hit while waiting at a curb or bus stop and those struck on sidewalks. Some recover in weeks; others face surgery, long rehabilitation, or a permanent injury such as a fracture, spinal cord injury, or brain injury. Whatever the cause and however serious the harm, if a driver’s negligence caused the crash, you have the right to seek compensation, and the only way to know what your case may support is to have it reviewed by a lawyer who handles pedestrian cases.
Because deadlines and evidence both work against delay, the practical value of acting early is hard to overstate. Policies can be identified, witnesses located, and the scene and records documented while the information still exists. Those early steps rarely feel urgent in the moment, but they are often what a strong claim later depends on, and Daniel J. Larson takes on that early investigation himself while you focus on recovering.
What our clients say
We stand up for pedestrians.
- We handle pedestrian crash claims for people hit by vehicles throughout Boston
- We push back when a driver claims the pedestrian darted out or was the one at fault
- We use crosswalk and right-of-way evidence to prove the driver was negligent
- We pursue the driver's policy, the vehicle's PIP, and uninsured-motorist coverage
- Attorney Daniel J. Larson prepares every pedestrian case as if it may have to go to trial
- No fee unless we win
- Free, private case review
- Same-day response
- Honest advice from day one
$300K+ Won For Clients
100+ 5-Star Google Reviews
8+ Years of Legal Expertise
98% Legal Success Rate
100+ Injured Victims Helped
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How the law protects people on foot.
A driver’s duty to people on foot
Drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and use reasonable care to avoid people on or near the road. Massachusetts law gives pedestrians the right of way in marked crosswalks and at intersections, and a driver who fails to stop, turns into a person crossing with the signal, or does not look while backing up or pulling out can be held responsible for the resulting injuries. Most pedestrian crashes come down to a driver who did not yield or simply did not see the person in time.
Shared fault and the deadline to file
Insurers often argue the pedestrian was partly to blame, but under comparative negligence, MGL Chapter 231 Section 85, an injured pedestrian can still recover as long as they were not more than half at fault, with the award reduced by their share. Most claims must be filed within three years under MGL Chapter 260 Section 2A, and for an injured child the clock pauses under MGL Chapter 260 Section 7. If a crash proves fatal, the family may bring a wrongful death claim under MGL Chapter 229.
Where the compensation comes from
A pedestrian hit by a vehicle can often look to the at-fault driver’s liability insurance, and to the striking vehicle’s Personal Injury Protection for initial medical bills and lost wages. When the driver fled or carried too little coverage, the pedestrian’s own auto policy’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage can apply, even though the person was on foot. Identifying every policy that may respond is detailed work that frequently makes the difference in whether a badly hurt pedestrian is fully compensated.
Building one of these cases is careful work. We move quickly to gather the crosswalk and signal evidence, the vehicle damage and point of impact, any traffic or business camera footage, and witness accounts, so the driver’s version cannot go unchallenged. We then document the full injury and present it to the insurers with a complete demand, and if a fair offer does not come, we are prepared to try the case. You owe nothing unless we recover.
We also know the tactics insurers use against injured pedestrians, and we are ready for them. They may argue you darted out, crossed against the signal, were not in a crosswalk, or were distracted, and they may push a fast, low offer before the full extent of the harm is known. We answer those arguments with evidence, not assumptions: the crosswalk markings and signal timing, the point of impact and vehicle damage, the camera footage, and the medical proof. Because we prepare every case as if it may be tried before a Suffolk County jury, our demands carry real weight, which is often what it takes to reach a fair result against a driver’s insurer. Throughout, you pay nothing up front and owe a fee only if we recover for you.
Because pedestrian injuries are often severe and the future care can be the largest part of a claim, documenting the full extent of the harm is essential. We make sure the medical record captures not just the immediate injuries but the surgeries, rehabilitation, and long-term care a serious crash may require, and where the case calls for it we bring in treating physicians and other experts to explain the prognosis and put a reliable value on the years ahead. That thorough proof is what separates a claim an insurer takes seriously from one it tries to minimize, and it is the work we do in every case at no cost to you unless we win.
Because the evidence in a pedestrian case fades so quickly, the most valuable step you can take is to reach out early, and it costs you nothing to begin. From there, we carry the load while you focus on healing.
No two cases are exactly alike. Alongside pedestrian injuries, our attorneys also handle car crashes, truck accidents, bicycle crashes, and rideshare wrecks, bringing the same focus on full recovery to every client we stand beside as a Boston personal injury attorney.
When a claim moves forward, the harm Massachusetts law recognizes reaches past the first medical bills to the cost of future treatment and rehabilitation, earnings lost during recovery and any reduction in future earning capacity, and the physical pain and diminished quality of life a serious injury imposes. Proving these elements depends less on argument than on documentation, and the strength of that record, built steadily from the first appointment, usually matters more to the outcome than anything said to an adjuster by phone.
Injured people also encounter familiar claim tactics. An insurer may seek a recorded statement before the full extent of an injury is known, question whether treatment was necessary, point to a gap in care, or argue that a preexisting condition explains the symptoms. None of these is the final word, but each is a reason to be careful about what is said and when, and to let a consistent medical record, rather than a phone call, define the injury.
We also help injured clients as a Lowell pedestrian accident lawyer.
Your Boston pedestrian accident lawyer knows these crossings.
Where pedestrians are hit in Boston
Boston is a walking city, and pedestrians are struck across it, downtown around the busy crossings of Boylston, Tremont, and Washington Streets, along Massachusetts Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, near the T stops and bus stops where people hurry to cross, in the neighborhoods, and in parking lots and garages. Turning vehicles, drivers running lights, and distracted driving are common causes. Where the driver was at fault, the pedestrian has the right to seek full compensation, no matter what the driver’s insurer first suggests.
Care and where these claims are handled
People hit in Boston are often treated at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Medical Center, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which handle the serious trauma a pedestrian crash can cause. Injury cases tied to Boston are generally handled in the Suffolk County courts, including the Boston Municipal Court and Suffolk Superior Court. A lawyer who knows the local crossings, the most dangerous intersections, and how these cases are handled here can move quickly to gather evidence and aim the claim in the right direction for you.
Why fast action protects your claim
The proof in a pedestrian case fades fast. The vehicle is repaired, traffic and business cameras record over their footage within days, signal timing data must be requested, and witnesses scatter. Acting early lets your lawyer preserve that evidence, document your injuries, and deal with the insurers before they lock in a version that blames the pedestrian. Larson Law builds that proof while you focus on recovering, and we never charge anything up front to do it.
Reaching out after being hit should be simple, so we keep the first conversation easy and pressure-free. Call or send a message and a Boston pedestrian accident lawyer will listen to what happened, explain how the coverage works for pedestrians, including the vehicle’s PIP and your own policy, and lay out the likely next steps. If we take your case, we handle the insurers, the investigation, and the paperwork from there, and we keep you informed at each stage. If we do not, you will still leave understanding your rights and your options. Either way the review is free, your information stays private, and you owe nothing unless we win. The sooner you call, the more of the evidence we can protect before it is gone, so do not wait while the deadline runs and the proof fades.
If you are unsure who was at fault, or the driver’s insurer has already called, it still costs nothing to find out where you stand. Many people assume a case is too small or too uncertain to pursue, only to learn that the evidence clearly shows the driver failed to yield and that real coverage is available, including the vehicle’s PIP and their own policy. The sooner a lawyer reviews the crash, the more of the proof can be preserved and the stronger the claim becomes. Tell us what happened, and we will give you an honest assessment of your options, with no cost and no obligation, so you can make an informed decision about your health and your recovery.
Being hit while walking can upend your health, your work, and your sense of safety on streets you cross every day. The right legal help should ease that burden, not add to it, which is why we handle the insurers and the details while keeping you informed in plain language. If a driver hit you while you were on foot in Boston, reach out today; the call is free, your information stays private, and there is no obligation, so there is nothing to lose by finding out where you stand. There is never a fee unless we win your case.
We have helped injured pedestrians and their families across Boston and Suffolk County, and we are ready to help you too.
Fault in Massachusetts is measured rather than assumed. Under Chapter 231, Section 85, the state applies modified comparative negligence, so a person found more than half responsible recovers nothing and any share of fault reduces the recovery. Insurers routinely work to shift responsibility onto the injured person, which is one reason early statements to an adjuster can matter more than they appear to at the time.
Deadlines run from the start. Under Chapter 260, Section 2A, most personal injury actions in Massachusetts must be filed within three years, and some claims carry far shorter notice requirements. Because the evidence that proves a claim tends to fade long before a deadline arrives, acting early usually protects a claim more than anything done later.
A claim should cover every lasting cost.
A serious pedestrian crash can carry costs that last well beyond the emergency room. A claim can cover past and future medical care, surgery and rehabilitation, lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and the lasting effects of a serious injury such as a fracture, spinal injury, or brain injury. A full claim reflects all of it. Pedestrians struck by a vehicle so often suffer catastrophic, life-changing injuries that a claim has to look years ahead, to the future surgeries, the rehabilitation, the lost earning power, and the daily help a serious injury can require, rather than the first hospital bill alone. Drivers and their insurers frequently try to shift the blame onto the person on foot, so a careful claim answers that with the crosswalk, the signal timing, the sight lines, and any camera or witness account, gathered before the record fades. Establishing that the pedestrian had the right of way is often what secures the full value of the claim, and it can be the difference between the driver’s insurer paying a fraction of the loss and paying what the injury will truly cost over time.
Medical Bills and Future Care
Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
Pain, Suffering, and Hardship
Wrongful Death of a Loved One
What to do after a pedestrian crash.
Get medical care and a police report
See a doctor right away, even if you feel okay, and make sure police are called to the scene. A crash report plus prompt care tie your injuries to that crash, which a driver's insurer later questions.
Document the scene and the crossing
Photograph the scene, the crosswalk or where you were hit, the vehicle and your injuries. Get the driver's information and names and numbers from any witnesses, since this evidence can disappear fast.
Talk to a lawyer before the insurer
Before you give the driver's insurer a statement or accept a fast payment, talk with a lawyer who can protect the claim. Early advice guards the evidence and your deadline while you focus on recovery.
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If a driver’s carelessness left you injured while you were on foot in Boston, you should not be blamed or left paying for it. A Boston pedestrian accident lawyer can prove how the crash happened, push back on the driver’s insurer, and pursue the full value of your claim, all at no cost to you. If a pedestrian crash proved fatal, the family may bring a wrongful death claim under MGL Chapter 229. There is no fee unless we win, so reach out today for a free, private case review.
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Larson Law helps injured people and families across Massachusetts after a serious accident. If you were hurt by someone else’s carelessness in Boston, we are ready to listen and explain your options at no cost.
Pedestrian accident law in Boston answered directly.
Do I have a claim if a car hit me while walking?
Very likely, if the driver’s carelessness caused the crash. Pedestrians have strong protections in Massachusetts, especially in crosswalks and at intersections, and a driver who fails to yield, turns into a person crossing, or does not look can be held responsible. The key questions are whether the driver was negligent and how serious your injuries are.
What if the driver says I darted out?
That is one of the most common claims drivers and insurers make, and it often does not hold up. The crosswalk markings, the signal timing, the point of impact, the vehicle damage, witness accounts, and any camera footage can show where you actually were and who caused the crash.
What if I was not in a crosswalk?
You may still have a strong claim. Pedestrians are not only protected in marked crosswalks; drivers must use reasonable care to avoid people on or near the road everywhere. Being outside a crosswalk does not automatically make a crash your fault, and even if you share some blame, comparative negligence lets you recover as long as you were not mostly at fault.
What if I was partly at fault?
You can still recover as long as you were not more than half to blame. Under comparative negligence, MGL Chapter 231 Section 85, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault but not eliminated unless that share passes fifty percent.
What if the driver who hit me fled?
You may still have options. In a hit-and-run, the police report and any witnesses or camera footage are important, and the driver can sometimes be identified later. Even if the driver is never found, your own auto policy’s uninsured motorist coverage can apply to you as a pedestrian, since that coverage follows you, not just your car.
Does any insurance cover me as a pedestrian?
Yes, often more than people expect. In Massachusetts, a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle can usually access that vehicle’s Personal Injury Protection for initial medical bills and some lost wages, regardless of fault, in addition to a claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Most pedestrian accident claims must be filed within three years under MGL Chapter 260 Section 2A, and for an injured child the deadline is paused under MGL Chapter 260 Section 7. If a city vehicle or public entity was involved, much shorter notice deadlines can apply.
What is a pedestrian accident claim worth?
It depends on the severity of the injuries and their lasting effects. Value can reflect medical care, surgery and rehabilitation, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and the long-term impact of a serious injury such as a fracture, spinal injury, or brain injury.
Should I talk to the driver's insurer?
It is best to be cautious. The driver’s insurer may contact you quickly and sound friendly, but their goal is to limit what they pay, and an early recorded statement can be used against you, especially while you are still hurting and the facts are not fully known.
What if a loved one died in a pedestrian crash?
If a pedestrian crash proved fatal, close family may bring a wrongful death claim under MGL Chapter 229. Such a claim can seek compensation for the loss of the person’s income, services, companionship, and guidance, along with funeral and related expenses.
How much does a pedestrian accident lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Larson Law handles pedestrian accident claims on a contingency fee, so there is no charge unless we recover money for you, and the first review is always free. We advance the costs of investigating the crash, obtaining the footage and signal data, and working with any experts the case needs.
What should I do right after being hit?
Call the police and get medical care right away, even if you feel okay, since some injuries appear hours later. Photograph the scene, the crosswalk, and the vehicle, and get the driver’s information and the names of any witnesses before they leave. Note the location and the signal or crosswalk you were using.
Results Disclaimer: Past case results, settlements, and verdicts mentioned on this website do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Every case is unique and depends on its own facts and legal issues.