Philadelphia Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Sean Quinlan represents pedestrians struck by drivers across Philadelphia — from Roosevelt Boulevard, the most dangerous road in the city, to Broad Street, Market Street, and the Center City crosswalks. Philadelphia averages roughly 100 pedestrian deaths a year, and our office handles the SEPTA bus, rideshare, hit-and-run, and uninsured-driver complications that distinguish city pedestrian cases from suburban ones.
Why Philadelphia pedestrian crashes demand a local lawyer
Roosevelt Boulevard is the deadliest road in Philadelphia. US-1 / Roosevelt Boulevard accounts for a disproportionate share of city pedestrian fatalities — 12 lanes, high speeds, long blocks between signals, and inadequate crossings. We know the camera locations, the speed-camera data PennDOT and the Philadelphia Parking Authority maintain, and the engineering history the City has been sued over.
Pedestrians in marked crosswalks have full tort rights. Under 75 Pa. C.S. § 1705(f), pedestrians and bicyclists are not bound by the limited-tort election on their household auto policy. Even if you selected limited tort, you can recover full non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and loss of life's pleasures — and your driver's auto insurance pays your medical bills first under Pennsylvania's no-fault scheme.
Hit-and-run is common — and recoverable. Philadelphia has a serious hit-and-run problem. If the driver fled, you can still recover under the uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto policy (or a resident relative's policy), and we stack UM across every household vehicle. We also pull SEPTA, PPA, and private-business surveillance to identify fleeing drivers.
SEPTA, rideshare, and commercial drivers add coverage layers. If you were hit by a SEPTA bus or trolley, by an Uber/Lyft driver, by a delivery van (Amazon DSP, FedEx, food delivery), or by a city or municipal vehicle, additional insurance policies and notice deadlines apply. SEPTA and city claims have a 6-month written notice requirement under 42 Pa. C.S. § 5522 — miss it and the claim is barred.
Trauma care drives case value. Serious Philadelphia pedestrian victims are typically taken to Penn Presbyterian, Jefferson, Temple, or Hahnemann's successor trauma centers. We coordinate with trauma surgeons, neurologists, and orthopedists to document traumatic brain injury, pelvic fractures, and lower-extremity injuries in the records and language juries understand.
How we build your Philadelphia pedestrian crash case
- 1
Secure surveillance video within 72 hours from SEPTA, the Philadelphia Parking Authority red-light/speed cameras, and surrounding businesses — most retention windows are 7–30 days.
- 2
Identify every available insurance policy: the driver's liability, your own UM/UIM (stacked across all household vehicles), MedPay, and any commercial, rideshare, or municipal policy.
- 3
If hit-and-run, file the police report immediately and pursue UM recovery while we work to identify the driver through camera and witness canvass.
- 4
If a city or SEPTA vehicle is involved, serve the 6-month written notice required by 42 Pa. C.S. § 5522.
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Build the medical case at Penn, Jefferson, Temple, or Einstein and pursue full compensatory damages in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas — a plaintiff-friendly venue.
What you may recover after a Philadelphia pedestrian crash
Philadelphia pedestrian cases are catastrophic by nature — a person against a 4,000-pound vehicle — and Philadelphia juries return some of the most significant pain and suffering verdicts in Pennsylvania. Full tort applies, and recovery includes both economic and non-economic damages.
- Emergency, surgical, and rehabilitation costs at Penn Presbyterian, Jefferson, Temple, or Einstein
- Future medical care for traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, and orthopedic reconstruction
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and loss of life's pleasures (full tort under 75 Pa. C.S. § 1705(f))
- Disfigurement and scarring from road rash, degloving, and surgical scars
- Out-of-pocket medical, prescription, and mobility-aid costs
- Wrongful death and survival damages under 42 Pa. C.S. §§ 8301–8302 for fatal crashes
High-risk areas for Philadelphia pedestrian crashes
Most dangerous Philadelphia roads
- Roosevelt Boulevard (US-1) — Northeast Philly's pedestrian-fatality leader
- Broad Street (N. and S.) — high-volume signalized crashes
- Market Street and JFK Blvd — Center City crosswalk strikes
- Aramingo Avenue and Frankford Avenue (River Wards)
- Lancaster Avenue (West Philly) — SEPTA trolley and bus zone
High-risk situations
- SEPTA bus and trolley left-hooks at unsignalized intersections
- Rideshare pickup/drop-off in travel lanes (Center City, Temple, Penn)
- Hit-and-run on Roosevelt Blvd and I-95 service roads
- Delivery vans (Amazon DSP, food couriers) blocking sidewalks
- Snow- and rain-related visibility crashes near schools and senior centers
Talk to Sean Quinlan about your Philadelphia pedestrian crash.
No Fee Unless We Win. Call now or request a free case review and Sean Quinlan will personally evaluate your case.