Trusted pedestrian accident lawyers with over 75 years of experience.
If you were struck by a vehicle while walking in Hempstead, you may be dealing with severe injuries that are impacting your everyday life. Our Hempstead, NY pedestrian accident lawyer has been representing injured New Yorkers since 1978. At Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP, we take pedestrian accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning no legal fees unless we win. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Hempstead, NY
An attorney represents people who have been hit by a moving vehicle while walking, crossing an intersection, or crossing through a crosswalk. The work involves investigating the crash, identifying every responsible party, and pursuing full compensation through negotiation or litigation.
Pedestrian crashes cause some of the most serious injuries we see in practice. Without any physical protection from a moving vehicle, outcomes like traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, and severe fractures are common. High-volume roads near the Hempstead Transit Center and throughout Nassau County see a disproportionate share of these accidents each year. Time matters here, and certain legal deadlines are shorter than most people expect.
Types of Pedestrian Accident Cases We Handle in Hempstead
Pedestrian accidents happen under many different circumstances, and those circumstances directly shape how liability is established and what a case is worth. Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP represents pedestrian accident victims across a broad range of case types in Hempstead, NY.
- Car accidents. A driver who runs a red light, fails to yield at a crosswalk, makes an illegal turn without looking, or is distracted creates serious and often catastrophic danger for anyone on foot. These are among the most common pedestrian injury cases we handle.
- Truck accidents. Commercial vehicles present an extreme hazard for pedestrians. The weight and size of a delivery truck or tractor-trailer means that even a low-speed collision can produce devastating, life-altering injuries. Liability in these cases frequently extends beyond the driver to include trucking companies and fleet operators.
- Motorcycle accidents. A rider who loses control or cuts through a pedestrian zone recklessly can cause serious, sometimes fatal, harm to people on foot. Liability turns on speed, road conditions, what the rider did in the seconds before impact.
- Rideshare accidents. Uber and Lyft drivers operate throughout Hempstead on a daily basis. When one of these drivers strikes a pedestrian, claims involve multiple layers of commercial insurance coverage that differ significantly from standard auto liability claims.
- Hit-and-run accidents. A driver who flees the scene doesn’t end your right to compensation. There may be available avenues that offer monetary recovery for your physical injuries and other losses.
- Wrongful death. When a pedestrian is killed, surviving family members may be entitled to pursue compensation. We represent families throughout Nassau County who have lost someone in a pedestrian crash.
Why Choose Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP for Pedestrian Accidents in Hempstead, NY?
75+ Years of Personal Injury Experience in Nassau County
Injury victims in Nassau County have turned to our personal injury lawyer in Hempstead, NY since 1978. Martin Schiowitz has practiced New York personal injury law since 1973. He is a peer-selected Super Lawyer, placing him among the top 5% of attorneys in his field, and holds memberships in the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers. His career spans multimillion-dollar verdicts, decades of trial leadership, and years spent developing the attorneys who have joined the firm.
Jeremy Schiowitz has over 16 years of personal injury experience and has been named a Super Lawyer consecutively from 2014 through 2025. He holds a Top One Percent distinction from the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and has argued appellate cases that changed how accident liability is determined in New York. His background on the defense side of personal injury gives him real insight into how insurers approach pedestrian accident cases.
A Proven Record for Injury Clients
Our attorneys have recovered over $200 million for injury victims across New York, including pedestrian accident cases throughout Nassau County and New York City. Our clients consistently describe our firm’s attorneys as thorough, communicative, and focused on results. We handle all pedestrian accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means no legal fees unless we recover for you.
Understanding Pedestrian Accident Cases
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Pedestrian Accident Cases
Pedestrian accidents rarely involve just one liable party. The driver who struck you is the obvious starting point.
- Medical expenses: Emergency room treatment, surgeries, inpatient stays, physical therapy, and any ongoing care for injuries that don’t fully resolve.
- Lost wages: Income you couldn’t earn while recovering. If the injuries are permanent or limit what you can do for work going forward, that future earning loss is part of the claim too.
- Pain and suffering: Physical pain, psychological impact, changes to your daily life, and strain on your relationships.
- Property damage: Personal items damaged or destroyed in the collision.
- Wrongful death damages: When a pedestrian is killed, the surviving family may recover for funeral and burial costs, the financial support the deceased would have provided, and loss of companionship.
New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which means that your compensation is reduced by percentage of fault, but you are not barred from recovering if you were partly responsible. Insurance companies routinely argue that a pedestrian was crossing outside a crosswalk or ignoring a signal, and New York’s comparative negligence rule affects how much that argument is actually worth.
Important Aspects in Your Pedestrian Accident Case
Several factors have an impact on the outcome of pedestrian accident claims in Hempstead, NY. We listed briefly listed them below:
- Evidence disappears. Traffic and business surveillance footage is often overwritten within 24 to 72 hours. Getting a pedestrian accident attorney in Hempstead involved immediately helps preserve what still exists.
- Adjuster tactics are predictable. Insurance adjusters follow specific strategies to limit what they pay, but we know how to counter this.
- Proving negligence. The elements of negligence in a pedestrian accident case are duty, breach, causation, and damages.
- Municipal deadlines are shorter. If a government vehicle was involved, or if a city infrastructure failure contributed to the accident, a Notice of Claim must be filed within 90 days.
Pedestrian Accident Case Timeline
Most pedestrian accident cases move through these stages, though the timeline depends on how complex the matter is and what position the at-fault insurer takes.
- Case intake and investigation: Medical records, the police report, witness statements, and available surveillance footage are gathered and reviewed before any demand is submitted
- Demand and negotiation: A demand package is sent to the at-fault insurer, then negotiations begin. A significant portion of cases resolve at this stage.
- Litigation: If the insurer refuses fair value, we file suit. Discovery follows, including depositions and exchange of evidence from both sides.
- Settlement or trial: Whether to settle or go to trial is a decision we make together based on what the case is worth and what the other side is offering.
- Resolution: Once a settlement or verdict is finalized, any outstanding medical liens and attorney fees are resolved before the remaining funds are distributed.
What to Bring to Your Pedestrian Accident Consultation
Bring the information you already obtained, as we will work with the information provided and gather the rest later. Here are examples of documentation or proof that can be useful during your consultation.
- The police report or report number, if you have it
- Medical records and bills related to the accident
- Photographs of your injuries, the accident scene, or any damage
- Contact information for witnesses, if collected at the scene
- Any correspondence from the at-fault driver’s insurance company
New York Legal Resources for Pedestrian Accidents
Understanding the legal framework governing your pedestrian accident claim in Hempstead, NY helps us make better decisions from the start. The resources below cover the statutes and data most relevant to pedestrian injury claims in New York.
- CPLR § 214: Gives injury victims three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in New York. Claims against a government entity require a Notice of Claim within 90 days and a lawsuit filed within one year and 90 days.
- CPLR § 1411: Establishes New York’s pure comparative fault standard. An injured pedestrian may recover even when partially at fault, though the award is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to the plaintiff.
- CPLR § 5002: Once a wrongful death verdict is entered, interest begins accruing from the date of the verdict until the judgment is actually paid. In cases that go to trial and then face post-verdict delays, this can add meaningful value to the total recovery.
Reach Out to Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP to Schedule a Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured as a pedestrian in Hempstead, NY, our team is ready to review your case. The consultation is free and comes with no obligation. We handle all pedestrian accident cases on a contingency fee basis, so you owe nothing unless we recover for you. Contact us at Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP today.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics in Hempstead
Nationwide, NHTSA data records 7,080 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2024, roughly one death every 74 minutes. New York carries more than its share of that toll. A state fiscal review found pedestrians made up one-quarter of all traffic deaths across the state in 2022, more than eight points above the national average. On Long Island, recent state data showed pedestrian deaths rising from 32 to 35 in a single reporting period. Older adults and men are hurt at the highest rates, according to New York health data. Each figure represents an injured pedestrian, and often a Hempstead family managing the aftermath.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Hempstead
Most pedestrian crashes are not accidents in the truest sense. They trace back to a choice a driver made, or failed to make. When we investigate a pedestrian accident case in Hempstead, the cause usually falls into one of a handful of patterns. Knowing which one applies shapes who we hold responsible.
Below are the causes we see most often.
- Failure to yield at crosswalks. A driver who does not stop for someone lawfully crossing is a leading cause of pedestrian injury. It happens at marked crosswalks and at ordinary corners alike.
- Left and right turns. Turning drivers watch for other cars and miss the person on foot directly in their path. These lower-speed strikes still cause serious harm.
- Distracted driving. A phone, a navigation screen, or the radio can draw a driver’s attention away for the seconds it takes to miss a pedestrian who had every right to be there. Many people injured this way had no warning at all, and some were simply hit by a car while stepping off a curb.
- Speeding. Higher speed means less time to react and a far deadlier impact. A pedestrian struck at 40 miles per hour rarely walks away.
- Impaired driving. Alcohol and drugs slow reaction time and blur judgment. Impaired driving is a recurring factor in fatal pedestrian crashes.
- Poor visibility and low light. Most pedestrian deaths happen after dark. Unlit stretches of road, worn crosswalk paint, and bad weather all raise the danger.
- Backing vehicles. Drivers reversing out of driveways and parking lots often fail to check behind them. These strikes are common in lots and on residential blocks.
- Disregarded signals. Running a red light or rolling through a stop sign puts anyone in the crosswalk at immediate risk.
Whatever the cause, the injuries tend to be severe. A pedestrian has no metal frame, no airbag, nothing between them and the vehicle. That is why we so often see traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, and broken bones. Even a crash that looks minor can leave someone with fractured ribs, internal bleeding, or a concussion that surfaces days later. Documenting how the crash happened, and connecting it to every injury it caused, is central to a strong claim.
Not every pedestrian accident in Hempstead, NY has a single cause. Some involve several factors at once, a speeding driver who was also texting, for instance.What stays constant is the need to pin down the cause early, while the evidence is fresh. A pedestrian accident attorney in Hempstead who starts in the first days after a crash is in a far stronger position than one brought in later.
Hempstead Pedestrian Accident Lawyer FAQs
How much does a pedestrian accident lawyer in Hempstead cost?
We work on a contingency fee. That means no payment upfront and no hourly billing. Our fee comes as a percentage of what we recover, and if we recover nothing, you owe no attorney fee. The first consultation is free. If you want the details before you call, our overview of how contingency fees work explains the arrangement in plain terms.
How long do I have to file a claim after a pedestrian accident in Hempstead, NY?
In most New York personal injury cases, the deadline is three years from the date of the crash. Some situations shorten that window considerably. If a government vehicle or public agency was involved, a formal notice may be due within 90 days. Because these deadlines vary, it is safer to speak with a pedestrian accident attorney in Hempstead soon after the injury rather than wait until the calendar becomes a problem.
What if the driver says I was partly at fault?
That argument is common, and it does not end your claim. New York’s comparative negligence rules can reduce a recovery by your share of fault, but being partly responsible does not bar you from recovering altogether. Insurers often overstate a pedestrian’s role in order to pay less. How these rules apply to your particular crash is worth reviewing with us directly.
What compensation can I recover?
It depends on the harm you suffered. Recovery generally includes medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, along with future costs when injuries are lasting. In severe cases, other categories apply. Our discussion of the three types of damages explains the main groupings, and where a driver’s conduct was truly reckless, punitive damages may also come into play.
Do I have a case if the driver fled the scene?
Possibly, yes. A hit-and-run does not automatically close the door on recovery. Your own auto policy may include coverage that applies, and police work or nearby cameras sometimes identify the driver later. Bring whatever you have, even partial details, and we will look at every available source of recovery.
I was not in a crosswalk. Can I still recover?
Often, yes. Crossing outside a crosswalk affects the fault analysis, but it rarely eliminates a claim on its own. Drivers still owe a duty to watch for people on the road. We look at speed, signals, sightlines, and driver conduct, not only where you were standing when the vehicle struck you.
How long will my pedestrian accident case take?
There is no single answer. Straightforward claims can resolve within a few months once treatment stabilizes. Disputed or serious cases take longer, especially when litigation becomes necessary. We push for a fair result without rushing you into a low settlement before the full extent of your injuries is known.
Will my case go to trial?
Most do not. A large share of pedestrian accident claims in Hempstead settle through negotiation. We prepare every file as if it will be tried, which tends to produce stronger offers. If a case does move forward, knowing what happens after a deposition can make the process feel less unfamiliar.
What should I do right after being struck by a vehicle?
Get medical care first, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline hides injuries. Report the crash to police, photograph the scene if you are able, and collect the names of any witnesses. Avoid giving a recorded statement to the driver’s insurer before you have spoken with a lawyer.
Do I really need a lawyer for a pedestrian accident in Hempstead?
Not every claim requires one, but pedestrian cases tend to involve severe injuries and aggressive insurers, which raises the stakes. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Hempstead, NY can preserve evidence, deal with the adjusters, and value the claim properly. If you are weighing your options, our notes on choosing an injury attorney may help.
Local Information for Hempstead Pedestrian Accident Cases
Most Dangerous Locations for Pedestrians in Hempstead
Some roads in and around Hempstead see more pedestrian conflict than others, usually where heavy vehicle traffic meets steady foot traffic. A few worth knowing:
- Hempstead Turnpike (NY 24). This wide, high-volume corridor has long ranked among the most dangerous roads for pedestrians on Long Island. Multiple lanes and fast-moving traffic leave little room for error.
- Fulton Avenue. A commercial stretch with constant crossing activity near shops and bus stops.
- Peninsula Boulevard. A heavily traveled route where drivers often move faster than conditions allow.
- Main Street and Front Street. Downtown blocks near the Hempstead Transit Center, where buses, cars, and pedestrians share tight space.
- Terrace Avenue and Jackson Street. Residential corners where parked cars and mid-block crossings cut down on visibility.
The blocks around the transit center and bus hub draw the most foot traffic, and with it, the most risk.
What Are Important Local Resources for Hempstead Pedestrian Accidents?
If you were hurt while walking in Hempstead, a few contacts are worth keeping on hand for reports, records, and care after a crash.
- Hempstead Police Department: 516-483-6200. The Village of Hempstead’s police respond to local crashes and prepare reports for incidents within village limits.
- Nassau University Medical Center: 516-572-0123. The nearest Level I trauma center, located on Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow, treats many of the area’s most seriously injured patients.
- NYS DMV Crash Reports: 518-474-6518. Search for and order a certified copy of the crash report needed to support a claim.
We list these for convenience only. Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP does not endorse and is not affiliated with the organizations above.
About Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP
Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP has represented injured New Yorkers since the firm was founded in 1978. Founding partner Martin Schiowitz, who earned his law degree from New York Law School, built the firm around high-stakes injury and wrongful death work and has spent decades developing the trial attorneys who practice there today. Over the years, the firm’s attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for injury victims across Nassau County and beyond.
What Our Clients Say
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“They gave me excellent service. They were kind respectful and Professional and was always there for me throughout this process. Jeremy was very patient and his law firm were always very professional each and every time I called them he always returned My phone calls right away. I would definitely refer my family and friends to his law firm Thank You Jeremy for your outstanding service and support!! My outcome was very favorable.”
Diane Long
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Contact Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP
If a vehicle struck you while you were walking in Hempstead, you have options for recovery. Our Hempstead pedestrian accident lawyer reviews your case at no cost and explains those options in plain language. We take pedestrian accident cases on a contingency basis, so there are no fees unless we win. You can expect a straightforward look at what happened, what your claim may be worth, and what comes next. Our office answers calls around the clock. Contact us when you are ready, and we will take it from there.
