New Orleans Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Protecting Injured Walkers for Over 50 Years

When a careless driver strikes you on a New Orleans street or crosswalk, our pedestrian accident lawyers protect your case under Louisiana’s crosswalk-yield law and the 2026 fault rules.

How Our New Orleans Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Help Injured Walkers

After a pedestrian crash in New Orleans, the first few days are critical. Evidence doesn’t stay in place for long, so we move quickly to preserve it. That can mean securing scene photos before the area changes, pulling traffic-camera footage before it’s overwritten, getting timely medical evaluation for head or orthopedic injuries, and dealing with the insurance company before they start shaping the narrative.

Pedestrian cases often come down to very specific details. We gather the police report, crosswalk markings, signal timing, and nearby video or business footage while it’s still available. In many cases, witnesses become key, especially when there’s disagreement about whether the person was in the crosswalk or crossing mid-block.

Once the facts are in place, the focus shifts to how Louisiana’s comparative fault rules apply to what happened. Location matters more than people expect, since traffic patterns and visibility conditions across New Orleans intersections can change how fault is argued and divided.

If an insurer refuses to take responsibility, the case is filed in New Orleans or Metairie and pushed into litigation. Some cases only move once that step is taken.

Early legal guidance helps protect evidence and clarify where the case stands before important details are lost or disputed.

Speak with a New Orleans pedestrian accident lawyer about what happened.

Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Have Recovered Millions for Clients

These are a few of the personal injury outcomes we’ve achieved for clients in the New Orleans area.

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    PERSONAL INJURIES

  • $240 K

    PERSONAL INJURIES

  • $275 K

    PERSONAL INJURIES

  • $315 K

    PERSONAL INJURIES

Why Injured Pedestrians in New Orleans Choose Charbonnet Law Firm

People choose Charbonnet Law Firm because pedestrian cases in New Orleans are won or lost on local detail. Where the crash happened, how that intersection usually behaves, how juries here tend to view pedestrians, all of it matters. Our attorneys grew up here and have spent decades handling these cases in the same courts where they are decided.

That local experience also shows up in how we build cases. We know which intersections along Canal, Claiborne, and the French Quarter tend to rely on camera footage, which ones depend on witnesses, and how quickly that evidence disappears if it’s not preserved early. That timing often changes the direction of a claim.

Pedestrian cases also tend to involve serious injuries, making valuation more complex. We work with treating doctors and specialists early, so the medical impact is properly documented, not minimized or rushed into a low settlement range by an insurer.

There’s no upfront cost to start. The firm works on a contingency basis, so the focus remains on building the case properly and ensuring the outcome reflects the real harm, not an early insurance estimate.

Helpful Resources for Pedestrian Accident Victims in New Orleans

How a Pedestrian Accident Claim Really Works: Step by Step

From the first call to the final resolution, a pedestrian accident claim in New Orleans follows a clear path.

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    Free Consultation

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    Accident
    Investigation

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    Medical
    Documentation

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    Insurance
    Negotiation

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    Filing a Lawsuit
    (if Necessary)

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    Litigate
    Case

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    Trial or
    Settlement

It usually starts with a conversation about what happened and whatever you already have in hand. That includes a crash report, a few photos, and maybe early medical records. From there, the focus shifts quickly to what still exists and what might disappear soon.

In pedestrian cases, that often means crosswalk signals, nearby camera footage, business surveillance, and witness accounts. Those details don’t stay available for long, so they tend to shape the case early.

Once treatment is underway, the case becomes about documenting the injury in full and dealing with the insurance company so you’re not carrying that back-and-forth while recovering. The demand comes later, once the medical picture and impact are clear. Some cases settle at that point. Others don’t, and those move into litigation.

Most pedestrian claims resolve within months. The more serious injuries take longer, not because the process changes, but because the case’s real value only becomes clear over time.

What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident in New Orleans

Right after a pedestrian crash, focus on safety and what you can still document. If it’s safe, stay at the scene and call 911. Get the driver’s details if possible and take photos of everything around you: crosswalk markings, signals, where the car ended up, your injuries, and the road itself. If the driver leaves, try to note the plate number or anything you remember about the vehicle.

See a doctor as soon as possible, even if you feel basically okay. A pedestrian head injury, a concussion, or a mild brain injury often does not show itself until hours or days later. Make sure the crash is reported to NOPD or the Louisiana State Police. Do not give the at-fault driver’s adjuster a recorded statement before you have advice, because those statements get edited into something they were not, weeks down the line.

Hold on to the clothes and shoes you were wearing (they can help with an accident reconstruction later). Stay off social media about the crash. Talk to a New Orleans pedestrian accident lawyer early, while the evidence is still there to protect.

Three Generations of New Orleans Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

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Speak with a New Orleans pedestrian accident lawyer about what happened.

Experiences from Our New Orleans Pedestrian Accident Clients

Pedestrians injured across New Orleans have trusted us with their cases. Here’s what some of those clients have said about working with our team.

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    “I walked in as a client and walked out as a friend. If you are good at what you do, you will never need expensive ads to prove it. Good outshines the rest and in volatile times such as now always go for the good and at Charbonnet Law Firm you will be treated as humans and not just a case file. It’s my word of mouth endorsement and I approve this message.”

    A. Bajaj

    Client

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    “It’s easy to get caught up in lies. These days it’s hard to weed out good from bad. The best endorsement is what comes from people, not the lawyers’ own endorsements, paid celebrity endorsements or actors telling you they made millions. Charbonnet law firm has no expensive ads because they have happy clients. I am one of them!”

    J. Kelly

    Client

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    “If I had to sum it up in short Charbonnet Law Firm has a team that treats everyone with respect and esteem. Kindness is apparent as soon as you walk into the office, don’t be just a case number! I am not just saying it I am a client too!”

    B. Smith

    Client

Pedestrian Accident Statistics and Crash Risks in New Orleans (Based on Recent Data)

Louisiana pedestrian crash volume and NOLA-area risk

Louisiana ranks 3rd in the country, tied with South Carolina, in Smart Growth America’s “Dangerous by Design 2024” report. It counted 791 pedestrian deaths in the state from 2018 to 2022, an annual rate of 3.41 per 100,000, and 76% of them happened on state-owned roads (Source: Smart Growth America, May 2024). The same report puts the New Orleans–Metairie metro tied for 21st most dangerous in the nation, at 3.12 pedestrian deaths a year per 100,000. That tracks with the corridors locals already avoid on foot: Claiborne under the I-10 overpass, Tulane Avenue, Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Carrollton Avenue, and the French Quarter at closing time.

Why pedestrian fatality risk is rising

In 2024, 161 pedestrians were killed in Louisiana traffic crashes, up from 147 the year before (Source: LHSC / LSU CARTS, March 2025 preliminary). Nationally, drivers struck and killed 7,148 pedestrians in 2024, down 4.3% from 2023 but still about 80% higher than in 2009 (Source: GHSA, July 2025). Louisiana is moving the wrong way. The national number is barely improving. In an environment that is so dangerous, insurers contest the fault question hard, and that is exactly where the in-crosswalk-versus-mid-block rules under R.S. 32:212 and R.S. 32:213 carry real weight.

Key FAQs on Louisiana Pedestrian Accident Laws

  • How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim in Louisiana?

    In most cases, you have two years from the date of the crash if the injury happened on or after July 1, 2024. That comes from Louisiana’s updated filing deadline under Act 423 of 2024. If the crash happened before that date, the old one-year deadline may still apply.

    The timeline matters more than people expect. Once it passes, the right to bring a claim is usually gone, no matter how strong the case is.

  • Does a pedestrian always have the right-of-way in a Louisiana crosswalk?

    Not always, but it’s the strongest position a pedestrian can have. In Louisiana, drivers are required to yield to pedestrians in a marked crosswalk under R.S. 32:212. Even so, pedestrians still have to follow traffic signals under R.S. 32:213, so it isn’t an unlimited right-of-way.

    If you were in a crosswalk with the signal, the law is generally on your side, and fault is harder to place on the pedestrian.

  • What if I were hit while crossing mid-block (not at a crosswalk)?

    Mid-block crossings are treated differently. Under R.S. 32:213, pedestrians are expected to yield to vehicles outside a crosswalk. That doesn’t end the claim, though. Drivers still have a duty under R.S. 32:214 to avoid a collision when possible.

    In these cases, the outcome usually depends on how fault is apportioned under Louisiana’s comparative fault rules. If a pedestrian is found 51% or more at fault, recovery is barred. Below that, compensation is reduced based on a percentage.

  • Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?

    Yes. Louisiana allows recovery as long as your share of fault is 50% or less. That rule changed under the state’s updated comparative fault system in 2026. If the fault goes beyond that line, recovery is no longer allowed, which is why that percentage becomes one of the most important parts of the case.

  • Can I claim under my own auto UM/UIM policy as a pedestrian?

    Yes. Even though you were on foot, your own auto uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage applies if you were struck by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver. Louisiana’s UM-offer statute (R.S. 22:1295) requires UM coverage to be offered on every auto policy in the state unless waived in writing. This is one of the most frequently missed recoveries in pedestrian cases; we check it on every intake.

  • Which areas of New Orleans are most dangerous for pedestrians?

    Louisiana ranks 3rd nationally in Smart Growth America’s “Dangerous by Design 2024”; the New Orleans–Metairie metro is tied for 21st most dangerous, with 3.12 deaths per 100,000 annually. Corridors that recur in the local crash data include Claiborne Avenue under the I-10 elevated section, Tulane Avenue, Veterans Memorial Boulevard in Metairie, Carrollton Avenue, and the French Quarter pedestrian zone around Canal and Bourbon.

  • What damages can I claim after a pedestrian accident?

    Louisiana law allows two types of damages after a pedestrian accident: economic damages for medical bills, lost wages, and future care, and non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and emotional distress. In fatal cases, families may also pursue wrongful death damages under Civil Code Article 2315.2.

  • Should I give the driver’s insurance adjuster a recorded statement?

    No. Adjusters are trained to record statements that minimize the insurer’s liability. Even an innocent remark can be edited into an admission of fault weeks later. The sentence to use: “I’m represented; please contact my attorney.” Then call us.

Speak with a New Orleans pedestrian accident lawyer about what happened.

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