When a vehicle hits a person, the injuries are often serious. If you were struck in a Midvale crosswalk, near Fashion Place, or in a parking lot, Utah law gives you clear rights. We build the evidence to prove driver fault, stop blame-shifting, and pursue compensation for medical care, lost income, and pain.
Parker & McConkie fights for Midvale pedestrians who’ve been injured by negligent drivers. We understand how Utah pedestrian right-of-way laws apply to your situation, and we pursue the compensation you need to address medical expenses, lost wages, and the physical and emotional trauma you’ve endured.
Key Takeaways for Midvale Pedestrian Accident Cases
- Drivers must yield in marked and lawful unmarked crosswalks (Utah Code § 41-6a-1002). Insurers may still try to shift blame.
- Severe injuries are common (TBI, spine, scarring) and deserve full valuation.
- Under Utah’s comparative negligence law, you can recover if you’re less than 50% at fault.
- Your own UM/UIM and hit-and-run coverage may pay when drivers don’t.
Why Choose Parker & McConkie for Your Midvale Pedestrian Accident Case
We understand the severe trauma that pedestrian accident victims face. When a multi-ton vehicle strikes an unprotected person, injuries can be catastrophic. We’ve handled pedestrian cases throughout Midvale and know the dangerous intersections at State Street and Fort Union Boulevard, the busy crosswalks near Fashion Place Mall, and the pedestrian risks around TRAX stations.
Our experience with Utah pedestrian right-of-way laws helps us fight insurance companies that blame victims. We work with medical experts who understand the long-term consequences of traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and permanent disabilities. We investigate accident scenes, obtain surveillance footage, interview witnesses, and work with accident reconstruction experts who build the evidence to prove drivers violated your right-of-way.
We handle cases on a contingency-fee basis. You pay attorney fees only if we obtain compensation. We advance all case costs, including expert fees and investigation expenses. Our Midvale office at 7090 Union Park Ave provides easy access for clients recovering from serious injuries.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your Midvale pedestrian accident case. Call (801) 509-9283 or contact us online.
Compensation for Midvale Pedestrian Accident Victims
Pedestrian accident cases often involve substantial compensation because injuries are typically severe. Multiple factors affect your claim’s value.
Medical Expenses and Future Care Needs
Medical expenses accumulate quickly and continue for years. Emergency transport, trauma center care at Intermountain Medical Center, surgeries to repair broken bones or internal injuries, extended hospitalization, rehabilitation therapy, medical equipment, and future medical needs all require compensation. Severe pedestrian injuries may require multiple surgeries and lifetime medical monitoring.
Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
Lost wages cover paychecks missed during recovery. Lost earning capacity addresses permanent limitations that prevent returning to physically demanding jobs. Vocational experts calculate the present value of decades of reduced earnings when permanent disabilities affect long-term employment.
Pain, Suffering, and Emotional Trauma
Non-economic damages compensate for physical pain, emotional distress, loss of life enjoyment, permanent scarring and disfigurement, and psychological trauma. PTSD is common after pedestrian accidents—the violence of being struck may create lasting fear about walking near traffic.
How We Pursue Fair Compensation
We investigate the full extent of your injuries by working with medical experts who project future treatment needs. We identify all liable parties, including the driver, vehicle owner, driver’s employer, and property owners in parking lot cases. We access all available insurance policies and fight comparative negligence allegations.
Dangerous Pedestrian Locations and Local Factors in Midvale
Pedestrian accidents occur with alarming frequency throughout Salt Lake County. Midvale’s busy arterials, commercial areas, and transit-oriented development create constant pedestrian risks, particularly during dusk and nighttime hours when reduced visibility compounds driver inattention.
High-incident locations include:
- The State Street corridor through commercial and residential areas with multiple lanes, high speeds, and constant turning movements at major intersections
- The Fashion Place Mall and Fort Union Boulevard area, which generate substantial pedestrian traffic between stores, across parking lots, and near the Fashion Place West TRAX station
- TRAX light rail station areas where riders cross streets to reach platforms and drivers entering park-and-ride facilities fail to watch for pedestrians
Utah Pedestrian Laws
Utah Code § 41-6a-1002 requires drivers to yield right-of-way to pedestrians crossing in marked or unmarked crosswalks. Most intersections function as unmarked crosswalks; pedestrians lawfully within them have right-of-way even without painted lines. Pedestrians crossing outside crosswalks aren’t automatically at fault—drivers still must keep a proper lookout and travel at speeds appropriate for the conditions.
Utah Code § 78B-5-818 establishes Utah’s comparative negligence system, allowing recovery if you’re less than 50% at fault. Utah Code § 78B-2-307 establishes a four-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
Benefits of Local Midvale Representation
Our familiarity with Midvale’s dangerous intersections, knowledge of Unified Police Department procedures, relationships with local medical providers, and understanding of Third District Court provide advantages that strengthen your claim.
Pedestrian Accident Types and Common Injuries
Understanding how pedestrian accidents occur and what injuries result helps you recognize driver liability and the full extent of damages.
Common Midvale Pedestrian Accident Scenarios
Pedestrian accidents throughout Midvale occur in predictable patterns:
- Crosswalk accidents in Midvale where drivers fail to yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks at State Street intersections and Fort Union Boulevard crossings
- Right-turn-on-red collisions that strike pedestrians who were legally crossing with walk signals when drivers focus on oncoming traffic
- Parking lot accidents at Fashion Place Mall where drivers backing from spaces strike pedestrians or through-lane collisions occur
- Intersection accidents where drivers run red lights or fail to check for pedestrians before turning
- Hit-and-run pedestrian claims where drivers flee after striking pedestrians, creating investigation challenges
- School zone accidents near Midvale Elementary and Union Middle School where drivers speed or fail to watch for children
These violations establish clear driver fault when properly investigated and documented.
Severe Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents
There are many types of severe injuries that pedestrians frequently suffer:
- Traumatic brain injuries from head impact causing concussions to severe brain damage with long-term cognitive effects
- Spinal cord injuries from back and neck trauma causing paralysis and mobility limitations
- Broken bones and fractures affecting the legs, hips, pelvis, arms, and shoulders, requiring surgeries
- Internal injuries, including organ damage and internal bleeding, requiring emergency surgery
- Road rash and skin injuries creating severe abrasions, permanent scarring, and disfigurement
- Psychological trauma, including PTSD, anxiety about crossing streets, depression, and emotional distress
These catastrophic injuries require extensive medical treatment and justify significant compensation.
Fighting Insurance Companies After Your Pedestrian Accident
Insurance companies may deploy aggressive tactics to minimize pedestrian accident claims.
Common Insurance Company Tactics
Adjusters immediately investigate whether they can claim pedestrian fault with “you darted out” allegations or “jaywalking” claims. They might argue pedestrians were distracted, weren’t paying attention, or wore dark clothing at night. Adjusters review medical records looking for treatment gaps or pre-existing conditions. They conduct surveillance and push for quick, low settlements before permanent injuries become clear.
How We Protect Your Rights
We investigate accident scenes immediately, obtaining surveillance footage from TRAX cameras, city traffic cameras, and nearby businesses’ CCTV cameras. Many businesses overwrite CCTV within 7-14 days; traffic footage can cycle even sooner. We send preservation notices immediately to prevent evidence destruction.
We interview witnesses and work with accident reconstruction experts. We build the evidence to prove driver negligence through right-of-way violations, distracted driving evidence like cell phone records, speeding documentation, and traffic signal violations. We fight comparative negligence allegations by demonstrating you were crossing legally, the driver had time to stop, and driver inattention caused the accident.
Coverage You May Already Have (Even If You Weren’t Driving)
Many pedestrian accident victims don’t realize their own auto insurance policy might provide coverage even when they weren’t in a vehicle at the time of the accident.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage pays when at-fault drivers have no insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage pays when drivers carry insurance but their policy limits are inadequate for your serious injuries. These coverages from your own auto policy apply to pedestrian accidents and hit-and-run pedestrian claims where drivers cannot be identified.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) on your auto policy might also provide immediate payment for medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault, allowing treatment to begin while liability is investigated.
We review your auto insurance policy to identify all available coverage, coordinate benefits between multiple policies, and pursue claims against both the at-fault driver and your own insurance where applicable.
Free policy review: We identify UM/UIM and PIP benefits and coordinate liens so more of your recovery stays with you. Schedule a free consultation so we can review your policy and explain what coverage applies to your pedestrian accident case.
What to Do After a Midvale Pedestrian Accident
Your actions immediately after an accident directly affect your legal claim.
Medical Treatment and Documentation
Seek immediate medical attention at Intermountain Medical Center or an urgent care facility. Follow all medical advice, including specialist referrals and therapy appointments. Attend every scheduled appointment—treatment gaps allow insurance companies to claim injuries weren’t serious. Document everything, including medical records, bills, photos of injuries, a pain journal, and receipts for expenses. Get a copy of the police accident report.
Critical Actions to Avoid
Do not give recorded statements to the driver’s insurance without consulting an attorney. Do not sign medical release forms from the driver’s insurance. Do not accept settlement offers without legal advice. Do not post on social media about the accident or your recovery. Contact an attorney immediately to protect critical evidence.
FAQ for Midvale Pedestrian Accident Victims
Yes. Drivers must maintain a proper lookout regardless of lighting conditions or pedestrian clothing color. Utah law requires drivers to use headlights that illuminate the road ahead, travel at speeds appropriate for conditions, and maintain awareness of surroundings.
Even when pedestrians wear dark clothing at night, drivers who strike them typically violated speed limits, failed to use proper lighting, drove while distracted, or failed to maintain proper lookout. We investigate whether street lighting was adequate, whether the driver’s headlights were functioning, and whether driver negligence caused the accident regardless of pedestrian visibility
We test that story against time-and-distance analysis, headlight reach, vehicle speed, sightlines, and video evidence. Physics and accident reconstruction determine whether a reasonable driver traveling at lawful speeds with proper attention could have seen you and stopped. “Nowhere” typically means the driver was speeding, distracted, or failed to scan the roadway properly.
We calculate stopping distances, analyze headlight illumination ranges, and build evidence proving the driver had sufficient opportunity to avoid striking you if proper attention and speed were maintained.
We test that story against time-and-distance analysis, headlight reach, vehicle speed, sightlines, and video evidence. Physics and accident reconstruction determine whether a reasonable driver traveling at lawful speeds with proper attention could have seen you and stopped. “Nowhere” typically means the driver was speeding, distracted, or failed to scan the roadway properly.
We calculate stopping distances, analyze headlight illumination ranges, and build evidence proving the driver had sufficient opportunity to avoid striking you if proper attention and speed were maintained.
Many drivers falsely claim that pedestrians crossed outside crosswalks to avoid liability. Utah law recognizes unmarked crosswalks at most intersections—pedestrians lawfully within them have the right-of-way. We investigate using surveillance footage, witness statements, accident reconstruction analysis, and physical evidence.
Even when pedestrians cross mid-block outside crosswalks, drivers still have duties to avoid striking people in roadways. We analyze whether the driver had sufficient time to stop, whether driver inattention contributed, and whether pedestrian actions were reasonable given road conditions.
Your health insurance typically covers initial treatment just as it would any other medical care, allowing immediate treatment without having to wait months or years for settlement. Your health insurance company may assert subrogation rights to be reimbursed from your settlement, but treatment proceeds immediately.
We negotiate with health insurers to reduce subrogation amounts, increasing your net recovery. If you lack health insurance, some medical providers work through letters of protection, agreeing to wait for payment until settlement is reached.
Yes, Utah’s wrongful death statute allows surviving family members to pursue compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship and guidance, and the deceased’s pain and suffering before death. Eligible family members typically include spouses, children, and parents. Wrongful death claims carry a two-year statute of limitations under Utah Code § 78B-2-304, making prompt legal action critical.
Get Help After Your Midvale Pedestrian Accident
Being struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian creates devastating physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial pressure. You need an advocate who understands pedestrian vulnerability, Utah’s right-of-way laws, and how to fight insurance companies that blame victims.
Parker & McConkie represents pedestrian accident victims throughout Midvale and Salt Lake County. We investigate driver negligence, preserve critical evidence, fight comparative fault allegations, and pursue fair compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and permanent disabilities.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your pedestrian accident case. Call (801) 509-9283 or contact us online. We work on a contingency-fee basis—you pay attorney fees only if we obtain compensation. Evidence preservation begins immediately, so let us protect your rights while you focus on physical recovery.
Don’t face insurance companies alone. Let us fight for the compensation you need. Contact Parker & McConkie today.
