5 Reasons Pedestrian Accident Victims Must Consider Consulting Personal Injury Lawyers

Pedestrian accidents happen when someone driving a vehicle hits someone walking or crossing the street. These accidents happen for many reasons, including distracted driving, improperly marked crosswalks, and jaywalking.

Regardless of the cause, you should seek legal guidance after a pedestrian accident. A lawyer can help you recoup the medical expenses you incur due to injuries. These five reasons are aspects an attorney can handle to simplify the process for you.

1. Proving Fault

Though over 7,000 pedestrians died in automobile accidents in 2020, it sometimes takes effort to prove fault. A driver might be speeding through a residential neighborhood and strike a pedestrian. Sometimes, the city might not mark a crosswalk, so the driver doesn’t know to look for pedestrians. The victim can also cause an accident by jaywalking.

An experienced attorney will take the details of the case and prove fault. Proving fault is the first necessary step toward receiving compensation for your injuries.

2. Determining Damages

Your lawyer will also pull your medical records to determine damages resulting from the accident. Some of the most common damages from a pedestrian accident include:

• Back and neck injuries
• Broken bones
• Fractures
• Paralysis

Your lawyer can prove these damages based on your medical history, such as showing X-rays that reveal breaks, fractures, and injuries after the accident. They will claim that the person at-fault should pay for your medical bills and ongoing expenses, such as follow-up appointments, physical therapy, and chiropractic care.

Many injuries require downtime to facilitate healing. Your lawyer can make the case that you deserve compensation for work days you missed due to the pain.

In the case of paralysis, you can fight for compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, and loss of life quality. You won’t be able to work for a long time and might even have to find a different job. You can also get compensation for assistive devices, like wheelchairs or caretakers.

3. Investigating the Scene

Your attorney can investigate the scene and use the police report to back up your claims that the car driver caused the accident. They’ll pull data that might show the driver was speeding or failed to stop for a red light.

They can also see if other factors are in play, like if the city didn’t fix a broken stop sign or hadn’t repainted a faded crosswalk. In that situation, you’ll be glad you hired a lawyer to handle the case as it involves more parties.

4. Communicating With Insurance Companies

Insurance companies want to pay less than a victim deserves simply because that’s how they make money. You have to haggle with them to make them admit you deserve more compensation for your pain and suffering.

When you hire a lawyer, they’ll communicate with any insurance company involved in the case, whether yours or the driver's. They know what to say to show the insurance company that you deserve a bigger payout, and they keep fighting until they get it.

5. Accepting an Offer

If you’re handling your accident claim alone, you might feel tempted to accept an offer that sounds good just to close the case. A lawyer knows what offers are reasonable and when it’s worth fighting to get more money from the company. They’ll do all this for you, so you don’t have to stress about an ongoing case.

How a Lawyer Can Help

You can file a pedestrian accident claim independently, but it’s a lot of work. You’ll feel stressed as you try to recuperate from your injuries while also communicating with law enforcement and insurance agencies.

A lawyer will help you build a case against the person who caused the accident. They handle everything, from pulling the accident report to contacting insurance companies. A car accident attorney can help you accept an offer that delivers the compensation you deserve.