Mr Williamson was trave​lling on Windsor road at Rouse Hill in the early hours of the morning when a young man ran across the street. The driver turned to look towards him, and braked lightly. It was not until he turned his head to the front that he found out he had struck a couple trying to cross the road.

Unfortunately, Mr Picken and Ms Scott, who were returning from an evening of drinking at the local tavern, were struck by the vehicle trave​lling at 45 kilometres per hour.

The court found that while the driver should have been more mindful of the pedestrians, they too needed to be more careful when crossing the road.

Nonetheless, the injured victims were awarded compensation, highlighting the fact that pedestrians can sometimes be paid even if they are somewhat responsible for their own injuries.

How safe are the roads for pedestrians?

According to Transport for NSW, in the four-year period from 2009-2013, more than 250 people killed on the state’s roads were pedestrians. In the same period of time, more than 8,300 non-motorists were injured – and around 82 per cent of these incidents occurred in metropolitan areas.

These grim statistics show that pedestrians face a somewhat likely risk of being involved in crashes – most vulnerable are children and the elderly.

Such mishaps can take a serious toll on the victim and their loved ones. Therefore, seeking professional advice is a wise way to make sure your compensation includes everything you are entitled to.

In light of these facts, pedestrian safety is top of mind for the city of Sydney, which recently ran the Watch Out Pedestrians About and Watch Out Cars About  campaigns in collaboration with Roads and Maritime Services earlier this year.

Is claiming compensation a simple process?

Depending on how you choose to go about the making a claim, the process can be quite simple. A skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer can help you through the step-by-step process. It is wise to choose a team that offers their services on a no-win-no-fees basis.

A pedestrian claim may require you to undergo medical checks, and lawyers who specialise in this type of compensation such as PK Simpson offer to pay for all these reports.

The amount you receive is determined by the severity of your injury; however, to make sure you get paid what you deserve choose the right experts.

If you are pedestrian who was involved in a road accident, make sure your claim is taken care of by someone who has vast experience in this area of law.