Fighting for Injured Pedestrians and the Compensation They Deserve
If a driver hit you while you were walking in Garden City, you may be facing hospital bills, lost paychecks, and painful injuries you did not cause. The Saul Law Firm helps injured pedestrians across Long Island and New York City hold negligent drivers accountable and pursue full compensation. A Garden City personal injury attorney from our family-run firm will deal with the insurance companies, protect your rights, and fight for the medical care, lost wages, and financial recovery you need, all on a contingency basis with no attorneys’ fee unless we win.
Why Choose The Saul Law Firm?
When you are injured in a pedestrian accident, you need more than a lawyer who files paperwork. You need a team that will guide you, listen to your concerns, and fight for the full value of your claim. At The Saul Law Firm, you work directly with a husband-and-wife team that treats clients like people, not case files. Our firm offers:
- More than 25 years of personal injury experience led by Richard D. Saul
- A history of securing millions of dollars for injured New Yorkers
- Personal, one-on-one attention from start to finish
- No fee unless we win your case
- Free, confidential consultations
- A trial-ready approach that puts pressure on insurers to take your claim seriously
After a pedestrian accident, you may be facing pain, uncertainty, and a long road to recovery. The Saul Law Firm stands ready to provide the steady guidance, personal attention, and determined advocacy injured pedestrians need when the stakes are high.
How New York Law Protects Injured Pedestrians
New York gives people on foot strong legal protections. When traffic signals are not controlling an intersection, drivers must yield to people crossing in a crosswalk, slowing or stopping if needed to let them pass. Every driver also has a legal duty to use reasonable care to avoid hitting a pedestrian anywhere on the road, and to sound the horn when necessary.
When a driver ignores these duties and causes a collision, the driver can be held financially responsible for the harm. We also handle crosswalk accident claims across the area. We investigate how the crash happened, gather police reports, video, and witness statements, and build a clear picture of who was at fault so you can pursue full compensation.
Who Pays for Your Medical Bills After a Pedestrian Accident?
A pedestrian struck by a car in New York is a covered person under the state’s No-Fault system. No-Fault benefits are usually paid by the auto insurer of the vehicle that struck you, though if you own a car, your own auto policy may be the source instead. Either way, these benefits pay your medical expenses and a portion of your lost earnings, up to a basic economic loss limit of fifty thousand dollars, no matter who caused the crash.
No-Fault benefits come with a strict deadline. You generally must notify the insurer in writing within 30 days of the accident, so it is important to act quickly. We help injured pedestrians complete and file the No-Fault application correctly and on time so these benefits are not lost.
When Can You Sue the Driver for Pain and Suffering?
No-fault benefits do not cover all losses. To sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering and other noneconomic damages after a motor vehicle accident, your injury must meet New York’s serious injury threshold.
Under New York Insurance Law §5102(d), serious injury includes:
- Death
- Dismemberment
- Significant disfigurement
- A fracture
- Loss of a fetus
- Permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function or system
- Permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member
- Significant limitation of use of a body function or system
New York eliminated the older 90/180-day category of serious injury in 2026, so it is no longer a way to meet this threshold. Many pedestrian injuries meet this standard because people on foot have no protection in a collision. We regularly represent clients with:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Broken bones and crush injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Serious lacerations and permanent scarring
- Amputations
If your injury qualifies, you can pursue full compensation for medical costs, lost income, future care, and the physical and emotional toll of the crash. In the most tragic cases, families who lose a loved one can bring a wrongful death lawsuit for their losses.
What If You Were Partly at Fault?
Insurance companies often argue that the pedestrian was to blame, perhaps for crossing outside a crosswalk or stepping into the road. Even if that is partly true, you may still have a claim.
New York recently changed how fault affects motor vehicle cases, which include pedestrian crashes. According to the law that took effect in late May 2026, an injured pedestrian who is found more than 50 percent at fault for the crash generally cannot recover from the driver. If your share of fault is 50 percent or less, you can still recover, but your compensation is reduced in proportion to your share of the blame. Cases involving a death are treated differently and follow the older, more forgiving rule.
Because fault now carries more weight than ever, we push back hard against unfair attempts to shift blame onto injured clients. An attorney can explain how this recent change applies to your specific case. We push back against unfair attempts to shift blame onto injured clients.
Deadlines for Filing a Pedestrian Accident Claim
Time limits control every injury case, and missing one can end your claim before it starts. In New York, you generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a pedestrian accident is fatal, a wrongful death claim must usually be filed within two years of the date of death. Different and often much shorter deadlines can apply when a city, town, or public agency may be responsible, which is one more reason to speak with a lawyer soon after a crash.
Talk to a Garden City Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
If you or someone you love was hurt in a pedestrian accident in Garden City or anywhere across Long Island and New York City, do not face the insurance companies alone. Contact The Saul Law Firm today for a free consultation. We will review your case, explain your options, and start protecting your rights right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim in New York?
You generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in New York. If the accident caused a death, a wrongful death claim usually must be filed within two years of the date of death. Separate No-Fault deadlines apply much sooner, including written notice to the insurer within 30 days, so it is best to contact a lawyer quickly.
Who pays my medical bills if I was hit by a car while walking?
Because a pedestrian hit by a vehicle is a covered person under New York’s No-Fault system, the driver’s auto insurance generally pays your medical expenses and part of your lost wages up to a basic economic loss limit of fifty thousand dollars, regardless of fault. If your injury is serious, you can also sue the driver for additional compensation, including pain and suffering.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
You may still recover, but the rules changed in 2026. For a pedestrian injury case, if you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you generally cannot recover from the driver. If your share is 50 percent or less, you can recover, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies often exaggerate a pedestrian’s role in a crash, so having an experienced attorney protect your side of the story matters more than ever.