Crosswalk Accidents in Nashville and Middle Tennessee

You had the right of way. That doesn’t mean the driver stopped.

In Nashville and communities across Middle Tennessee, crosswalks are meant to provide a margin of safety. Marked lines, traffic signals, and signage are supposed to signal that pedestrians have the right of way. But every day, drivers ignore those rules – blowing through crosswalks, rushing turns, or failing to yield.

When a vehicle hits someone in a crosswalk, the injuries are rarely minor. Pedestrians bear the full force of the collision. And too often, the driver tries to shift blame or claim they “didn’t see anyone.” That’s not a defense. It’s negligence. A Nashville pedestrian accident lawyer with experience in crosswalk collisions can help prove it.

Born in Goodlettsville, Attorney Eric Beasley has been representing injured pedestrians for more than 25 years. He knows how these crashes happen – and how insurance companies try to avoid responsibility. If you were hit while crossing the street, you deserve to have your case taken seriously. Contact the Law Office of Eric Beasley for a free case evaluation to learn more about your legal options for maximum compensation.

Where crosswalk accidents happen in Middle Tennessee

Crosswalk crashes aren’t limited to high-speed roads or major intersections. They happen in everyday places – outside grocery stores, near schools, and on neighborhood streets. Some of the most common areas for pedestrian injuries include:

Downtown Nashville intersections: Especially where there is high foot traffic.
Gallatin Pike and Charlotte Avenue: Particularly near bus stops and shopping areas.
Broadway and 8th Avenue South: Near the Music City Center and entertainment districts.
Lebanon Pike and Old Hickory Boulevard: Common for commuter traffic and high-speed turns.
Suburban intersections: Including Mt. Juliet, Columbia, and Hendersonville.
School zones and parks: Crosswalks near churches, schools, and playgrounds.

Many of these crashes involve marked crosswalks where the pedestrian had the clear legal right of way. Drivers turn without looking, run red lights, or fail to yield when a person is clearly crossing the street.

How crosswalk accidents happen

These crashes aren’t unpredictable. They follow familiar patterns, most of which stem from inattention, impatience, or reckless decisions behind the wheel.

Common causes of crosswalk collisions include:

Failure to yield: Drivers turning left or right without checking for pedestrians in the crosswalk.
Running a red light or stop sign: Blowing through an intersection without seeing or stopping for foot traffic.
Speeding in urban or residential areas: Reducing the time a driver has to notice and respond to pedestrians.
Distracted driving: Looking at a phone or navigation system instead of the road.
Impaired driving: Alcohol or drug use slowing reaction times or causing poor decision-making.

When a driver ignores the rules of the road and hits someone in a crosswalk, Tennessee law allows the victim to seek compensation. A Nashville crosswalk accident lawyer can help determine who was at fault and build a case that holds them accountable.

Serious injuries that deserve serious attention

Pedestrians don’t have airbags or seatbelts. When they’re hit by a car, even at low speeds, the result can be devastating.

Crosswalk crashes frequently cause:

Traumatic brain injuries and concussions: Impacts to the head that can lead to lasting cognitive or physical effects.
Spinal cord injuries and nerve damage: Often resulting in chronic pain or reduced mobility.
Fractures to legs, pelvis, ribs, or skull: Common in direct-impact pedestrian collisions.
Internal bleeding and organ trauma: Caused by blunt-force impact or being thrown to the ground.
Facial injuries and dental fractures: Often the result of striking the hood, windshield, or pavement.
Permanent disability or disfigurement: Injuries that permanently alter physical function or appearance.

These injuries often require emergency care, surgery, extended rehab, or mobility aids. And they impact not just the person injured, but their entire family. Eric Beasley knows how to calculate the full value of a pedestrian injury claim – including future costs, lost earning capacity, and the personal toll of the crash.

When the driver blames the pedestrian

One of the most common insurance tactics in pedestrian injury claims is to push blame onto the person who got hit.

A driver may argue that:

The pedestrian “came out of nowhere”: A claim often used when the driver wasn’t paying attention.
The victim wasn’t in the crosswalk: Even if the pedestrian was near or approaching it legally.
The person was distracted or not paying attention: Blaming the victim for looking at a phone or rushing.
The driver had a green light: And “didn’t expect” anyone to be crossing.

Under Tennessee’s comparative fault system, insurance companies only need to prove the pedestrian was 50 percent at fault to avoid paying. A lawyer who knows how these cases work can push back against that strategy and keep the focus on the driver’s choices.

What to do after a crosswalk crash

If you were hit while crossing the street, what you do next can make a major difference in your case. Here are some important steps to take:

Call 911: Make sure police respond and file a report.
Get medical attention: Even if injuries don’t seem severe at first.
Take photos: Of the scene, signage, your injuries, and the vehicle.
Collect contact information: From the driver and any witnesses.
Avoid speaking to the insurance company: Until you’ve talked to a lawyer.
Contact the Law Office of Eric Beasley: For a free case evaluation.

Surveillance footage and witnesses’ memories can fade fast. The sooner a lawyer gets involved, the better the chance of preserving the evidence that proves what really happened.

Talk to a Nashville crosswalk accident lawyer who puts in the work

These cases aren’t easy. Drivers lie. Insurance companies stall. And injury victims are left trying to recover while fighting to be believed. That’s why you need someone who knows how to handle these claims – someone who has done it before, and won.

Attorney Eric Beasley has spent his entire legal career representing injured people across Middle Tennessee. He’s not afraid to take on tough cases, and he doesn’t back down from insurance companies that try to dodge responsibility.

If you were hit in a crosswalk – whether downtown, in a neighborhood, or anywhere else in Nashville – contact the Law Office of Eric Beasley for a free case evaluation. There’s no fee unless we win your case.