Virginia Pedestrian Injury Lawyer
If you were recently involved in a pedestrian accident where you suffered from personal injuries, call a Virginia pedestrian injury lawyer now. Injuries suffered by pedestrians who are struck by cars, trucks, buses, or motorcycles can be serious and life-altering. More than 4,000 people die each year nationwide as pedestrians, and an additional 70,000 pedestrians suffer injuries each year. Because pedestrians do not have the same protections with seatbelts, airbags, and an automobile surrounding them, the injuries often suffered by pedestrians can be severe: pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than vehicle occupants to be killed in an automobile accident.
Like many accidents caused by another’s fault, the victims most likely to be injured in a pedestrian accident are teens, young adults, and elderly individuals. In addition, a common contributing factor to accidents that cause injury or death to pedestrians is alcohol, as almost half of the reported deaths of pedestrians in accidents involved alcohol consumption by either the driver or the pedestrian. If this is familiar, call a Virginia pedestrian injury lawyer from MartinWren, P.C. now.
Steps can be taken to lessen the number and severity of pedestrian-related accidents. First and foremost, it is best to walk in areas where there are sidewalks that are well removed from busy streets. Those out on walks, especially at night, can wear bright or reflective clothing and wave flashlights to alert oncoming motorists to their presence. Streets and roads should only be crossed at crosswalks, and pedestrians who are crossing the road should not assume that motorists see them. Finally, it is important to help children and the elderly as they attempt to cross streets, and make sure your teens are paying attention to their surroundings when encountering traffic.
A pedestrian that was injured because of the fault of another person or business may have a personal injury action against the wrongdoer’s insurance company. A pedestrian injury claim may arise if a driver fails to yield to a walker’s right of way, fails to obey traffic signals or signs and collides with a pedestrian, drives erratically or drives too fast where pedestrians are present, drives under the influence of drugs or alcohol and crashes into a pedestrian, engages in distracted driving by texting, talking on the phone, or doing some other activity, or taking action that causes harm to a pedestrian.
Seeking Justice and Compensation for a Pedestrian Accident
A pedestrian who has been hurt due to being hit by a car, may want to obtain legal representation immediately. The injuries associated with such an accident can include life-threatening and even permanent conditions. An attorney at [law firm name] can fight for the financial compensation you need in order to achieve optimal recovery. We have been committed to protecting the rights of people for more than [—] years. Our services come along with years of experience, where we have likely fought for people just like you who were simply at the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrians who have been hit by a vehicle driver may suffer severe injuries that require prompt medical attention. The human body was not created to withstand the immense pressure that the force of a car body can inflict. The pedestrian may be ushered to the emergency room, undergone surgery or been hospitalized. Other injuries and conditions a pedestrian may sustain include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Muscle sprain and ligament tears
- Organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Skull fracture
- Hip displacement
- Bruises, deep cuts
- Facial wounds
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord injury
- Mental/emotional challenges
The Risks as a Pedestrian
Sadly, in today’s world pedestrians may feel as though they must always be on guard. Car drivers are often speeding from one place to another, without much regard for who could be walking by. Pedestrian accidents happen all too frequently, so it is important that victims understand their rights. A pedestrian injury lawyer in Virginia can talk with you more about how to file a lawsuit against the driver who hit you for physical injuries and financial damages.
How Pedestrian Accidents Unfold
In the majority of pedestrian vs vehicle accidents, it is the former that suffers the very worst of injuries. Additionally, it is often the car driver’s fault for the incident unfolding at all. The car driver may have been distracted, falling asleep behind the wheel, caught up in conversation with a passenger, playing on the phone, or something else. Here are other scenarios in which a pedestrian accident may occur:
- The driver did not check properly for pedestrians who were crossing the street at an intersection and/or stop sign.
- The driver did not make a complete stop at a sign or street light before driving through.
- The driver was speeding and was not able to halt in time to the pedestrian crossing during his or her right of way.
- The driver was driving impaired due to being drunk and/or under the influence of drugs.
Compensation
Individuals who have been injured as pedestrians in an accident may receive compensation for their medical expenses, their pain and suffering, their inconvenience, their lost wages, their lost earning capacity, and a variety of other losses that may result from the driver’s negligence. In addition, depending on the circumstances, the injured party may be entitled to punitive damages due to the defendant’s reckless or willful conduct that shows a casual disregard for the pedestrian’s rights.
Insurance companies that are defending accident claims regarding pedestrians typically claim that the pedestrian was partly responsible for the injuries they suffered. In addition, defendants often claim that a pedestrian “assumed the risk” of being hit by oncoming motorists. An experienced pedestrian injury lawyer in VA can help you adequately respond to these claims and pursue the compensation that you deserve.
New clients receive a free consultation with an attorney. Many victims of such accidents simply want the matter to be over with and do not consider filing a civil lawsuit. However, we want to fight for your health and see that justice is served to the car driver who caused this unfortunate accident.
If you or a loved one was injured in a pedestrian-related accident, please contact a Virginia pedestrian injury lawyer, either Kirk D. Becchi at (540) 437-1243 or Jonathan T. Wren at (434) 817-3100. We offer free consultations, and we’d be happy to meet with you at our office, your home, or at the hospital.
You will not owe any legal fees unless we recover money for you. Call a pedestrian injury lawyer in Virginia from MartinWren, P.C. today.