If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you need an experienced, knowledgeable Reading pedestrian accident lawyer with a proven track record of success.
Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable road users, and collisions with motor vehicles are frequently catastrophic. The injuries suffered can be devastating, taking a toll on victims and their families due to physical damages, therapy, change of routine/physical limits, loss of work, medical bills, and also in regard to the toll on victims’ emotional and mental well-being.
When negligence is involved, Pennsylvania law allows injured pedestrians to pursue compensation for medical care, lost income, and the physical and emotional toll of the accident.
Munley Law has spent almost seven decades standing up for injury victims across Pennsylvania, including Reading and Berks County. Understanding how pedestrian accidents happen, who may be responsible, and what legal options are available is the first step towards recovery. If you were involved in a pedestrian accident in Reading, PA, don’t wait. Contact a Reading injury attorney at Munley Law today to schedule a free consultation.
How Can a Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Reading Help?
Unfortunately, even the most careful pedestrians can encounter a careless or reckless driver, leading to a catastrophic injury that changes their lives. Serious injuries can lead to substantial medical expenses. Pedestrian accident injuries can cause you to have months of lost wages, doctor visits, and physical therapy in the future. You may be rightfully scared and confused about what to do about ever-increasing medical expenses, missing work for pain, or trips to the doctor.
A Reading pedestrian accident attorney investigates the crash, preserves critical evidence, and handles all communication with insurance companies. This allows injured pedestrians to focus on healing while their legal team works to establish fault, calculate damages, and pursue full compensation under Pennsylvania law.
Munley Law prepares every pedestrian accident case as if it will go to trial, a strategy that often results in stronger settlements and positions clients for success if litigation becomes necessary.
Why Hire a Munley Law Reading Pedestrian Accident Attorney?
Since 1959, individuals and families in Reading and across Pennsylvania have turned to Munley Law for help when needed. In that time, we have established ourselves as experts in the legal industry and gone up against some of the country’s biggest transportation and insurance companies.
Munley Law has earned top-tier honors from organizations such as Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting decades of proven results. Our firm’s attorneys have recovered substantial verdicts and settlements in complex injury and transportation cases, including multi-million-dollar outcomes for seriously injured pedestrians. This means you can rest assured that your case will be in the best possible hands.
Being the victim of a pedestrian collision can be a frightening and devastating experience, especially if you have been injured. If your loved one has been involved in a tragic pedestrian accident, your primary focus may be comforting your family or being there for the injured victim, not hiring a personal injury lawyer. At this time, thinking about recovering compensation from the insurance company may seem stressful and the last thing you need to be worried about.
At Munley Law, we know how a severe injury can leave you and your family financially vulnerable. We believe that cost should never stand in the way of justice. That’s why, regardless of how big or small, our Reading personal injury lawyers never collect a fee for our legal services unless we win your case.
As our client, you will not pay anything from your pocket or any upfront costs. And our contingent fee (a portion of the settlement or verdict) will never exceed the amount paid to you. You owe us nothing if we cannot get you the compensation you need for your personal injury lawsuit. That’s our no-fee promise.
Call Us At 844-686-5397 What Compensation is Available for a Pedestrian Accident in Reading?
Your personal injury lawyer in Reading can assist in recovering compensation for damages in two forms if warranted:
- Economic damages: Financial losses that include medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.
- Non-economic damages: Compensation for emotional distress, psychological distress, physical disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering.
- Punitive damages: These can be recovered when drivers’ actions are proven to be intentional or reckless. Drunk driving incidents are often applicable here.
Your pedestrian injury lawyer in Reading has the resources and expertise to manage your case. Insurance companies want you to decide quickly and settle as soon as possible. After you have filed your police report, allow your personal injury lawyer to do the investigative reports and establish if there was negligence, specifically, that there was a breach of the driver’s duty to protect you.
This is where eyewitness testimony, photos, and street cameras are all valuable evidence. Once established, your attorney can handle the negotiating, informing, and finalizing to ensure you get the most out of your compensation.
Pedestrian Rights in Reading, PA
Pennsylvania’s Vehicle Code (Title 75) outlines specific rights and responsibilities for pedestrians and drivers. In general, pedestrians have the right of way within marked and unmarked crosswalks, while drivers must exercise due care to avoid collisions.
Laws pertaining to pedestrians are as follows:
- Traffic-control devices and regulations: Must be obeyed by pedestrians, including authorized persons directing traffic
- Crosswalks and right-of-way: Pedestrians must use curbs and safe walkways, not making sudden movements into moving vehicles’ paths.
- Non-crosswalks and right-of-way: Other than within marked and unmarked crosswalks, pedestrians must yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
- Crossings at pedestrian tunnels or overhead crossings: Pedestrians should yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided.
- Crossing between controlled intersections in urban areas: Pedestrians should cross only at marked intersections when adjacent intersections have traffic-control signals.
- Crossing an intersection diagonally: Pedestrians should not cross an intersection diagonally unless authorized traffic-control devices are present or a police officer or other authorized personnel is directing traffic.
- Walking along or on the highway: If a curb or safe walking space is present, it is against the law to walk on the adjacent roadway. If a sidewalk is not available, walk only on the shoulder to the practical roadway’s edge. If there is no shoulder or sidewalk available: walk near the practicable edge of the roadway; if there’s 2-way traffic, walk on the left side.
- Yield to emergency vehicles: Pedestrians must yield to emergency vehicles.
- Alcohol and controlled substances: Pedestrians should not walk or be on a highway if under the influence; they may use sidewalks.
- Soliciting on the roadway: Pedestrians should not solicit employment, business, guarded watching of vehicles, or rides.
- Bridges and railroad warnings: Bridge signals, gates, and barriers should be approached and refrained from as the signal indicates.
Violations of pedestrian laws can include fines, accidents, and immense stress. Responsibilities rest with pedestrians and drivers to monitor their behavior with care and precaution by adhering to Pennsylvania State traffic laws.
“Since 1959, we have secured over $1 billion in compensation for our clients. When someone is seriously injured, they’re up against insurance companies with unlimited resources. My job is to level that playing field, and fight until they get the justice they deserve.”
Daniel W. Munley
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Reading, PA
While drivers and pedestrians must remain alert and adhere to the rules of the road, driver negligence is a significant contributing factor in pedestrian accidents in Reading. According to the most recent data from PennDOT, pedestrian fatalities have steadily increased over the past five years. In Berks County alone, pedestrian accidents increased by 25% between 2021 and 2024, rising from 122 to 153.
Common causes of pedestrian crashes include:
Distracted Driving
The top cause of the spike in pedestrian accident deaths is due to smartphone use. Drivers who take their eyes off the road to answer a text or scroll through social media are less likely to see a pedestrian in the roadway or intersection; small children (hard to see, at times) and the elderly (fragile, slower reflexes) are especially vulnerable.
Speeding
Maintaining speeds that are in line with designated guidelines can reduce damage and save lives. Pedestrians typically have a 90 percent chance of surviving if a car is moving 20 MPH; however, if the car is moving at 40 MPH, the pedestrian has just a 10 percent chance of surviving.
Disregarded Traffic Signals or Laws
This can occur if a driver, pedestrian, or jogger disobeys traffic signals or laws that are set to establish order and protective traffic measures.
Aggressive Driving
Some drivers fail to yield to pedestrians at a crosswalk or fail to wait until the pedestrian has fully exited the crosswalk before proceeding, causing an accident.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is irresponsible and dangerous, and can cause license suspension, injuries, and death.
Driving When Tired
Fatigue can cause drivers’ reaction time and focus to be compromised, and can also cause a driver to fall asleep at the wheel.
Failure to Take into Account Environmental Factors
Weather conditions can require that drivers adjust speed and take extra care when making turns.
Crosswalk/Road Design
A city or municipality could be at fault if it commissioned and approved designs that put drivers and pedestrians at risk.
Distracted Walking
Sometimes, pedestrians put themselves in harm’s way by texting while walking — not paying attention. Although the injury is a result of the pedestrian’s self-negligence, a motorist may still share some fault, as they succeeded in hitting a distracted walker.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Pedestrian Accident in Reading?
Third-party negligence can contribute to pedestrian accidents and injuries. There are various scenarios that can put the driver and the pedestrian at risk:
- An automobile manufacturer may have sold a vehicle (to the driver) with faulty parts, causing the vehicle to have a problem when braking.
- Commercial vehicle’s carrier and/or employer may be at fault for various reasons
- Enforcing driving schedules without adequate breaks taken
- Failing to hire and train drivers properly
- Failure to inspect the commercial properly when servicing it
- City or municipality negligence for poor road design
When Can the Pedestrian Share Fault for the Accident?
In pedestrian accidents, both drivers and pedestrians can share responsibility, especially when they’re distracted by their phones and not fully focused on their surroundings. This is extremely dangerous because a text-focused pedestrian can walk into things, walls, construction, a physically challenged person, and traffic. Pedestrians may be at-fault and partially responsible for a crash for any number of reasons, such as:
- Jaywalking
- Disregarding traffic signals
- Walking along non-pedestrian paths, such as highways or in undesignated areas meant for traffic
- Failing to use sidewalks when they are available
- Not paying attention to traffic (texting, reading, engaging in a conversation with a friend, or looking away from where they are moving to)
Should a distracted “texter” walk into traffic and be injured by a vehicle, the driver may be partially liable under Pennsylvania’s Negligence Law; this holds true only if the driver is at least 51 percent liable. In this scenario, the driver would be responsible for 51 percent or greater of the total expenses and compensation due to the injured (partially responsible) victim. “Pennsylvania’s negligence laws stipulate that damages be reduced in proportion to the claimant’s degree of fault, also referred to as comparative negligence.”
What to Do After a Reading Pedestrian Accident Injury
In Pennsylvania, if you’re injured in a pedestrian accident, you’ve got two years from the date of the accident to file a claim.
Statute of Limitations
This deadline is known as the statute of limitations. Miss it, and you’re likely out of luck when it comes to seeking compensation. While two years might seem like plenty of time, getting everything together for a strong case can take a lot longer than you’d expect. You’ll want time to investigate the accident, gather evidence, get the right experts involved, and understand the full impact of your injuries. Acting quickly gives you the best chance to secure the compensation you deserve.
It’s a smart move to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible after the accident because time can work against you here—memories fade, contact info can be lost, and evidence isn’t always around forever. Getting medical care right away is crucial, too, both for your health and to have a record of your injuries. The sooner you get a pedestrian accident law firm on board, the sooner they can start gathering what’s needed to support your case.
By taking these steps right after the accident, you give yourself the best shot at a successful claim within Pennsylvania’s two-year timeframe.
- Contact Emergency responders, or have someone else do so while you wait. Do the same for the police. Take pictures and notes if you can.
- Seek out eyewitnesses and get their contact information. This will be extremely valuable in your case.
- Fill out a police claim/report.
- Get insurance and contact information from the driver. Do not negotiate or make any statements. Contact your attorney.
- Do not apologize or make statements; contact a personal injury lawyer to make sure that all details are accounted for.
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Keep all bills.
You will want to take detailed notes and take photos, as the recovery from a pedestrian accident has many steps. Physical injuries can require that you change your lifestyle and routines and even receive help for your daily activities. Pedestrian common injuries include:
- Internal bleeding
- Broken ribs
- Head injuries, such as a concussion
- Shoulder displacement
- Vertebrae injuries
- Neck injuries
- Jaw fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Skull damage
- Injuries leading to death
Immediate medical attention establishes that you were seen and that there is a paper trail. For extensive injuries, physical therapy may be needed as an adjusted lifestyle, depending on progressions and mobility. Your personal injury lawyer will get the process started so that you can plan on recovering compensation for:
- Direct medical costs related to injury caused by the accident (past, current, and future)
- Pain and suffering resulting from the accident
- Cost of mental health treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder
- Cost of physical therapy following an injury related to the accident
Loss of wages is often experienced, along with stress and overwhelming emotional and psychological trauma. Putting this on the shoulders of an experienced personal injury lawyer can afford you the time, space, and energy to heal, regroup, and center yourself.
How Often Do Pedestrian Accidents Occur in Reading, PA?
Pedestrian injuries and fatalities remain a serious safety concern across the United States, even though recent data shows a slight year-over-year improvement. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 7,300 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in 2023. While that figure represents a modest decline from 2022, pedestrian deaths are still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels and remain near historic highs.
National safety organizations continue to warn that pedestrians now make up a growing share of overall traffic fatalities. Data from the National Safety Council and the Governors Highway Safety Association show pedestrian deaths have increased 80% since 2009, as opposed to the 13% increase in other traffic fatalities in the same period.
Despite improvements in vehicle safety, factors such as distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and larger vehicle designs continue to place pedestrians at heightened risk. Certain age groups are especially vulnerable according to federal traffic safety data:
- Adults aged 65 and older face a disproportionately high risk of fatal injury due to increased fragility and slower reaction times.
- Young children are also overrepresented in pedestrian fatality statistics, particularly in residential and urban areas where foot traffic and vehicle traffic frequently intersect.
These trends highlight the serious consequences of pedestrian accidents and the importance of accountability when negligence is involved. For injured pedestrians in Reading and throughout Pennsylvania, experienced legal representation can play a critical role in protecting their rights and pursuing compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and the long-term effects of a serious injury.
What Are Some Safety Measures That a Pedestrian Can Practice?
In our busy everyday lives, it is easy to go on autopilot and disregard checking in with our surroundings as we move throughout our day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights steps to keep yourself safe when you are a pedestrian:
- Increase your visibility when walking at night by carrying a flashlight and wearing reflective clothing, such as reflective vests.
- Cross streets at a designated crosswalk or intersection whenever possible.
- Walk on a sidewalk or path instead of the road. Walk on the shoulder and face traffic if a sidewalk or path is not available.
- Avoid using electronic devices like earbuds, which can cause distractions when you are walking.
- Avoid walking if you have been using alcohol or drugs, which can impair judgment and coordination.
In Pennsylvania, pedestrians have the right of way within a crosswalk or at an intersection, whether or not there is a traffic signal present. Although pedestrians are to yield the right of way to vehicles in places where there is no intersection or crosswalk, it is illegal for drivers to pass a vehicle that is stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk; the second driver may not see the pedestrian in the crosswalk and cause an accident. The Vehicle Code assists in prohibiting motorists from making moving and non-moving violations in Pennsylvania; reinforcement of any violations is met with a fine.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pedestrian Accidents in Reading
Do Pedestrians Always Have the Right of Way in Pennsylvania?
No. Pedestrians generally have the right of way in crosswalks and at intersections, but they must yield to vehicles when crossing outside of designated areas.
What If the Driver Fled the Scene?
You may still have options if the driver fled the scene through uninsured motorist coverage or other insurance policies. An attorney can help identify available sources of recovery.
Are Pedestrian Accident Settlements Taxable?
Generally, compensation for physical injuries is not taxable, though certain portions may be. A legal professional can explain how this applies in your case.
What If Poor Road Design Caused the Accident?
A city or municipality may be liable if unsafe design or maintenance contributed to the crash. Such claims are subject to specific legal rules that may impact time sensitivity.
Can a Pedestrian Accident Involve a Commercial Vehicle?
Yes. Delivery trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles are frequently involved in pedestrian accidents. These cases may involve additional liable parties.
Can I Still File a Claim If I Was Partially at Fault?
Yes, you can still file a claim if you were partly at fault. Under Pennsylvania’s comparative negligence law, you may recover compensation if you are 50 percent or less responsible.
Contact a Reading Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
If you were involved in a pedestrian accident in Reading, PA, turn to a Reading pedestrian accident lawyer at Munley Law to schedule a free consultation.
We have the experience, knowledge, and track record to get you the compensation you deserve. Speak with our personal injury lawyer in Reading today. There is no fee unless we win your case.
Daniel W. Munley
Daniel W. Munley is an award-winning personal-injury attorney and champion of plaintiffs’ rights. For decades he’s won multi-million verdicts and settlements and is recognized as a national leader in truck and rideshare litigation,including a record $26 million truck settlement in Northeastern Pennsylvania and a $20 million recovery in 2024 for life-altering commercial-vehicle injuries.
