Phoenix, AZ asked in Personal Injury and Car Accidents for Arizona

Q: Pedestrian ran into side of my moving car and is suing me. Does he have a case?

I was driving and had a green light and as I was crossing the intersection a pedestrian ran into the side of my car. His lawyers are saying the police report is not a reliable source since they were only able to interview me. There is traffic cameras in that intersection that show I did not run a red light. They are suing me for $30,000 and my insurance only interviewed me.

1 Lawyer Answer

A: This is why you carry auto insurance; to cover your defense of this action and potentially settle this claim. Don't get too worried, just make sure your insurer doesn't allow your personal assets to be exposed. You should ask your lawyer the best way to do that.

Police reports typically are not admissible as evidence in a court case. I often see information that conflicts with a police report, sometimes unquestionably.

It's great news for you if the evidence on video suggests you had the green light. This certainly could aid your defense. However, simply because you had the green light does not mean you "win." Most states allow the jury to compare any alleged fault by you against the injured person, or others. It's up to the jury to determine how to allocate that fault.

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