We all know a good walk is just what the doctor ordered, but we also know, in our industry, that walking can lead to pedestrian-related accidents or fatalities. Such is the lawsuit filed recently against the City of Spokane by a pedestrian struck at the intersection of Rhoades Avenue and Division Street.
Our team of expert Spokane pedestrian accident attorneys in at Russell & Hill, PLLC have many years of experience handling cases like this, claiming the money and medical expenses our clients deserve for their pain and injuries.
In Spokane County, there is a greater number of pedestrian collisions than bike collisions, with 3 out 5 injured pedestrians males walking most often between October and February within the City of Spokane. In 2021, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation, there have already been 35 pedestrian-involved collisions in the city.
Here are some details on this particular case:
The Day of the Accident
On November 3, 2018, Benjamin Gedeon was heading back to work from his lunch break and had just crossed Division Street’s three northbound lanes via the crosswalk and was waiting on the median for southbound traffic to stop. While two vehicles slowed down, one did not, striking Gedeon and throwing him about 51 feet.
Gedeon was hospitalized and intubated for a week, sustaining a traumatic brain injury, a right subdural hematoma, and a skull fracture. After two surgeries, he still suffers from cognitive and emotional issues.
The Lawsuit
Three years later, Gedeon’s lawyers filed a lawsuit against the driver of the vehicle that hit him, as well as the City of Spokane, citing that Gedeon was lawfully crossing the street in a marked crosswalk.
The driver was accused of failing to yield, while Spokane “negligently failed to provide a reasonably safe pedestrian crossing at Rhoades Avenue and Division Street,” according to the lawsuit. Plus, the crosswalk that crosses a multi-lane road does not feature any pedestrian-activated flashing light.
The lawsuit goes further to point out that this specific midblock crossing, across Division and between Rhoades and Weile avenues, has a history of being dangerous for pedestrians. Four pedestrian-involved accidents have occurred since the crosswalk was added in 2012, which includes one fatality in 2016.
What If You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Pedestrians are defenseless on roadways, but not in the courtroom. If you have been involved in a pedestrian-involved accident like this one, our personal injury attorneys at Russell & Hill, PLLC will fight for you.
We will guide you through the complicated process of sorting through auto insurance coverages, claims, and more. You focus on recovering, and we will focus on winning the maximum money needed to cover your hospital bills, medical needs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Our Spokane personal injury attorneys are transparent and committed to your case, performing a comprehensive investigation into the accident, interviewing medical experts to show the extent of your injuries, and finding the best health care for you and your future quality of life.