Pedestrian Accident Injuries · Greater New Orleans
Metairie & New Orleans Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
A person on foot has nothing to protect them. When a car strikes a pedestrian, the injuries are almost always serious — and too often fatal.
In a walkable, traffic-heavy area like Greater New Orleans, where people cross busy streets like Veterans, Canal, St. Charles, and the roads around the French Quarter and the CBD every day, pedestrian accidents happen far more than they should. At Bono Law Firm, we've represented injured Louisianans since 1980, and we fight for people hurt while walking, jogging, or simply crossing the street. If you or a family member was hit by a vehicle, you talk directly with an attorney named Bono — John C. Bono or Michael P. Bono — not a case manager, and you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
Some firms are built for volume. Bono Law Firm is built for personal attention.
The bias pedestrians face — and how we fight it
Just like motorcyclists, injured pedestrians run into an unfair assumption: that they "darted out," "weren't in a crosswalk," or "weren't paying attention." Insurance companies lean on this hard, because shifting blame onto the pedestrian reduces what they have to pay — and under Louisiana's 2026 comparative-fault rule, if they can push your share of fault to 51% or more, they can avoid paying anything at all.
The reality is usually different. Most pedestrian accidents happen because a driver wasn't paying attention, was speeding, ran a light or stop sign, failed to yield at a crosswalk, or was distracted by a phone. Proving what actually happened — through witnesses, traffic and signal data, video, and accident reconstruction — is how we keep the blame where it belongs. That kind of careful, hands-on work is what makes us different.
Where and how pedestrian accidents happen
- Crosswalk and intersection collisions — drivers who fail to yield to someone lawfully crossing
- Turning drivers who turn right or left into a pedestrian in the crosswalk
- Backing-up accidents in parking lots and driveways
- Distracted driving — the driver on a phone who never sees the person crossing
- Failure to stop at signals and stop signs
- Poorly designed or poorly lit roadways, where a government entity or contractor may share responsibility
- Hit-and-run — where your own uninsured motorist coverage may provide the path to recovery
Pedestrian injuries are often catastrophic
With no protection between the body and the vehicle, pedestrian injuries are among the most severe we handle:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Multiple fractures
- Internal organ damage
- Severe lacerations and permanent scarring
- Amputations
- Wrongful death
These injuries carry enormous costs — surgeries, long rehabilitation, lost income, and lifelong care. A fair recovery has to account for the future, not just the bills already on the table, and that takes careful work to prove. You can see the kind of outcomes we fight for in our case results.
What to do after a pedestrian accident
- Get medical care immediately. Pedestrian injuries are frequently worse than they first appear, especially head and internal injuries.
- Call the police so there's an official report.
- Get the driver's information and the names and numbers of any witnesses.
- Photograph the scene if you're able — the location, the crosswalk or intersection, the vehicle, your injuries. If you can't, ask someone to.
- Note any cameras — traffic cameras, business security cameras, and doorbell cameras nearby often capture these crashes, and that footage gets overwritten quickly.
- Don't give a recorded statement to the driver's insurer before talking to a lawyer.
- Call us for a free consultation.
Move fast on the video. Traffic, business, and doorbell cameras near the scene often capture exactly what happened — but that footage is frequently overwritten within days. The sooner we're involved, the sooner we can send preservation letters before the evidence is gone.
If the driver fled or had no insurance
Hit-and-run pedestrian accidents are tragically common. If the driver fled or had no insurance, you are not necessarily out of options — your own auto policy's uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage often applies to pedestrian injuries, even though you weren't in a car. This is exactly the kind of coverage people don't realize they have, and finding it is part of what we do.
No fee unless we recover
Hit while walking? Let's talk — for free.
Since 1980, Bono Law Firm has represented more than 6,000 injured people — including pedestrians and their families — across Jefferson, Orleans, St. Tammany, St. Charles, and the surrounding parishes. Consultations are free, home and hospital visits are available, our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and there's no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Free Consultation — Call (504) 835-9909Direct attorney access · No fee unless we recover · Se Habla Español
Common questions
Pedestrian accident FAQ
The driver's insurer says I was at fault for crossing wrong — does that end my claim?
Not necessarily, but it's why the fight over fault matters so much now. Under Louisiana's 2026 rule, if your share of fault reaches 51% or more you can be barred from recovering — so insurers push blame onto the pedestrian on purpose. We use witnesses, signal and traffic data, and video to keep the blame where it belongs.
I was hit by a hit-and-run driver — can I still recover anything?
Often, yes. Your own auto policy's uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage frequently applies to pedestrian injuries even though you weren't in a vehicle. Many people don't realize they have this protection — finding and pursuing it is part of what we do.
Is there really video of my accident?
There often is — from traffic cameras, nearby businesses, and doorbell cameras. The problem is that footage is usually overwritten within days, so getting a lawyer involved quickly to preserve it can make or break the case.
How long do I have to file?
For accidents on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana generally allows two years, though older accidents and certain situations can differ. Because video and witness memories fade fast, don't wait — the first call is free.
Hit by a vehicle while walking in Greater New Orleans? Talk to a firm that will fight the blame-shifting and account for the full cost of a serious injury.
Direct attorney access · No fee unless we recover · Se Habla Español
