Pedestrian Hit on Foothill Blvd in Sylmar: Your Rights
If a car hit you while you were crossing or walking along Foothill Blvd in Sylmar, you are facing one of the most physically devastating experiences a person can endure. The pain, the uncertainty, the medical bills, it is overwhelming. This article is written for you. It explains what California law says about your rights, what you should do in the hours and days ahead, and what compensation you may be entitled to.
Why Foothill Blvd Is Dangerous for Pedestrians
Foothill Blvd runs through the commercial core of Sylmar with heavy vehicle traffic, multiple lanes in each direction, and speeds that regularly exceed 40 mph. The road was designed for vehicle throughput, not pedestrian safety. Crosswalks at major intersections like Foothill and Hubbard St, Foothill and Maclay St, and Foothill and Roxford St see regular foot traffic from Sylmar residents walking to businesses, bus stops, and nearby neighborhoods.
But the road design creates a dangerous mismatch. Pedestrians are crossing a wide, fast-moving road where drivers are focused on traffic flow, not on people at the crosswalk. Left-turning and right-turning drivers frequently fail to check for pedestrians before completing their turns. This is the single most common cause of pedestrian injuries on Foothill Blvd.
The area near the 210 freeway on-ramps adds another layer of danger. Drivers accelerating toward the freeway or decelerating off the ramp are focused on merging, not on the crosswalk at the ramp crossing. Pedestrians in these areas are particularly vulnerable.
What to Do After Being Hit on Foothill Blvd
Get medical attention immediately. Do not refuse paramedics at the scene. If you are able, go directly to Olive View-UCLA Medical Center at 14445 Olive View Dr in Sylmar. Pedestrian injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, and fractures, often do not show full symptoms for hours. A same-day medical record from Olive View-UCLA ties your injuries to the crash and prevents the insurance company from arguing they were pre-existing.
Call LAPD. Foothill Blvd is a city street, so LAPD handles the investigation. If officers responded to the scene, get the report number. If they did not, file a report as soon as you are physically able. The police report documents the location, time, driver information, and an initial assessment of fault.
Document the scene. Photograph the crosswalk, traffic signals, the vehicle that hit you, your injuries, and any skid marks or debris. Take wide shots showing the intersection layout and close-ups of specific evidence. If you cannot take photos yourself, ask someone at the scene to do it.
Get witness names and numbers. Foothill Blvd is a busy road. Other pedestrians, drivers who stopped, and people at nearby businesses may have seen what happened. Their testimony can establish that the driver failed to yield and corroborate your version of events.
Do not speak to the driver's insurance company. The adjuster will call quickly. They are not trying to help you. Decline to give a recorded statement and tell them your attorney will be in contact.
Contact a pedestrian accident attorney. An attorney who handles pedestrian accident cases in Sylmar can begin preserving surveillance footage from Foothill Blvd businesses immediately. Most commercial security systems overwrite footage within 72 hours. Your attorney can send formal preservation letters before that evidence disappears.
California Crosswalk Law and Your Case
Under California Vehicle Code 21950, drivers must yield the right of way to any pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk or in an unmarked crosswalk at any intersection. If you were in a crosswalk on Foothill Blvd when you were hit, the driver violated this law, and that violation is strong evidence of negligence.
California uses pure comparative fault. This means that even if you are found to share some responsibility for the accident, you can still recover damages. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If a jury finds you 20% at fault and your damages total $500,000, you recover $400,000.
Even if you were crossing Foothill Blvd outside a crosswalk, California law still requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians. The driver is not automatically absolved because you were not in a crosswalk. The analysis is more nuanced, but your right to recover is not eliminated.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
Pedestrian accident injuries are among the most severe in personal injury law. The compensation you can pursue reflects that severity:
Medical expenses: Emergency care at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, surgeries, hospitalizations, specialist follow-up, physical therapy, prescription medications, and projected future medical treatment. Future medical costs are often the largest component in pedestrian cases.
Lost wages and earning capacity: Income lost during recovery and, if your injuries are permanent, your reduced ability to earn in the future. A pedestrian with a permanent leg injury who can no longer perform their prior occupation has years of reduced earning capacity ahead.
Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life. California does not cap these damages in personal injury cases.
Property damage: Cell phones, glasses, clothing, and other personal items damaged in the crash.
Pedestrian accident cases on Foothill Blvd in Sylmar have produced settlements ranging from $250,000 to $750,000 depending on injury severity, the clarity of liability, and the available insurance coverage.
Do Not Wait to Get Help
The driver who hit you has an insurance company working on their behalf right now. That insurer's sole objective is to pay you as little as possible. You deserve someone working equally hard for you.
L&F Brown represents pedestrian accident victims throughout Sylmar and the surrounding areas. We know Foothill Blvd, we know the Van Nuys Courthouse West, and we know how to build the kind of case that produces results. There are no fees unless we win.
Pedestrian Rights and Driver Duties in Sylmar
California Vehicle Code Section 21950 requires drivers to yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks, whether marked or unmarked. Drivers approaching a crosswalk must exercise due care and reduce speed or stop to allow pedestrians to cross safely. This duty applies at every intersection in Sylmar, including along Foothill Blvd, the 210/I-5 interchange, and San Fernando Rd.
Even outside of crosswalks, drivers have a duty to exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians. If a driver was speeding, distracted by a phone, or failed to keep a proper lookout, they can be held liable for hitting a pedestrian regardless of where the pedestrian was crossing.
Pedestrian accident injuries are almost always severe because there is no barrier between the pedestrian and the vehicle. Fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, internal organ injuries, and fatal injuries are common. Treatment at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center is typically just the beginning. Long-term rehabilitation, assistive devices, home modifications, and ongoing medical care can generate costs that extend years into the future.
California's comparative fault rules apply to pedestrian cases. If the pedestrian was crossing against a signal or outside a crosswalk, the driver's insurance company will argue that the pedestrian was partially at fault. Even with partial fault, the pedestrian can still recover damages, just reduced by their percentage of fault. An attorney experienced in pedestrian cases can minimize unfair fault assignments and maximize your recovery through negotiation or litigation at Van Nuys Courthouse West.
Learn more at our Sylmar personal injury page or call us today for a free consultation.
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