Alaska Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Former insurance defense background protecting you now

Attorney James Crowson spent years defending insurance companies before switching to represent injury victims. That experience gives us an insider’s view of insurer strategies and counterarguments that blame pedestrians for driver carelessness.

Real-time case access through secure portal

With our “My Crowson Case” portal, we’re the only personal injury firm in Alaska offering clients 24/7 online access to their files. Track your case progress and review documents from any device.

No upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs

We work on a contingency basis and advance all case expenses, including expert fees and investigation costs. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Available when accidents happen

Pedestrian accidents don’t follow business hours. Call us anytime at (907) 777-7777, text us for convenience, or contact us online. If injuries prevent travel, we come to you.

How Alaska Law Protects Pedestrians

Alaska traffic law establishes clear protections for people on foot. Drivers must yield to pedestrians lawfully crossing in marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections. This legal framework places responsibility on motorists to watch for pedestrians and slow down when approaching crossings.

However, pedestrians also bear some responsibility. Crossing mid-block outside designated areas or entering traffic suddenly without giving drivers a reasonable opportunity to stop might affect your ability to recover compensation. Alaska’s modified comparative negligence rule (Alaska Statute 09.17.060) means that sharing fault reduces your compensation proportionally. Never accept blame for an accident, and always consult a lawyer when the opposing side blames you. 

These legal nuances require careful analysis. Insurance companies often argue that pedestrians contributed to accidents by wearing dark clothing, crossing against signals, or failing to use designated crosswalks. Your attorney counters these arguments with traffic camera footage, witness statements, and accident reconstruction showing the driver’s primary responsibility.

Alaska DOT&PF acknowledges that pedestrians might be present anywhere, even outside sidewalks, shoulders, and crosswalks. This recognition places heightened duty on drivers to remain vigilant, eliminate distractions, moderate speeds, and drive sober.

What Makes Pedestrian Accidents Different From Other Collisions?

Pedestrians lack any protective structure when vehicles strike them. A collision that might cause minor damage to another car creates catastrophic injuries when the victim is on foot. Broken bones, head trauma, spinal injuries, and internal organ damage occur frequently in pedestrian crashes.

Alaska’s winter conditions compound these dangers. Dark mornings and evenings reduce visibility. Snow and ice limit driver reaction time and stopping distance, especially when driving at speeds too high for road conditions. Maintenance issues, such as uncleared sidewalks, force pedestrians into roadways where they face greater risk.

Downtown Anchorage sees particularly high pedestrian traffic near the courthouse, transit centers, and business districts. Wasilla’s growing commercial corridors create increased interaction between vehicles and people on foot. Rural highways present different challenges where pedestrians walking along roads face vehicles traveling at highway speeds.

What Financial Recovery Looks Like After Getting Hit by a Car

Pedestrian injuries create expenses that insurance companies try to minimize by offering quick settlements before you understand the full extent of your losses. Building a complete claim requires documenting every category of damage and projecting future needs. Depending on your specific case, you may be able to pursue compensation for the following damages:

• Medical expenses: Emergency transport, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, medication, assistive devices, and future treatment for injuries requiring ongoing care
• Lost income: Missed work during recovery, depleted leave benefits, reduced earning capacity when injuries prevent returning to your previous job or limit hours worked
• Pain and suffering: Physical discomfort from injuries, emotional trauma from the crash, anxiety about crossing streets, depression from lifestyle limitations, and reduced quality of life
• Property damage: Destroyed clothing, broken eyeglasses, damaged phones or other personal items carried during the crash

Serious pedestrian accidents often involve multiple fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and road rash requiring skin grafts. Such injuries often demand multiple surgeries, extended rehabilitation, and create permanent limitations affecting employment, daily activities, and quality of life.

Do I Need a Lawyer If the Driver’s Insurance Contacts Me?

Insurance adjusters contact injured pedestrians quickly, often within hours of accidents. They present themselves as helpful while asking questions designed to minimize liability and reduce compensation. They may seek recorded statements, medical authorizations, and quick settlements — all before you have the chance to speak with an attorney.

Initial settlement offers fall short of covering future medical needs and lost earning capacity, and they usually don’t account for psychological and emotional trauma, either. Working with a lawyer steers you away from quick payments that close your claim before you understand the full financial impact of your injuries.

The experienced Alaska pedestrian accident lawyers at Crowson Law Group protect you from these standard tactics. We handle all communications with insurers so you don’t inadvertently say or sign anything that could harm your claim.

Protecting Your Pedestrian Injury Claim

The steps you take immediately after getting hit by a car can directly impact your ability to recover fair compensation. Even while receiving medical treatment, you must protect your legal rights.

• Hire a pedestrian accident attorney before speaking with insurers: Legal representation protects you from questions designed to undermine your claim or secure low settlements before injury severity becomes clear.
• Follow all medical treatment recommendations: Attend every appointment and complete prescribed therapies; gaps in care give insurers ammunition to argue injuries weren’t serious or you failed to mitigate damages.
• Document your recovery and limitations: Keep a journal recording pain levels, activities you’re unable to perform, emotional struggles, and how injuries affect work and family responsibilities.
• Preserve physical evidence: Don’t discard torn or damaged clothing, broken personal items, or anything else from the accident until your attorney documents everything.
• Report the accident to authorities: File a police report establishing an official record of the crash, driver information, and the circumstances surrounding the collision

Alaska’s two-year statute of limitations for personal injury (Alaska Statute 09.10.070) and wrongful death (§ 09.55.580) claims means you have limited time to file. Evidence disappears, witnesses relocate, and memories fade the longer you wait.

FAQs About Alaska Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

What if I was jaywalking when the car hit me?

Crossing outside designated areas might affect your compensation under Alaska’s comparative negligence rule, but it doesn’t automatically eliminate recovery. Your attorney presents evidence showing the driver still had a duty to watch for pedestrians and avoid hitting you despite the crossing location.

How much does a pedestrian accident lawyer in Alaska cost?

Crowson Law Group works on contingency, meaning no upfront fees and payment only if we win your case. Our fee comes as a percentage of your settlement or verdict, so you never pay out of pocket for representation.

What if the driver who hit me doesn’t have insurance?

Uninsured motorist coverage on your own auto policy might provide compensation when at-fault drivers lack insurance. Your attorney reviews all available coverage sources and pursues every option for recovery.

How long does a pedestrian accident case take?

Case timelines vary based on injury severity, liability disputes, and whether settlement negotiations succeed or litigation becomes necessary. Simple cases resolve faster than complex claims involving serious injuries. Once we know all the details, our pedestrian accident lawyers can give you a clearer idea of how long your case may take. 

Can I still recover compensation if I was crossing against a signal?

Alaska’s comparative negligence rule allows recovery if you’re less than 50% responsible, though your compensation drops by your fault percentage. Your attorney builds evidence minimizing your responsibility while maximizing the driver’s duty to avoid hitting pedestrians.

Get Legal Help After a Pedestrian Accident

Pedestrian accidents throughout Anchorage, Wasilla, and surrounding Alaska communities create serious injuries that demand experienced legal representation. At Crowson Law Group, we’ve spent more than a decade helping injured Alaskans fight for fair compensation while they focus on recovery.

We know how to document pedestrian crash injuries, counter insurance tactics that blame victims for driver negligence, and build claims that reflect the true cost of your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Don’t let insurance companies exploit crossing locations or visibility conditions to deny compensation you need for injuries caused by driver carelessness. Evidence disappears, witnesses relocate, and insurers gain advantages the longer you wait to protect your rights.

Call our Anchorage or Wasilla office at (907) 777-7777 or contact us online for a free consultation available 24/7, because pedestrian accidents don’t always happen during business hours, and cases as serious as these should never wait.