Burbank Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

You were crossing at a light, walking to a bus stop or heading to your car, and a driver hit you. Now you are hurt, and the first question from the other side is why you were in the road. On paper, Burbank has a real pedestrian problem. The state's 2022 and 2023 crash rankings put the city high for pedestrian victims, and especially high for people over 65. Below you will find what that ranking means, the crosswalk rules that protect you, the streets where walkers get hurt, the short deadline if a city road or vehicle is involved, and how Moe Abdallah builds your claim. Moe takes calls himself at (323) 716-1992, any hour. The review is free, and you owe nothing unless we win.

Burbank's pedestrian ranking, and why seniors stand out

The California Office of Traffic Safety ranks cities in the same population group, with rank 1 as the worst record. In 2022 Burbank ranked 4th of 61 cities for pedestrian victims and 2nd for pedestrian victims aged 65 and older. In 2023 it ranked 11th of 62 for pedestrians and 6th for pedestrians aged 65 and older. Those are high spots on a list nobody wants to lead. Burbank does worse than most similar cities for people hurt while walking, and older walkers fare worse still. An older walker can face a hip fracture, a head injury or a long recovery. If a parent or grandparent was hit here, do not assume the family has to accept a quick offer. Insurers know that age and prior conditions let them argue the injuries were already there. We push back with medical records that separate what the crash caused from what came before.

What drivers owe you in a crosswalk, and the Freedom to Walk Act

Vehicle Code section 21950 says a driver must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing in any marked crosswalk, or in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. A driver approaching must use due care and slow down or take other action to keep you safe. Even outside a crosswalk, section 21954(b) requires drivers to use due care for any pedestrian on the roadway. You have duties too. Section 21950(b) says you must use due care for your own safety. That is where the blame game starts. Insurers say you stepped out suddenly, wore dark clothing or looked at a phone. Since January 1, 2023, the Freedom to Walk Act also bars police from stopping a pedestrian for crossing mid-block between signals, or failing to yield outside a crosswalk, unless a reasonably careful person would see an immediate danger of collision. Your duty of care and the driver's both remain. Under California's pure comparative negligence rule from Li v. Yellow Cab Co., you can still recover if you were partly at fault, though your award is reduced by your share.

East Olive, Victory and Buena Vista: what Burbank crash counts show

City data reported by myBurbank counted 50 crashes from 2015 to 2020 at Victory Place and Burbank Boulevard, the most of any Burbank intersection. Olive Avenue and Buena Vista Street had 45, and Buena Vista Street and Victory Boulevard had 41. Those counts include every kind of crash and are older data, so they show where traffic is heavy, not how many people on foot were hit. The City's own statement is more direct. It said multi-year collision data showed more collisions on Olive Avenue than on comparable hillside streets such as Magnolia Boulevard, and in March 2025 it restriped East Olive Avenue between Glenoaks Boulevard and N. Sunset Canyon Dr. to reduce lanes and speeds and improve pedestrian safety. If you were hurt on that stretch, the road itself and how the City managed it may matter to your case. If you were hit somewhere else, such as Glenoaks Boulevard, San Fernando Road, Magnolia Park or the Media District, the same approach applies: we look at the signal timing, the crosswalk markings and the driver's turn.

Walking to BurbankBus, Metrolink and LA Metro

A lot of pedestrian crashes happen on the way to or from transit. BurbankBus is run by the City of Burbank, and LA Metro buses also serve the area. Metrolink stops include Burbank Airport-North on the Antelope Valley Line, Burbank Airport-South on the Ventura County Line (also Amtrak Pacific Surfliner), and Downtown Burbank, which serves both lines. Riders cross busy streets in the dark in winter, carry bags, and sometimes hurry to catch a departure. A driver turning on a green can miss someone stepping off the curb. If you were hit near a stop, tell us the exact location, the time and the bus or train you were heading for. We look for bus-mounted or station cameras, nearby business video and any driver of a transit vehicle who saw it. If a BurbankBus vehicle was involved, a claim against the City of Burbank may be needed, which brings the six-month claim rule into play. A Metro vehicle brings a different public agency and its own claim process. Tell us early so we pick the right one.

Dangerous street conditions and the six-month claim against Burbank

Sometimes the driver is only part of the story. A broken signal, a faded crosswalk, a blocked sightline or a poorly timed walk phase can all be a dangerous condition of public property. Under Government Code section 835, a public entity is liable only if specific elements are proven, so these cases need early evidence. The deadline is short. You generally must present a written claim to the public entity within six months of the injury under Government Code section 911.2. Claims against the City of Burbank go to the City Clerk's Office on the Claim for Damages form, by email to cityclerks@burbankca.gov or by mail to P.O. Box 6459, Burbank, CA 91510. The clerk forwards it to the Liability Office. If the City rejects it in writing, you have six months from that notice to sue under section 945.6. If you miss the six months, you may be able to ask for leave to present a late claim. Ask within a reasonable time, and no later than one year after the injury, under section 911.4. Do not wait to find out.

Emergency care, the police report and how Moe builds the claim

If you can, go to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, 501 S. Buena Vista St., where the emergency department runs 24/7 at (818) 843-5111. Tell the staff how you were hit and every place that hurts. The Burbank Police Department takes a collision report when someone is hurt, and you can buy it online through LexisNexis at least four days after the crash or at the Records Bureau, (818) 238-3140. If the driver stayed, get their insurance. If the driver fled, report within 24 hours so your uninsured motorist coverage can apply. Moe orders the report, gets the driver's policy limits, collects traffic and business video, and interviews witnesses before memories fade. He also tracks every dollar: ER and surgery bills, future treatment, lost pay and your pain. In one case, Moe recovered $105,000 for an uninsured client with a broken sternum, covering hospital bills and future treatment. Past results do not predict a similar outcome in your case. We work on contingency, so you pay no fee unless we win. Se Habla Español.

Talk to a Burbank pedestrian accident lawyer

Call (323) 716-1992 for a free, no-obligation case review. You pay nothing unless we win, and we'll handle the insurance companies for you. Learn more about our pedestrian accidents representation →

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