Some of the worst car accidents are collisions where a motor vehicle hits an unassuming pedestrian. When two cars hit each other, injuries can frequently be minor or nonexistent for both parties involved because motor vehicles have become much safer than they have been in the past. Unfortunately, pedestrians are not afforded that level of protection. A pedestrian hit by even a slow-moving vehicle could sustain serious injuries like broken bones, internal bleeding, or permanent cognitive damage.
If you were a pedestrian in a motor vehicle accident around Madison, our lawyers can help. We have experience representing pedestrians in motor vehicle accident lawsuits and can help prepare your case to give you the best chance at getting the financial compensation you deserve.
Call our pedestrian accident lawyers at Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review.
Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Madison, AL
Pedestrian accidents can happen for a variety of reasons. While that assertion is just stating the obvious, nailing down the exact cause of your accident is important for our lawyers to build a strong case for you. In law, you can only collect damages from parties who are responsible for your injuries. Determining the cause of your accident can help us figure out who you should be bringing to court and who should be left alone.
Traffic Violations
Many accidents happen because drivers do not obey the rules of the road. Speeding, driving under the influence, constant switching of lanes, and tailgating can all lead to drivers hitting pedestrians.
Drivers have what is called a “duty of care” to drive safely around pedestrians. In law, a duty of care is an obligation to act as a reasonable person would under the circumstances. In this case, a reasonable driver would follow all the rules of the road and take reasonable safety precautions to make sure they do not hit any pedestrians. If a driver breached their duty to and injured you in a crash, they should be held liable.
Aggressive Drivers
Aggressive drivers are particularly dangerous to pedestrians while speeding from one place to another. This gives them less time to react to a person they were not expecting, and an accident is more likely to happen.
The danger to pedestrians from aggressive drivers does not just come from that driver alone. Other motorists probably will try and avoid a reckless, aggressive driver. It is possible that, in their effort to avoid a dangerous driver, another driver could hit you while trying to take evasive maneuvers.
Distracted Drivers
Motorists are supposed to pay attention to their surroundings at all times while on the road. As we all know, this does not uniformly happen. Despite numerous public service announcements admonishing driving while texting, on the phone, or otherwise using an electronic device, countless drivers still do those things behind the wheel. A distracted driver can easily hit a pedestrian that went unnoticed because the driver was focused on something else.
Quiet Cars
With the ever-increasing of electric cars on the road, the sound of loud traditional gas engines has become slightly less common. Electric vehicles make significantly less noise than their traditional gasoline-powered counterparts. This could make an electric vehicle less obvious to a pedestrian crossing the street who is hard of hearing or using headphones that might dampen outside noise.
What You Should Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Madison, AL
There are important steps you should take in the aftermath of a pedestrian accident. Being in an accident is a scary and distressing experience, so having a plan of action ready to go can help to ensure you take all the steps necessary to increase your chance of success in court. Moreover, taking these steps will help our lawyers build a stronger case for you.
Get Medical Help
The most important thing to do after getting hit by a car is to receive medical aid. Follow all instructions that are given by medical professionals. If first responders say that it is ok for you to stay around the scene of the accident to collect information, you should do so. If instead you are told to go to a hospital, that is what your priority should be.
Even if you do not think you are hurt, you should still seek medical attention after an accident. Adrenaline can hide serious injuries from being noticed right away, and some injuries, like whiplash, might take a day or two to manifest themselves. Additionally, failure to seek medical attention could be used against you in court to try and reduce your damages.
Collect Information About the Accident
If you can stay at the accident site, get as much information as possible. You should take numerous photos and videos, talk to witnesses that saw what happened, and speak with the police officers who responded to the accident. Additionally, get the name, license plate number, and insurance information of any other drivers involved in the accident. Taking these actions will help make an accurate record of your accident while the events are still fresh in the mind of all parties involved.
Call Our Lawyers
You should call our lawyers as soon as you can after your accident. Not only will it help us build a stronger case for you, but you do not have unlimited time to file a lawsuit. A law called the statute of limitations puts a timer when you can file a lawsuit. If time runs out, you cannot bring your case anymore. In Alabama, the usual statutory period for a car accident lawsuit is two years per Ala. Code § 6-2-38.
Call Our Madison, AL Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Today
Have a free initial case review with our pedestrian accident lawyers at Howe Law today by calling (844) 876-4357.
