Pedestrian Accident Law Firm

Nearly 6,000 pedestrians died in traffic crashes within the US in the span of a single year. That’s about one death every 88 minutes. Meanwhile, another 137,000 are treated in emergency departments for nonfatal, crash-related injuries.

As a matter of fact, pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than vehicle occupants to die in a crash per trip. 

If you recently injured or lost a loved one who was hit by a car, hire a personal injury lawyer to pursue your pedestrian accident case. Understandably, victims are often on the fence about hiring an attorney. 

However, after reading this guide, you can make a more informed decision with your future in mind. Here are four reasons why you shouldn’t wait to hire a pedestrian accident law firm. 

1. Accurately Calculate Your Losses

More than half of all road traffic deaths occur among vulnerable road users, including pedestrians. Meanwhile, the societal and economic impact of road accidents costs US citizens $871 billion each year. Road crashes cost over $380 million in direct medical costs, as well.

If you’re interested in pursuing a pedestrian accident case, it’s important to calculate the full extent of your losses. Unfortunately, you might leave money on the table without realizing it.

Your losses can include the wages you lose while recovering. Also, you’ll need to consider your pain and suffering. If you lack experience with personal injury claims, you might struggle to determine a monetary amount. For instance, you’ll need to consider your recent and future medical expenses, including:

• Exams
• Treatments
• Appointments
• Medications
• Surgeries

Recovering from accidents is difficult enough. You shouldn’t have to spend your time and energy calculating your losses, too. Instead, consider hiring a pedestrian accident lawyer.

Look for a law firm with years of experience handling similar personal injury cases. They’ll leverage their previous experience to ensure you don’t miss opportunities to recover damages.

With their help, you can fight for the compensation you rightfully deserve. Therefore, you can focus your attention on healing from your injuries–which should be your main priority.

Potential Injuries

The types of injuries you sustained and the extent of your injuries can play a part in your lawsuit as well.  During your consultation with a pedestrian accident law firm, discuss the types of injuries you sustained. Your injuries might include:

• Road rash
• Facial and dental injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones
• Internal injuries/internal bleeding
• Traumatic brain injuries

Keep a record of the medications you’re taking. Also, track your appointments, physical therapy, and treatments. Then, bring these documents to your pedestrian accident lawyer.

Your attorney will use this information to prove the full extent of your injuries. In addition, they will provide how your injuries impacted your quality of life.

2. Prove Fault

If you try to handle a pedestrian accident case alone, you might struggle to prove fault. You need to prove the driver’s negligence caused the accident, leading to your injuries. Otherwise, you might fail to fight for the compensation you deserve.

Sometimes, even the most cautious pedestrians end up in a collision. Therefore, if you’re in an accident, do not complicate the matter. You’re already recovering from your pedestrian accident injury. You shouldn’t waste your time and energy trying to prove fault, as well.

Instead, rely on an experienced pedestrian accident law firm. They can leverage their professional contacts to gather the necessary evidence. For example, they can collect evidence to prove the driver:

• Made an illegal turn
• Acted outside the scope of responsible driving
• Was speeding
• Was texting and driving
• Drove through a stoplight or stop sign

Your lawyer might call a medical witness or investigator to gather the evidence they need. In addition, with their help, you can prove the driver’s negligence caused your pedestrian accident injury.

Potential Causes

To prove the other driver was at fault for the crash, you’ll need to prove they failed to exercise responsible care. There are a few different factors that can indicate negligence.

For example, the case might have involved speeding, an intoxicated driver, or someone making an illegal u-turn. In some cases, municipal negligence can cause a crash. For example, this includes a poor street layout or traffic control device failure.

The legal team at your pedestrian accident law firm will determine what caused the crash. You might struggle to gather this evidence alone, though.

3. Leverage Experience and Expertise

Do you know what to do when pursuing a pedestrian accident case? Are you aware of the different legal options available to you?

Consider consulting a pedestrian accident law firm right away. An experienced attorney can address these questions. Then, you can leverage their experience and expertise. 

Also, before hiring an attorney, verify their credentials and previous work. It’s important that they have worked on relevant and similar cases in the past. In addition, they should have a winning track record for these cases. 

You can learn from the previous cases they’ve handled to make more informed decisions moving forward, like when to settle. 

Avoid Settling Too Soon

Some people make the mistake of rushing to settle. A tactic insurance companies use is to offer a lowball settlement early on in the claims process. At a glance, this number may appear worthwhile, and you will receive your compensation more quickly than if you tried to negotiate.

Unfortunately, settling too soon can cause you to miss out on opportunities. Instead, consult a law firm. They’ll help you calculate your losses and confirm whether or not the insurance is offering a fair settlement.

4. Handle the Insurance Company

Insurance companies will want to pay as little as possible after you’re in a pedestrian accident. They won’t have your best interests in mind. In fact, the insurance company might try to stall.

They may even try to claim your negligence caused the accident, therefore, you are not entitled to compensation at all. 

Even if you did play a role in the pedestrian accident, you are still entitled to compensation. An example of a pedestrian being partially at fault is jaywalking. Again, even if you are partially at fault, you can still recover damages. For instance, if the car that hit a jaywalker was speeding, that driver is also liable. 

While the insurance company won’t have your best interests in mind, your lawyer will.

Know What to Say

The insurance company might try to use something you say against you as you pursue your case.

Consult an experienced law firm before you try to negotiate with an insurance company. Your lawyer will help you prepare beforehand. They’ll make sure you don’t say anything that might hurt your case. 

Work With the Most Qualified Pedestrian Accident Law Firm

Don’t try to handle a pedestrian accident case alone. Instead, consider these reasons to hire a pedestrian accident law firm. With an experienced lawyer at your side, you can fight for the compensation you rightfully deserve.

Eager to start building your case? We’re here to help while you’re recovering from your injuries. Contact The Law Offices of Daniel Kim to schedule your free consultation.