A pedestrian accident can leave the victim with steep expenses and severe injuries. Juggling your physical and financial recovery can be stressful.
After an accident, your recovery journey shouldn’t feel like a chore, but trying to oversee every aspect from both fronts may leave you neglecting your own best interest. Thankfully, it isn’t a process you have to go through alone.
Hiring a pedestrian accident attorney provides you with a legal advocate who will help you assess all damages and pursue them to the fullest extent of the law from all liable parties. The CEO Lawyer, Ali Awad, has spent years serving members of the community just like you.
Over the last few years, the team at The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm has built an average success rate of over 99%. An initial consultation is cost-free and leaves you with no obligation to commit to our services.
Our goal is to understand the unique details of your accident, walk you through the litigation process, and offer space for questions you may have. Schedule your free case review with an experienced Lawrenceville pedestrian accident lawyer today when you call (770) 525-9098 or contact us online.
Benefits of Working With a Lawrenceville Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Pedestrians are the most at-risk group that shares the road and sidewalks. Motorists have unique protections that can offset the extent of the injuries a crash may create while a pedestrian is left defenseless.
These accidents are not uncommon either, as pedestrian accidents have increased by 13% since 2020, making up roughly 17% of all crash fatalities.
The days following an accident can feel overwhelming and confusing, especially when there is no real guide to managing the aftermath. In Georgia, you can fight for compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company or move forward with a lawsuit, depending on what will benefit your case more.
An attorney can help you understand what the best course of action will be, and they will represent you throughout the process. Along the way, you’re bound to be faced with questions, concerns, and confusion — meaning it is all the more important to turn to a professional advocate whose sole responsibility is to represent your own legal and financial interests.
Having legal representation oversee the steps of your case can save you precious time and energy, with your attorney helping you manage the following key steps:
- Investigating your accident’s cause: Your personal injury attorney will help you determine the true cause of your accident, including all negligent parties involved and how their actions led to your injuries.
- Calculating full damages suffered: Determining an appropriate amount of compensation to request is not always easy, especially since injury victims tend to underestimate the future costs of care. Your attorney will diligently review your medical and financial records while also working with billing and medical experts to predict the full costs of treating your injury in the future.
- Managing communications with other parties: Your attorney reduces the burden placed upon you to communicate with insurers and other parties. This representation not only relieves you of the time and stress of such conversations, but it can also prevent common mistakes, such as disclosures that could affect the level of compensation for which you are eligible to claim.
- Negotiating a final settlement value: Determining appropriate compensation is always a challenge, especially when insurers are apt to offer a low amount to unrepresented claimants. Your attorney will protect your interests while using their experience of handling such claims in order to pursue the fullest extent of damages available most effectively.
- Filing a lawsuit and taking your case to trial: In rare instances, pedestrian injury cases will require a lawsuit and a jury trial in order to resolve. While most cases will conclude with an out-of-court settlement, it may be necessary to sue another party with the help of your attorney, potentially even taking your case to court in order to compel the liable party to pay for appropriate damages.
Commonly Reported Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents
With accident rates increasing, so are the injuries. In 2021, there were over 60,500 reported injuries from pedestrians in traffic collisions — an 11% increase from the previous year.
While pedestrian accidents will result in injuries that vary in severity, pedestrians face the unique danger of extreme injuries when in a crash. They lack protection and may often strike the vehicle, road surface, or nearby objects multiple times in the course of a single accident.
Some of the most common injuries faced by pedestrians include:
- Head trauma and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Crushing injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Soft-tissue damage
- Emotional trauma
- Blunt trauma
- Amputations
- Fatality
What Are Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents?
Motorists and pedestrians are expected to share the road, but on unfortunate occasions, the close proximity can be dangerous, especially to vulnerable parties like pedestrians.
Almost anything can cause an accident, but some situations are more commonly seen by first responders, medical professionals, and insurance agencies than others. These include:
- Left-hand turns: A pedestrian is nearly four times as likely to be hit by a driver making a left turn rather than a right turn. Left turns involve more judgment and a greater distance to cross, increasing the risk that a pedestrian in a crosswalk will be hit by a driver moving quickly and who is not fully aware of the pedestrian in their path.
- Distracted driving: Whether a driver is changing their music, texting, or watching something else on the road, distracted driving is a top contributor to pedestrian accidents.
- Speeding: Speeding is a reckless behavior that endangers the lives of pedestrians and motorists alike. A driver who is speeding down the road is unlikely to see an oncoming pedestrian and is even less likely to manage the situation in time. Speeding will often create more extreme injuries because of the severe impact.
- Impaired driving: Driving under the influence is illegal under all circumstances, but when these drivers come in contact with pedestrians, the outcome is unpredictable because of altered reflexes and depth perception.
- Unmarked crosswalks: A crosswalk is like a big striped signal that tells motorists to keep an extra eye out at all times. In some places, a crosswalk will have a faded or non-existent barrier that marks the walking path for drivers. Some drivers may not expect to see pedestrians with no crosswalk in sight, thus proceeding without the appropriate level of care and caution.
- Failure to comply with school zone speed limits: School zones are busy with kids, faculty, and cars racing to pick up and get out. Such a bustling environment can be dangerous for pedestrians, especially young children, who may have difficulty seeing over a dashboard. This is why school zones enforce a decreased speed limit.
What Should I Do After a Pedestrian Accident?
Many victims of a pedestrian accident will feel shocked and confused while the initial aftermath of the scene plays out. No one expects a collision when they walk outside, and their experience will feel uniquely overwhelming to each victim.
It is critical that the victim of a pedestrian accident stays at the scene until first responders can assess their condition. The human body is not invincible, and it can expertly mask pain in times of need.
The victim of a pedestrian accident must be proactive with each of the following steps to promote a safe recovery – physically and financially:
- Seek Medical Attention — Always go to the nearest ER or see a health professional any time you have been involved in a pedestrian accident, even if you’re unsure if you’re hurt.
- Call 911 — Before you leave the scene, call 911 and request a police respondent to investigate the accident and document a report.
- Document the Events of the Accident — If you are able to, record all information you can at the scene, including taking photos of the location, debris, and injuries; also, get the contact information of any witnesses willing to cooperate.
- Reach out to an Attorney Before You Talk to Insurers — Appointing your own lawyer allows you to be informed of options and avoid common mistakes that can hurt your claim.
- Keep Your Case Private, and Commit to Follow-Up Care — As you recover, be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter. Avoid activities they recommend against, including returning to work and attending all follow-up appointments. Also, avoid discussing the case with anyone, especially on social media.
Injured in a Recent Pedestrian Accident? Contact The CEO Lawyer, a Trusted Lawrenceville Pedestrian Accident Law Firm
Any type of accident can be scary, but as a pedestrian, you are at higher risk of enduring serious injuries. All motorists on the road have a duty to responsibly watch out for pedestrians, and when someone fails to uphold that rule, they also fail the victim.
Our job as attorneys is to protect accident victims in these instances, advocating for their right to recover all damages suffered. The CEO Lawyer, Ali Awad, and his experienced legal team have served many members of the Lawrenceville community, and we are here for you, too.
We are standing by to help you get started on your journey to recovery after your pedestrian accident. Call (770) 525-9098 or contact us online to schedule a free case review with a reliable and proven pedestrian accident attorney in Lawrenceville today.
