Buffalo Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

A pedestrian has almost no protection when a vehicle strikes them. In 2024, 7,080 pedestrians were killed and an estimated 71,635 were injured in U.S. traffic crashes, according to NHTSA’s 2024 pedestrian crash data. The number of estimated pedestrian injuries increased 5% from 2023.

At The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC, we represent pedestrians injured by negligent drivers throughout Buffalo and Western New York. A Buffalo Pedestrian Accident Lawyer from our team can investigate what happened, preserve evidence, deal with insurance companies, and help you understand the compensation that may be available without promising a particular result.

Why Choose Steve Boyd for Your Buffalo Pedestrian Accident Case?

We understand that no two pedestrian accident claims look alike, and neither do the people behind them. Our attorneys have spent years representing pedestrians struck by negligent, distracted, and impaired drivers throughout Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Tonawanda, and Batavia, and we bring that regional focus into every case we accept. When you work with our team, you gain a Buffalo pedestrian accident lawyer who already understands how local insurers, court calendars, and traffic patterns shape a case from day one.

Our track record speaks for itself. We have secured results such as a $3.1 million settlement for a car crash victim and $2 million for a family in a high-speed collision, among other significant recoveries for people hurt by negligent drivers throughout Western New York. Past results do not guarantee a future outcome, but they reflect the same preparation and dedication we bring to every pedestrian accident claim we accept.

We also recognize that a pedestrian accident rarely affects only the person struck. Medical bills accumulate, missed paychecks strain a household, and recovery can stretch across months or years. The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC accounts for that full picture rather than settling for whatever an insurer offers first.

Client Reviews

What Our Clients Are Saying About Us

Brian Gallagher

14.06. 2025

My wife had a car accident in which she was entitled to monetary damages. The attorneys here work diligently to fight, and fight some more against an auto carrier who wasn’t cooperating. My wife received her settlement and was made whole again and we would have settled for much less had it not been for the work of the attorneys at Steve Boyd’s office. Experienced and respected attorneys in their field got meaningful results for us. THANK you Steve Boyd PC. BRIAN

Chris day

03.08.2026

I will tell you just a great experience straight thru with updates when Steven Boyd said there be. He even personally came to my house to drop off paperwork. Never left hanging and have to chase for answers. A long time waiting and the day is now here to literally and figuratively change my life. God planned this at the right time which is now for my age and circumstances in life. Thanks for everything.

Therese Flannery

03.08.2026

Steve Boyd is one of those rare lawyers who has both the heart and grit to get things done. I highly recommend him and his firm for anyone in need of legal services. He is an exceptional attorney who provided outstanding support and guidance throughout my case, demonstrating the highest level of professionalism and expertise. I will always be grateful for all he did to help us, going above and beyond for his clients.

View More Reviews on Google Maps

What Should You Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Buffalo?

The first hours and days after a pedestrian crash can affect both your health and the evidence available later. You do not need to investigate the case yourself, but a few practical steps can help preserve information before it disappears:

• Get medical care: Even when you can stand or walk, some injuries may not be fully apparent at the scene.
• Report the crash: A police response can create an official record of where, when, and how the collision was reported.
• Document what you can: If your condition allows, preserve photographs of the vehicle, roadway, crosswalk, traffic signals, clothing, and visible injuries.
• Collect witness information: Names and contact information can matter when drivers, pedestrians, or nearby businesses saw what happened.
• Be careful with insurance statements: Before giving a detailed recorded statement or accepting an early offer, understand what the insurer is asking and why.

Nearby surveillance footage, vehicle information, photographs, and witness memories can become harder to obtain as time passes. You should not have to manage all of this while recovering. A Buffalo Pedestrian Accident Lawyer at The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC can step in, preserve available evidence, and explain the next stage of the claim.

How Can a Buffalo Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Help?

A Buffalo pedestrian accident lawyer can investigate the crash, identify every liable party, and negotiate with insurance companies so you do not have to face that process alone. Pedestrian cases often move faster and more favorably when an attorney is involved from the earliest stage, before evidence disappears and before an insurer has a chance to build its own narrative of what happened.

Our attorneys gather police reports, obtain surveillance footage from nearby businesses, and work with accident reconstruction professionals when fault is disputed. We also coordinate with your medical providers to ensure your treatment records clearly document the connection between the crash and your injuries, which strengthens your claim considerably.

Insurance adjusters routinely undervalue pedestrian injury claims, particularly when the victim has no legal representation. We calculate the full scope of your losses, including future medical care and lost earning capacity, rather than settling for whatever figure an insurer proposes first. When a fair settlement is not on the table, we prepare every case as though it may go to trial, which gives us leverage that a claimant negotiating alone simply does not have.

Causes of Pedestrian Injuries

Drivers can seriously injure pedestrians through many forms of negligent behavior. Current NHTSA data also shows that pedestrian fatalities remain disproportionately concentrated in darkness and urban areas.

Drunk Drivers

Alcohol involvement was reported for the driver, pedestrian, or both in 43% of fatal pedestrian crashes in 2024. An impaired driver may have reduced judgment, slower reactions, and difficulty recognizing someone entering or crossing the roadway.

Hit-and-Run Drivers

Nearly one out of every four pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2024 was struck by a hit-and-run driver. Leaving the scene can also complicate the investigation because identifying the vehicle becomes an immediate priority.

Distracted or Drowsy Drivers

A driver looking at a phone, navigation system, passenger, or another distraction may travel a substantial distance without recognizing a pedestrian. Drowsiness can create similar problems with attention and reaction time.

Time of Day and Location

NHTSA reports that 76% of pedestrian fatalities occurred in darkness in 2024 and 84% occurred in urban areas. Visibility, lighting, vehicle speed, and where drivers expect pedestrians can all become important evidence after a Buffalo collision.

Other Causes

Drivers who run traffic signals, make turns without checking crosswalks, speed, fail to yield, or approach areas with obstructed visibility can also cause serious pedestrian injuries.

Common Pedestrian Injuries

Unlike occupants inside passenger vehicles, pedestrians have almost nothing protecting them from the force of impact or from striking the roadway afterward.

Spinal Cord Injuries

A severe impact can damage the spinal cord or surrounding structures, potentially affecting movement, sensation, independence, and a person’s ability to work.

Brain Injuries

A pedestrian may suffer a traumatic brain injury when the head strikes a vehicle, pavement, or another object. Symptoms and long-term effects vary considerably depending on the severity and location of the injury.

Amputations

Crush injuries, severe trauma to an arm or leg, vascular damage, or complications following the collision can sometimes result in loss of a limb. An amputation can affect mobility, employment, medical needs, and everyday independence long after the crash.

Fractures

Pedestrians frequently suffer fractures because the force of a vehicle is transferred directly to the body. Some fractures require surgery, extensive rehabilitation, or significant time away from work.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Pedestrian Accident in New York?

The driver who struck the pedestrian is often the first person examined, but liability depends on the entire sequence of events. A driver may be responsible for speeding, failing to yield, driving while distracted or impaired, ignoring a traffic signal, or making a turn without accounting for someone in or near the roadway. Some crashes can involve more than one responsible party, making preservation of evidence about every vehicle and condition involved especially important. The fact that a pedestrian was outside a crosswalk or entered the roadway at a disputed point does not by itself end the analysis.

Fault attributed to the pedestrian also matters. The current version of New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 1411 states that, for personal-injury actions subject to Article 51 of the Insurance Law, a claimant’s culpable conduct can bar recovery when it is greater than the culpable conduct of the person or combined persons from whom recovery is sought. When it does not bar recovery, attributable fault can still reduce recoverable damages. Our attorneys examine crosswalk use, signals, visibility, vehicle movement, and other evidence rather than accepting an insurer’s percentage-of-fault argument at face value.

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Pedestrian Accident?

A pedestrian accident can create two problems at once: immediate expenses and losses that continue for months or years. New York Insurance Law § 5102 defines a pedestrian injured through the use or operation of a motor vehicle as a covered person and defines basic economic loss of up to $50,000 per person to include qualifying medical expenses, lost earnings, and certain other necessary expenses, subject to statutory limits. That figure describes basic economic loss under the no-fault system; it should not be confused with an estimate of an individual case’s value.

The same law also defines non-economic loss and categories of “serious injury,” including fractures, significant disfigurement, permanent loss of use, and certain permanent or significant limitations. Depending on the facts and legal path available, losses connected to a pedestrian crash may include medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other accident-related costs. Our attorneys look beyond the first hospital bill to understand how an injury affects work, mobility, independence, and future needs.

Unsure if you have a case? Let’s have a conversation; it will be completely confidential. We’ll believe you. We’ll walk you through the process so that you understand what this is, what we’ll do, and how your case will go as we stand with you every single step of the way.

Steve Boyd

free case consultation call us: 716-600-0000

How Insurance Companies Handle Pedestrian Accident Claims

Insurance companies investigate pedestrian crashes with their own financial interests in mind. An adjuster may request a recorded statement, focus heavily on whether the pedestrian used a crosswalk, argue that the person was difficult to see, dispute the severity of an injury, or make an early offer before the long-term medical picture is clear. A quick offer can sound useful when bills are arriving, but it may come before the full extent of treatment, time away from work, or future limitations is understood.

Our attorneys compare those arguments against the available evidence. We look at police documentation, photographs, video, witness accounts, medical records, wage information, and the sequence of events leading to impact. If an insurer tries to place too much responsibility on the pedestrian or minimize the consequences of the crash, we can respond with evidence supporting the claim. Involving counsel early can also help develop the case before important evidence becomes more difficult to obtain.

Where Do Pedestrian Accidents Commonly Happen in Buffalo?

Pedestrian crashes can occur wherever foot traffic and motor vehicles regularly cross paths: intersections, turning lanes, parking-lot entrances, commercial corridors, transit areas, and stretches of roadway where someone must cross outside a signalized intersection. Nationally, 73% of pedestrian fatalities in 2024 occurred at non-intersection locations, while 76% occurred in darkness. Those patterns make visibility, speed, and driver attention important when reconstructing how a Buffalo collision happened.

The local numbers show that the danger is not theoretical. According to Erie County’s StreetSmart road-safety data, the county recorded 210 fatal motor-vehicle crashes and 46 pedestrian deaths between 2020 and 2023. During the first half of 2025, officials also reported 118 crashes involving pedestrians, cyclists, or skaters. The campaign focuses on safety across roads, sidewalks, and parking lots throughout Erie County. If you were struck while walking in Buffalo, The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC can review where the collision happened and what evidence may establish responsibility.

Contact a Buffalo Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

If you were injured while walking in Buffalo, speak with a Buffalo Pedestrian Accident Lawyer at The Law Offices of Steve Boyd, PC. Our attorneys can review what happened, explain your legal options, and help preserve evidence supporting your claim. Call (716) 600-0000 for a free, no-obligation case review.

Steve Boyd

Since 1999, Steve has been a beacon of hope for survivors, representing them with utmost dedication in the most challenging times of their lives. Catastrophic injuries, accidents, sexual abuse, wrongful death incidents – your battle becomes his. Recognized by peers and clients alike, Steve successfully leverages his years of experience to secure substantial verdicts and settlements for clients. Representing over 3,000 personal injury survivors in New York State and Pennsylvania, his accolades speak for his unwavering resolve.

free case consultation call us: 716-600-0000