Injury victims in all sorts of accidents are often entitled to sue the at-fault parties. The same is true of pedestrians injured in car accidents: lawsuits and insurance claims are likely available to help you get compensated for the pain and suffering you faced, as well as the medical expenses and lost wages.
Getting full compensation for your accident is often much easier with the help of an experienced attorney. The defendant or their insurance company will likely have a lawyer, so it is best for you to have representation as well. Our lawyers can usually help you fight for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages like pain and suffering, all without spending any money on legal fees up front – and only paying if you win your case.
For a free case review, contact Howe Law’s pedestrian accident lawyers today at (844) 876-4357.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Dothan, AL
If you were hit by a car, it might be a comfort to know that your accident is likely not new to us. Our pedestrian accident attorneys have experience with many types of accident cases, and pedestrian accidents are often caused by one of the following common issues. Even if the cause of your accident is not on this list, our lawyers can still fight to help you recover compensation for your injuries against the at-fault driver.
Failure to Yield to Pedestrians
Drivers are supposed to yield to pedestrians in nearly every situation. When drivers challenge pedestrians or fail to slow down or stop to let people cross the street on foot, they could be doing something incredibly dangerous and patently illegal. Drivers who break the law and cause accidents because of it can be held liable for the resulting injuries.
Drunk Driving
Especially on backroads and streets without sidewalks – something that is common in Dothan – pedestrians often walk right along the side of the road. This is perfectly legal in most situations; however, drunk drivers pose a serious threat to pedestrians on these roads. It can be difficult to spot pedestrians in these areas to start, but with the driver’s senses dulled, their judgment impaired, and their reaction times slowed, they are an even bigger danger to pedestrians.
These cases often result in serious injuries or death and might be considered a hit and run accident if the driver does not stop – another potential result of their impaired judgment.
Speeding
Speeding is often a contributing cause in many auto accident cases, and pedestrian accidents are no different. Injuries caused by speeding drivers are often more severe, as the energy transferred in a crash is much higher at higher speeds.
Inattention
A very common cause of pedestrian accidents is drivers simply failing to pay attention to their surroundings. Often when pedestrians get hit, it is because the driver was too worried about other cars or locating a parking space that they failed to watch out for the most vulnerable people around them.
Common Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents in Dothan, AL
When a person is hit by a car, the injuries they suffer are often severe. Pedestrians do not have the protection of a car around them, and they usually do not even have helmets like cyclists might. As such, pedestrian accidents are the type of accident with the highest rate of death and serious injury.
Pedestrians can suffer minor to moderate injuries like cuts, scrapes, bruises, and abrasions. However, most injured pedestrians find themselves with more serious injuries like broken bones, internal bleeding, and serious cuts and lacerations.
If you are literally run over by a vehicle, you could face broken bones and so-called “crush” injuries. These injuries often require emergency medical treatment to set the bones and control any internal or external bleeding.
Victims of pedestrian accidents are vulnerable to serious back, neck, head, spine, and brain injuries. Immense force can torque or misalign the spine or even break bones in your spine, causing potential damage to the spinal cord itself. A broken neck or broken back could even lead to paralysis. A serious head injury could also cause substantial injury and potential disability from a traumatic brain injury. Head and brain injuries are especially serious if there is internal bleeding.
Damages in a Pedestrian Accident in Dothan, AL
Victims of pedestrian accidents can often file an insurance claim against the at-fault driver to cover some of their damages. If the insurance company is unwilling to admit its driver’s fault, then you could be entitled to sue the driver in court instead.
In either case, you could be entitled to claim the following damages:
Lost Wages
If you missed any time at work because of your injuries, you could be entitled to compensation for those lost wages. Even with a minor-to-moderate injury like a broken arm, you could be unable to fulfill your job duties in full and might face lost wages in the form of a reduced paycheck while you are on light duties. Any loss in wages, missed work hours, or future lost earnings from an ongoing disability can be part of the compensation you claim in your injury case.
Medical Bills
Any expenses you face for medical care can be claimed in your injury case. This can include the cost of care for physical injuries as well as mental and emotional injuries. As such, you can claim the cost of psychiatric care or mental health counseling along with more traditional physical healthcare, such as surgeries, X-rays, physical therapy, and hospital stays.
Pain and Suffering
Victims of accidents face damages beyond what is accounted for in bills and financial statements. As such, “non-economic” damages like pain and suffering can also be claimed. Calculating these damages often means analyzing how severe your injuries were and awarding damages to account for the physical, mental, and emotional effects of the injury.
Call Our Dothan, AL Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Today
Reach out to Howe Law’s pedestrian accident attorneys by calling us at (844) 876-4357.
