Pedestrian Accidents

Overview

Pedestrian accidents are often devastating. These kinds of wrecks generally result in pedestrians suffering severe injuries or getting killed. Therefore, pedestrian accident victims and their families can face heavy financial burdens, including hospital bills, rehabilitation and physical therapy expenses, lost wages, and funeral costs.

While advancements are continually being made to keep passengers in cars safer from accidents, pedestrians are still vulnerable. Drunk driving and distracted driving are often factors in pedestrian-car crashes.

What to Do if I’m Hit by a Car?

People who have been hit by vehicles should:

• Check to see if you, any other pedestrians, or the driver/passengers in the vehicle that hit you are injured
• Call 911 and seek immediate medical attention
• If possible, stay on the phone with the 911 operator and remain at the accident scene until police arrive
• If the driver remains at the scene, the victim should get the driver’s contact and insurance information
• Pedestrian accident victims should make sure to get the contact information of any accident witnesses and vehicle passengers
• If the driver who hit them fled the scene, the victim should try to remember any information they can regarding the type of vehicle, what the driver looked like, what direction the vehicle was heading when it fled, and what the vehicle’s license plate number is
• Victims should not speak to the driver’s insurance company until after talking to a personal injury lawyer about the incident

Do I Need to Sue?

If the driver who hit a person is arrested following the wreck, his or her pedestrian accident victim or the victim’s loved ones should consider filing a civil lawsuit against the driver. Even if the driver is convicted, it will not help the victims of the accident financially.

Hiring an Attorney

If you were hit by a car while on foot or someone you loved was the victim of a pedestrian accident, do not decide whether to file a legal claim against the driver involved until you have spoken to a personal injury lawyer. Even if you do not believe you would pursue a lawsuit if you are eligible to do so, you need to know all the facts and what options are available to you and your family.