Pedestrians have the strongest claims position
A pedestrian hit by a vehicle claims against that vehicle’s CTP insurer or the state’s no-fault scheme, and courts hold drivers to a high standard of care around pedestrians. Being outside a crossing does not defeat a claim; at worst it raises contributory negligence, which reduces rather than removes damages. Children are judged by the standard of a child, not an adult.
Hit and run
If the driver cannot be identified, every state has a nominal defendant that pays the claim as if the driver were insured. These claims have stricter notice requirements and demand early police involvement — report the same day and get advice within weeks, not months.
Common injuries
Pedestrian impacts produce the injuries that meet serious-injury thresholds: fractures, head injuries, spinal damage. That makes early specialist evidence and interim payment requests for treatment the immediate priorities while liability is sorted.
State rules and time limits
The scheme, thresholds and notice periods are set state by state; pick where the accident happened: