Pedestrian Accidents

If you look at the National Highway Traffic Safety Association statistics around pedestrian accidents each year, you might never want to go for a walk again. The group tracks the number of incidents every single year and has determined that almost five thousand pedestrians are killed by motor vehicles on an annual basis. Additionally, more than 75k are injured by cars and trucks in a year as well. This proves that pedestrians are at constant risk, and yet the threats don’t end with cars and trucks alone because there are also thousands of people harmed while using sidewalks, crossing parking lots or pavements, and more.

What It Means to Pedestrians

If you are someone who was injured as a pedestrian, you might feel that you cannot recover damages caused by the negligence or fault of another. This is not the case, but you will need to work with a skilled attorney familiar with the laws around pedestrian accidents.

For example, negligence is something that may have caused the incident, and this means that it could have been prevented. For instance, if someone was texting as they struck you (or a loved one) with a car or truck, it is distracted driving and a case of negligence. If you know that negligence is what led to your injury (or to the incident that harmed a loved one), you can work with your lawyer to build a case that proves it, and you can seek damages.

Of course, it may not be a matter of just one guilty party. After all, you may have been a pedestrian in that famous “wrong place at the wrong time” and found yourself caught in the midst of a motor vehicle accident. That could mean that there are actually several people who should be held accountable for the injury or harm caused in the incident.

And this can actually manifest in many ways. For example, someone may have failed to use their turn signal and this may have caused several people behind them to veer from the road, leading to an injury or death. Someone may ignore speed signs, drive while intoxicated, and more. Any time such things play a factor in pedestrian accidents, it opens the door to a claim that the pedestrian (or their surviving dependents) can make.

There are also all of those “other”, non-vehicle, related incidents that pedestrians may be harmed by. The property owner who fails to maintain walkways in a manner that is safe for pedestrians can find him or herself liable for any harm that should occur. This is particularly true if the owner is at fault for creating the conditions or knew of them and did not correct them.

As you can see, any of these incidents may come with a big demand to prove the claim. This is why any pedestrians involved in pedestrian accidents, or their surviving dependents, will want to work with an attorney. There is usually a need for the victim to prove their claim, or even to prevent themselves from somehow being blamed for it. Working with an experienced attorney is one of the few ways to prevent yourself from losing out on damages that you are due or being dismissed as being at fault for your own injuries or suffering.

The legal experts at Heavens Law are very familiar with pedestrian accidents and the diverse ways in which they can occur. They are happy to speak with you about your case and help to make a decision about your next steps. Don’t wait to pursue a claim after a pedestrian accident; the laws are on your side.

Source

• FindLaw.com. Pedestrian Accidents. 2014. https://injury.findlaw.com/car-accidents/pedestrian-accidents-overview.html