You should be able to walk down a sidewalk or cross an intersection without fearing for your safety. Negligent drivers who cause pedestrian accidents should be held accountable and must pay for your damages.
You should consider filing a lawsuit if you need help covering expensive costs and to get a sense of closure of justice. Pedestrian accidents tend to happen where vehicles travel adjacent to people on foot. Some typical pedestrian accident locations are sidewalks, crosswalks, and parking lots and garages. Evaluating your damages is crucial, and economic and non-economic damages are all on the table. Your lawsuit begins with a formal complaint, and the complaint sets the tone and pace of the case, making it a very important step in the legal process. An attorney can help you prepare and file the complaint and kick off your case.
The driver who hit you should not be allowed to get away with it. Our Clarksville, TN pedestrian accident lawyers can fight to bring the driver to justice. Reach out to our team at Howe Law for a free evaluation of your case. Call us at (844) 876-4357.
Why You Should Consider Filing a Lawsuit After a Clarksville, TN Pedestrian Accident
Lawsuits are significant undertakings, and most people need time to mull their options before deciding whether to sue. One big factor in why many injured pedestrians decide to sue is that they have severe injuries and big expenses. Many injured victims cannot pay for their damages, and a lawsuit helps them get the financial compensation they need for things like medical bills.
Another factor you should consider when deciding whether to file a lawsuit is how long you need to recover. Pedestrian accident victims often need weeks, months, or even longer to recover, and they often cannot work during this time. Compensation from a lawsuit can help them make ends meet while unable to work and earn an income. Our Clarksville, TN pedestrian accident attorneys can help you calculate the value of income and wages you lose because of your injuries.
Regardless of your damages and whether you can cover them, you might want to sue because you need closure and justice. Pedestrian accidents are severe, and many victims experience mental anguish and emotional trauma. In cases where pedestrians experience permanent injuries or disabilities, they must come to terms with how their life has been altered. A lawsuit can help you get a sense of closure so you can move forward with your life.
How Pedestrian Accidents Can Happen in Clarksville, TN
Pedestrian accidents can happen almost anywhere there is vehicle and foot traffic together. While traffic safety laws are designed to prevent such accidents, negligent drivers still often hit and injure pedestrians. Our Clarksville, TN pedestrian accident attorneys can assist you in your fight for compensation and justice.
Sidewalks are designed for pedestrian traffic only, and vehicles are not permitted to drive in these spaces. When drivers lose control of their vehicles or become distracted, they might run up on sidewalks and injure the many people walking by. Alternatively, drivers making tight turns or who get too close to the curb might clip a pedestrian, causing serious injuries.
Crosswalks are notorious for pedestrian accidents despite the rules and restrictions imposed by traffic laws. Many crosswalks are equipped with traffic lights to warn drivers to stop. Other crosswalks have signs warning drivers of crossing pedestrians. In either case, drivers must yield to pedestrians in the street, and failure to do so might leave them liable for an accident.
Pedestrian accidents frequently occur in parking lots or garages. People tend to underestimate how dangerous these places are because vehicles must drive much slower. However, these places are still very risky, perhaps even more so because drivers are quick to let their guard down. A driver eager to find a parking spot might hit a pedestrian walking through the lot or garage.
Evaluating Your Damages and Injuries After a Pedestrian Accident in Clarksville, TN
Careful assessment of your damages is critical. If any damages are overlooked or underestimated, you might lose out on valuable compensation you need to make ends meet. Assessing non-economic damages can be particularly tough since these damages are often unrelated to money or costs. Instead, non-economic damages are subjective and are based on personal experiences after the accident. Pain, suffering, humiliation, and more can be claimed, and their value is usually based on how deeply they affect you on a daily basis.
Economic damages are sometimes considered easier to evaluate because they deal with real amounts of money that can be tallied up. However, there are still complications that can make this task challenging. Calculating economic damages might be hard if you have a lot of costs and expenses from the accident. Medical bills can be difficult to track when you need extensive or long-term treatment. Other economic damages might include the value of a damaged vehicle or personal belongings and lost income from missing time at work.
How to Get Your Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit Started in Clarksville, TN
Your lawsuit for damages begins with a formal legal complaint filed with the appropriate court. While this is only the first step in your case, it is arguably one of the most important. The complaint must be prepared very carefully as it sets the pace and tone for your lawsuit. Our Clarkesville, TN pedestrian accident lawyers can help you draft your complaint and submit it to the correct court.
Your complaint must be specific. Vague claims for damages with scant details will not cut it. We need information about the parties involved, how the accident occurred, what kind of damages you experienced, and how you want the court to remedy the situation (i.e., financial compensation).
We must also show that at least some evidence exists regarding your claims. Without evidence to back you up, the court might consider your complaint baseless and reject it. While we do not need to provide definitive evidence of the defendant’s negligence, we need enough to show that the case warrants a trial.
Call Our Clarksville, TN Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for Assistance
If you or someone close to you was struck by a vehicle, our Clarksville, TN pedestrian accident lawyers are here to assist you and your case. Contact Howe Law for a free evaluation of your case. Call our offices now at (844) 876-4357.