Pedestrians are no match against a moving vehicle, even when the car is going slow. If you are struck by a vehicle, you might have severe injuries and no way to pay for various expenses.
Part of what makes pedestrian accidents so bad is that pedestrians often experience severe injuries, while drivers are often largely unharmed. You might have broken bones, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, serious lacerations, and other serious injuries. You can sue the person who hit you to help pay your hospital bills and other expenses. You should start by evaluating your damages to know how much compensation your case is worth. Next, you need evidence to back up your claims for damages and compensation. When you and your attorney are ready, you must draft and file a formal complaint with the court. You might want some time to consider your options after the accident, but you should speak to a lawyer sooner rather than later. The deadline to file personal injury claims in Alabama is only 2 years.
To schedule a private evaluation of your claims at no cost to you, call our pedestrian accident attorneys at Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Injuries and Damages in Florence, AL Pedestrian Accident Lawsuits
Since injuries can be severe, hospital bills are a major factor in damages calculations. Even a single emergency room visit can be shockingly expensive, even for those with health insurance. If your injuries require extensive treatment over a longer period, the cost might be more than you can pay in a lifetime.
You should also consider the money you lose from being unable to work. It is reasonable for injured pedestrians to take time away from their jobs while recovering from an accident. For some, their time away might not be covered by sick days, vacation time, or other paid time off. Others might be so injured that they have to leave their jobs completely. An attorney can help you determine the income you lost and might lose in the future because of the defendant’s negligence.
Non-economic injuries might not cost injured pedestrians money, but they certainly deserve financial compensation for the toll they take on the plaintiff’s life. Physical pain, emotional anguish, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of your life, disfigurement, and other painful experiences all deserve compensation. Many of these experiences are long-lasting, and injured victims live with the fallout for years, even forever.
Starting a Lawsuit for a Pedestrian Accident in Florence, AL
To get the full extent of your damages paid for by the defendant, our pedestrian accident attorneys can help you file a personal injury lawsuit. As you might expect, lawsuits are anything but simple. They often take a long time to complete, require a lot of work, and the outcome is never a sure thing. What many people might not realize is that much of the work that goes into a lawsuit happens before the case is even filed.
Evaluate Your Damages
The first step toward beginning your pedestrian accident lawsuit is to evaluate your damages. As discussed above, damages are often measured in dollars and cents. Things like hospital bills, property damage, and lost income are somewhat easier to assess because we can track the numbers. Non-economic damages, however, are far more subjective and often do not come with any price tag. As such, the jury usually decides the value of these damages.
While the jury has the ultimate say on how much compensation a plaintiff might get, we can work to convince them that the final numbers should be significant. The jury will only consider the damages we include in the initial complaint. As such, we must include all possible damages to maximize compensation.
Find Evidence
Next, we need evidence to back up your claims for damages. Evidence might come from numerous sources and look like almost anything. Physical objects, testimony, records, and more may be entered as evidence in your lawsuit.
In a pedestrian accident, much evidence will probably come from the accident scene. A good idea is to take photos immediately after the accidents. Take photos of the area, the defendant, the defendant’s vehicle, your injuries, and anything else you can think of. Your photos may shed light on important details that can help us understand how the accident happened.
Another important source of evidence in pedestrian accident cases is witness testimony. It is rather common for pedestrian accidents to be in crowded public spaces. There is a good chance multiple people saw your accident and can testify about what they saw. If we have enough people who can back up your version of events, your case may be much stronger.
Draft a Complaint
We can draft a formal complaint once we have the necessary information to begin your case. The complaint is the legal document that initiates the lawsuit. If the complaint does not contain the necessary information, your lawsuit might be rejected before we even begin.
In your complaint, we need details about how you were struck by a vehicle driven by the defendant. We also need details about your injuries and damages so the court knows what kind of relief (i.e., compensation) you want.
We need enough evidence in the complaint to show the court that your claims are valid and that your case warrants a trial. The court might reject your case as a baseless claim if we do not show enough evidence. Remember, we only need to show enough evidence to get the case into court. We do not have to present all possible evidence or even definitive evidence in the complaint.
When to Speak to an Attorney About Your Pedestrian Accident in Florence, AL
If you are unsure about pursuing a lawsuit for your pedestrian accident, you should speak with an attorney anyway. While it is reasonable to take some time to consider your options, you should speak to a lawyer sooner rather than later. According to Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l), personal injury claimants have only 2 years from the accident date to file their claims in court. If this deadline passes, you risk losing your right to sue for damages.
Call Our Florence, AL Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for Help
Set up a confidential evaluation of your potential case for free with our pedestrian accident lawyers at Howe Law by calling (844) 876-4357.
