If you have been severely injured and don’t want to handle your own legal matters following an accident, you should consider hiring a pedestrian accident attorney. An attorney will be able to investigate your own individual situation and figure out who is at fault for the accident. Attorneys can also represent you during negotiations with the insurance company and much more. There are many reasons and benefits to hiring a pedestrian accident attorney.
Reasons to Hire a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Did you know that an insurance company may be quick to offer you a settlement that is not even close to what your case may even be worth? In some instances, the insurance company may even deny that its insured party is liable for the accident. Your priority should be to recover from your accident and allow your attorney to handle the rest.
Advise You of Your Next Steps
Many people are unsure where to turn following the severe injuries they have endured in a pedestrian accident. Your first reaction is likely to receive medical treatment or you may mourn a loved one following an accident. However, you will have questions pertaining to your legal rights as well.
A pedestrian accident attorney will inform you of the steps you should take in regards to an accident that you experienced that resulted in injuries. You will be able to obtain a clear sense of whether you have a lawsuit on your hands against another party. Your attorney will also be able to tell you how you can go about pursuing that case and what type of compensation you may be eligible for. Additionally, you will be able to get all of your questions answered to help calm any concerns you may have.
Contact the Authorities
If you are able to contact the police following a pedestrian accident, it is highly recommended that you do so. Reporting your accident provides you and your attorney with an official record of what actually has taken place. This may help you secure damage in the future.
Collect Evidence
This step may not always be done immediately following a pedestrian accident. However, if your injuries allow you, you should take pictures of your injuries, the scene, and the vehicle you were hit by.
Additionally, you should talk to any witnesses that saw the accident. Gather their contact information so that your attorney can speak to them on your behalf. Furthermore, you can secure information from the driver who hit you. However, you should not admit that you caused the accident.
Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
It may also help you to secure damage following a pedestrian accident by knowing the cause of it. In many cases, drivers cause a pedestrian accident for the following reasons:
- They fail to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.
- Swerve onto the sidewalk
- Fail to stop at stop signs or red lights
Many of these accidents happen in parking lots too. Drivers typically will back up without looking while they are leaving their parking space, causing them to run directly into pedestrians that are trying to reach their vehicles.
Backup accidents are typically more dangerous when they involve small children. Drivers that do not have backup cameras may not see a child passing behind their vehicle, which may result in severe injuries or wrongful death.
Final Word
It is important that you are able to hold another driver or party accountable for your injuries following a pedestrian accident. However, this requires proof that the accident actually took place and the person who caused it. Pedestrian accidents normally rely on proving negligence or a failure to exercise due care in driving. A pedestrian accident attorney will be able to help you and may very well benefit your case.