Unfortunately, even if you are being careful and watching the road as you cross the street, it is still possible to become the victim in a pedestrian accident. When this happens, it can be devastating. Depending on the type of vehicle that hit you (a car, truck, or motorcycle), you may have months or years of recovery ahead of you. In fact, in some cases, you may actually be lucky to be alive. A pedestrian injury lawyer, knows that depending on the severity of your injuries, you may not feel lucky to be alive. However, a compassionate attorney would like to help get you the compensation you deserve after someone else’s negligence on the road caused you to become injured. Pedestrian accidents must be taken seriously.
How do pedestrian accidents happen?
Many people think that pedestrian accidents must be caused by pedestrians not paying attention. Surely, they must have crossed the street when it wasn’t their turn or run out into an area where there was no crosswalk. However, this is not typically the way a pedestrian accident happens. Instead, you will find it can happen because:
- The driver was distracted
- The driver did not obey the speed limit signs
- The driver was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- The driver turned at an intersection without looking at the crosswalk
All of these and more could be the reason that you became a victim in a motor vehicle-pedestrian accident.
Are there ever times when someone else may be at fault?
Absolutely. It is possible that if you were crossing at a crosswalk it is not necessarily entirely the driver’s fault. If the crosswalk was poorly designed and did not keep you safe as it was intended to, then you may have a case against the company that designed the crosswalk or against a local government agency. Things can become tricky if this is the case, however, so you should make sure you go over the details of the accident with an attorney to determine if this is the correct avenue to pursue when looking for compensation.
When you are a pedestrian in an accident, you may experience injuries such as lacerations, broken bones, dental or jaw injuries, or traumatic brain injuries. Any of these can range from mild to serious and you should seek help from a doctor as soon as you can to leave the scene of the accident. Remember, your health is the most important thing after an accident like this.
For more information on how the pedestrian accident attorneys can help you, please contact a lawyer today to set up your appointment.