Pedestrians are extremely vulnerable to injuries in car accidents. When a car, truck, or motorcycle hits a person who is on foot, it is invariably the pedestrian that suffers. In many instances, victims of pedestrian accidents are left with life-altering injuries like TBIs or spinal cord injuries. Even in less serious accidents, pedestrians can suffer severe injuries that can take months or years to fully heal.
Fortunately, when drivers negligently cause pedestrian accidents, victims can usually recover compensation for their accident-related losses. Some of the more common causes of pedestrian accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Failure to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks
- Driver fatigue
- Running stop signs or stoplights
- Failing to use windshield wipers or headlights when necessary
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
What Should You Do to Protect Your Rights after a Pedestrian Accident?
In the event that you are hurt in a pedestrian accident, there are certain steps that you should take to make sure that your legal rights are and stay protected. The most important of these include:
Seek Medical Attention
You should always seek medical attention after a pedestrian accident, even if you think your injuries are going to get better on their own. Seeing a doctor can ensure that you get the treatment you need and provide important documentation about your injuries. In fact, waiting to see a doctor can actually make it harder to obtain compensation!
Do Not Discuss Your Accident with the Insurance Company
Insurance companies are out to make a profit, and they do so by paying victims as little as they can to settle their claims. In fact, they’ll gladly deny your claim entirely if they can. For this reason, you should say as little as possible to the insurance company about your accident. If they pressure you for details, tell them you are currently in the process of looking for a lawyer to represent you.
Retain an Attorney as Soon as You Can
You should retain a lawyer as soon as possible after your pedestrian accident. Once you are represented by an attorney, the insurance company has to communicate with them instead of you. This fact means that once you have a lawyer, there is almost no risk of your doing or saying something that can hurt your case. Also, it’s important for your lawyer to start his or her investigation as soon as possible. Waiting can result in the loss or destruction of evidence important to the success of your case.
Call Us Today to Speak with an Attorney
If you have been hurt in a pedestrian accident, it’s critical that you speak to an experienced attorney as soon as you can. At Salam & Associates, we are committed to helping injured victims obtain the compensation they are owed under the law. Our lawyers are licensed in Texas, New Mexico, Michigan and D.C. To schedule a free case evaluation with a member of our team, call us today at 866-640-8998 or contact us online.
