Surveillance video from a Tenderloin district convenience store offered a clear picture of a pedestrian accident earlier this week, when a para-transit van ran over a man in the crosswalk. The pedestrian is alive and recovering in the hospital. He has some broken bones but is expected to survive.
The video looks out over the intersection from the corner store, and shows a man walking with a cane in the middle of the crosswalk. Witnesses told reporters that the van was honking at cars in front of it, trying to rush them through the intersection. In the video, the van comes around the corner quickly and hits the pedestrian head-on, knocking him down. Police say the man was pinned beneath the van for about 20 minutes before emergency responders were able to remove him.
No criminal charges have been filed against the driver at this time. Police say he stayed on the scene and was very cooperative. So far, the police say that the collision was simply an unfortunate traffic accident.
More than 78,000 pedestrians suffer from injuries when hit by a car or truck each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. There are many factors that can cause these accidents and injuries, but if the pedestrian is injured because the driver was negligent, there is a possibility that they can recover for the damage caused.
Injured pedestrians may be eligible to recover for medical expenses, lost wages from time away from work, and pain and suffering from the accident. If you or someone you know was the victim of a pedestrian accident, consulting an experienced attorney can help you figure out if you are able to recover for those injuries.
Source: ABC 7, “Pedestrian run over; SFPD says no crime,” Feb. 15, 2012.
