Newark Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

When a vehicle strikes a pedestrian, the outcome is almost always severe. Pedestrians have no frame around them, no airbag absorbing the impact, and nothing between their body and the weight of a moving vehicle. The injuries that result from these crashes, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal fractures, internal bleeding, and severe orthopedic damage, can take months or years to recover from and in many cases produce lasting impairment. If you were hit by a car, truck, or any other vehicle while on foot in Newark, you have the right to seek full compensation, and you should not face that process without experienced legal help.

Gray Injury Law has handled serious personal injury cases across New York and New Jersey since 1996. Founding attorney Mark Gray and trial attorney Peter Eliopoulos, who joined the firm in 2001, bring decades of combined experience to pedestrian accident claims, and our Newark office serves victims throughout Essex County. We investigate each case personally, move quickly to preserve evidence, and fight for every dollar our clients are owed.

Why Newark Pedestrians Are at Risk

Newark is New Jersey’s most populous city, with heavy foot traffic near Penn Station, along Broad Street and Market Street, and throughout the Ironbound, Vailsburg, and Weequahic neighborhoods. The city’s dense mix of residential streets, commercial corridors, and freight routes creates daily conflict between vehicles and pedestrians. Drivers who speed through crosswalks, run red lights, make right turns without yielding, or drive while distracted are responsible for the majority of pedestrian crashes in urban settings like Newark. In 2021, 220 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle accidents across New Jersey, accounting for approximately 30 percent of all traffic fatalities in the state that year.

Pedestrian injuries in these crashes are frequently severe. Among the most common and serious are traumatic brain injuries, which can result from the initial impact with the vehicle, the secondary impact with the pavement, or both. Our team has extensive experience documenting the full long-term impact of brain injuries and presenting that evidence to maximize what clients recover.

How No-Fault Insurance Applies to Pedestrian Accident Victims

New Jersey’s no-fault system extends to pedestrians as well as drivers. If you were struck by a vehicle, you may be able to access PIP coverage through the at-fault driver’s insurance policy to help pay for initial medical expenses, regardless of who was at fault. When your injuries are serious enough to meet the tort threshold, you may then pursue a separate claim against the driver for the full range of your damages, including pain and suffering, lost income, and long-term care costs.

Navigating both tracks, PIP and a direct liability claim, requires prompt action and careful documentation. Our attorneys evaluate your available coverage from the first consultation and ensure you are pursuing every avenue for recovery open to you under New Jersey law.

What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Newark

The steps you take in the hours immediately following a pedestrian accident can significantly affect your ability to recover compensation. We recommend the following:

• Call 911: An official police report creates the foundational record of the crash
• Seek medical care immediately: Some injuries, including internal bleeding and concussions, are not immediately apparent and worsen without treatment
• Document what you can: Photographs of the vehicle, the intersection, the crosswalk, and your visible injuries are valuable evidence
• Collect witness contact information: Bystanders who saw the crash can provide critical testimony
• Do not speak to the driver’s insurance company: Their adjuster is working to minimize your claim from the first call

Our team begins investigating the moment you retain us. We obtain surveillance footage, secure the police report, and speak with witnesses before their memories fade or the footage is overwritten.

Partial Fault and Comparative Negligence

Insurers often argue that the pedestrian contributed to the accident, for example by crossing outside a marked crosswalk or stepping into traffic unexpectedly. New Jersey’s comparative negligence rule means that partial fault does not eliminate your right to recover, as long as your share of fault does not exceed 50 percent. Your award is reduced proportionally. Our blog on what happens if multiple drivers are at fault explains how shared fault analysis works and what it means for your claim. We build the strongest possible case on your behalf and counter arguments designed to shift blame onto you.

The Two-Year Statute of Limitations

You have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim in New Jersey. Do not let time run out before taking action. If your accident involved a bicycle or another type of vehicle alongside the car that struck you, our bicycle accident page provides additional context on how those cases are handled.

Contact Gray Injury Law for a Free Consultation

Gray Injury Law handles pedestrian accident cases throughout Newark and Essex County on a contingency fee basis. You owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Mark Gray and his team are ready to evaluate your case, protect your rights, and fight for a full recovery on your behalf. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.