Pedestrian accidents can occur due to a lot of reasons but no matter how it happened, you should get what you deserve. And for that, you need legal help to legally get what’s yours without having to wait for a miracle to happen. There are a lot of legal complexities that a layman cannot understand fully. So just answer the question “Do you need a pedestrian accident attorney?” with a yes and save yourself from misery.
You need legal representation in a pedestrian accident.
You may be wondering if legal help includes more bills, more aggravation, and all but no. Legal help is in fact, a helping hand towards to pull you out of difficulties. When you hire a pedestrian accident attorney, they take over your legal struggle. They make all the phone calls, discuss with the witnesses, and expert witnesses if needed, and handle the struggle part well. Also, they don’t leave the at-fault party behind as this is the most important step of the case-building process.
Also, this legal industry mostly works in a different way than the rest of the market. These lawyers are so confident in themselves that they don’t charge a penny for their service until you’re paid. That’s why you don’t have to bear any extra cost of the lawyer just because you hired them. All you have to pay will be mostly the case registration fee which is not that much of a pain.
Why do you need a pedestrian accident attorney?
Well, every state has some specific traffic laws on top of the overall basic traffic laws. And since we all know that, so do the insurance companies. And they have plenty of resources and legal teams to make a way around or through these laws. Therefore, you alone with a non-legal background can’t know all these tricks they might play. They will work their hardest to not pay you the settlement they owe you.
Hence, a Pedestrian accident attorney will work hard knowing all that stuff, to prove your case. They will make sure they identify the at-fault party and not let those companies falsely accuse you of the accident. They will make sure that the insurance companies pay the right amount to you rather than some petty amount.
A comprehensive accident investigation is critical.
You may think that identifying the at-fault party is so easy that the driver who hit you is the one to be blamed. But that’s just a small piece of the puzzle and your chances to win better compensation become thin. That’s because maybe the driver’s attorney could prove that the at-fault party was not the driver but the car company. Alternatively, they can also say that the road was not good enough or the road safety signs were not clear enough. At that moment, you’d get puzzled and confused about what to blame for your accident.
Only a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer will know who the real culprit of your accident was. They will make sure to collect all the evidence supporting their claim.
They will do this by:
- Consulting with the accident reconstructionist
- Checking the security cameras and security footage
- Interviewing the accident witnesses
- Examining the initial police reports
- Consulting with automotive experts for expert advice
- Consulting with your doctors or any other medical staff
Also, they will make sure to interview other actions such as additional searches and all, should your case warrant that.
A pedestrian accident attorney understands comparative fault laws.
Every state has some specific codes for how drivers should respond to pedestrians even if pedestrians aren’t following any laws. Such as:
- Drivers have to stop for pedestrians crossing the street on crosswalks
- The cars behind the car stopped for pedestrian crossing cannot overtake or go around that car.
- Drivers must stop before entering the crosswalk or sidewalks when emerging from an alley, private road, or driveway. They should look for any pedestrian crossing the road before entering the main road.
- Drivers cannot stop on the sidewalks or crosswalks unless they’re told to do so by the law enforcement.
These laws for pedestrians too, for example:
- Pedestrians should not enter the road and not even on the crosswalk when the driver doesn’t have enough time to stop.
- Pedestrians should not enter the road from an undesignated area (not a crosswalk). They’ll have to wait and yield for any drivers on the road if they enter the road from undesignated area.
- Pedestrians should not cross the road diagonally.
- Pedestrians have to comply with the walk and don’t walk signals if there are any.
Comparative Fault
If you’re a pedestrian who got hit by a car, it can affect your compensation claim negatively if you didn’t comply with laws.
- Victim of the accident can only file for a claim from the defendant if they’re below 50% at fault.
- The total amount they can get; gets reduced by percentage of the victim’s fault percentage. But it only happens if the victim is even if below 50% at fault but still carries some blame.
Insurance companies understand comparative fault too.
The defendant’s insurance representatives know these laws as well. And you will see that they will try to put the maximum blame on you rather defendant. This way they will have to pay as less money as possible. They will even try manipulating the accident facts and evidence. So that they can prove that you entered the road without caution and hit the car. As they do this to pay you less, your pedestrian accident attorney will step up. Your lawyer will not allow them to manipulate these facts and get you the maximum payout possible.
Pedestrian accidents are serious.
Pedestrian accident can even cause deaths. According to a recent study by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, 306 people died this year. They all died because of pedestrian accident and this number show 27 more deaths from the previous year.
And those who survive suffer from traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damages, back injuries, and even muscle and nerve damage. They also go through emotional trauma on top of a long period of workless life and in pain.
Wrapping up
Pedestrian accident attorney helps you get out of your misery by working their magic and don’t get paid until you win. That’s why; don’t think twice on getting legal representation if you got hurt by an accident. Especially if it was not your fault, after all, why would you pay the price for doing nothing wrong? It’s critical to know that your lawyer will only represent you if you are not the at-fault party. So if your lawyer has taken up your case, just keep your hopes high.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
What to do after being met with an accident?
Immediately get medical help. Then call the police and talk to the witnesses and try to get their contact information if you can. Get legal help right after you’re stable enough to talk to your lawyer.
What to do if someone has an accident?
Stop on the side safely. Turn on your hazard lights and check for any injuries to everyone. Call for an ambulance if someone is injured. Call the police. Take the other person’s contact and insurance information that got into the accident with you. Record every little detail of the accident right after it happened.
Is it good to walk after a car accident?
If you don’t have any broken bones, then you should walk based on expert advice. Actually, walking makes your lower body’s blood circulation easier and it is better to walk than just lie down on a bed or couch.
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