Being hit by a car is one of the biggest concerns for pedestrians anywhere there is even the slightest traffic. Injuries tend to be serious, and you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible to discuss getting compensation.
After an accident, you should immediately call the police and get to the hospital. Depending on how dire the situation is, you might be rushed to the ER before you have a chance to speak to the driver, witnesses, or the police. Once you have recovered, at least somewhat, you should contact a lawyer to discuss potential legal compensation options. Getting fair compensation is rarely easy and involves numerous complex steps. First, we must determine who is responsible for the accident. Next, we need to evaluate your injuries, losses, and damages. Then, we have to gather evidence to prove your claims for damages.
To set up a private case review free of charge with our pedestrian accident lawyers, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Auburn, AL
The first thing you should do if you are ever hit by a car is to call for emergency help immediately. If you are too badly hurt to call for help yourself, ask someone nearby to do it for you. Even if you do not feel badly injured, you should still go to a hospital to be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.
While waiting for emergency medical personnel to arrive, the police might show up. When calling 911, always make sure both medical personnel and law enforcement are sent to the scene. Depending on how the accident occurred, the police might want to investigate. A police report about your collision may be very important later, and we likely need it when preparing for a lawsuit or filing an insurance claim.
Identify the other driver if you can. Drivers are required by law to stay put until the police arrive and talk to them. While waiting, you and the driver should exchange information. If you do not exchange information, our pedestrian accident attorneys can get their information from the police. Drivers who flee the scene may be charged with a hit and run.
Another important step to take is taking pictures. People often take pictures after vehicle accidents to show to insurance companies as proof of damage. These photos can also be used in the courtroom as evidence of the accident. Your photos might contain crucial information about the vehicle, driver, road conditions, location, and countless other details.
Once you have gotten medical care and are feeling up to it, call a lawyer. Your attorney can evaluate your claims and determine the best way to get compensation for your damages. In many cases, lawyers handle the accident victim’s legal claims while the accident victim recovers.
Getting Fair Compensation for a Pedestrian Accident in Auburn, AL
Injuries stemming from pedestrian accidents are often harsh. Injured victims tend to incur significant medical bills, take time off from work to recover, and endure significant pain. Your various damages might be overwhelming, and you deserve fair compensation from the person or people responsible. Unfortunately, getting compensation can be challenging, but an attorney can make navigating the legal process easier.
Who is Responsible?
As mentioned earlier, one of the earliest steps to getting fair compensation is to identify the person or people responsible. In pedestrian accidents, the defendant is usually the driver of the vehicle that hit the pedestrian. However, some cases might be more complicated, and identifying all the liable parties might be more challenging.
Some pedestrian accidents involve more than one vehicle, meaning more than one driver might be implicated. For example, if you were hit in a crosswalk because one driver rear-ended another driver who slammed into you, which driver do you hold accountable? It might be best to name both drivers in your lawsuit and let the evidence show who is truly liable. However, your attorney might be able to help you eliminate drivers from the case who are clearly not responsible.
We can also work with law enforcement to identify drivers who did not stick around the accident scene. Hit and runs are serious criminal offenses, and the police likely will investigate to find the other driver. Once they do, we can identify them for your lawsuit. However, your lawsuit might be on hold until criminal proceedings are finished.
Assessing Damages
Your damages include the losses, injuries, costs, and experiences directly resulting from the accident. Damages are a huge component of any accident lawsuit but vary from case to case. As such, your attorney should review your numerous losses to determine the extent of your damages and get an accurate idea of how much compensation you can demand.
Many damages are rooted in how much money the plaintiff lost. Medical bills, property damage, and lost earnings are some of the biggest contributing factors to economic damages. However, it would be best to discuss various other costs with your attorney, no matter how small they seem.
Non-economic losses are hard to evaluate but might still be worth considerable compensation. Largely summed as “pain and suffering,” non-economic damages encompass physical pain, emotional trauma, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of your life, and various other negative experiences and feelings. Since these damages are highly subjective, we need strong evidence of your suffering to convince the jury to award compensation.
Finding Evidence
In any lawsuit, evidence is king. Without it, you cannot prove your claims, and your claims might be dead on arrival. Even before we file your lawsuit, we need at least some evidence supporting your claims and showing that your case is valid and deserves a trial.
As discussed earlier, much evidence comes from the accident scene, and taking photos can help you preserve evidence before it is cleared away by law enforcement. If you could not take photos, we might find video footage from nearby security cameras. We can also work with witnesses to get them to testify in court.
If evidence is difficult to obtain, do not be dismayed. Strong cases can be built on only a few pieces of strong evidence. Some photos and witnesses might be all you need to prove your claims. Your attorney can help you use what evidence you have in the most effective way possible.
Call Our Auburn, AL Pedestrian Accident Attorneys for Assistance
Our pedestrian accident attorneys of Howe Law can be reached at (844) 876-4357 to arrange a free, confidential evaluation of your case.
