In an accident while walking on foot, you could face serious injuries. The force of the car hitting you, hitting your head on the way down, breaking bones, or even having part of your body run over can leave you with expensive hospital bills and months of recovery. Know that in many cases, you are entitled to have these damages paid for you, and you should always turn to a lawyer to get help seeking these damages.
In a car accident case, the at-fault driver should be the one to pay for what happened to you. A lawsuit can potentially help you cover these costs in full and help you get back to your life.
For a free review of your potential case, call the pedestrian accident lawyers at Howe Law by dialing (844) 876-4357.
Dealing with the Aftermath of a Pedestrian Accident in Maryville, TN
Being hit by a car can be absolutely devastating. If you were physically struck by a vehicle, rather than being hit while driving or traveling as a passenger, then your injuries might be quite dangerous. It is important to call 911, seek medical care, and talk to a lawyer about your case.
Calling 911
When you call 911, they will send a police response, but you should also specifically request an ambulance if you think you need medical attention. The police officer who responds will be able to write up a report of what happened, but their facts will be limited only to what they could observe in the aftermath of the crash and what people at the scene told them about the accident.
While we can get a copy of this police report, anything you can do to collect your own information about who was involved, what happened, where the accident happened, etc., will also be helpful. If you can, also take pictures or try to get copies of any security footage of the crash.
Getting Medical Care
Emergency treatment and first aid from the ambulance crew will be the start of your medical care, but likely not the end. If the EMTs recommend that you seek further treatment, do so as soon as you can. If they want to take you to the hospital, go with them; do not fight it because you think it might be expensive, because you would rather see your own doctor, or because you would rather go to a cheaper urgent care center. In many cases, other facilities can actually turn you away and send you to a hospital anyway for your car accident injuries, so you should go straight to the hospital and avoid any potential delays.
At the hospital, they can treat you for your emergency condition, including performing surgeries, scans, and other procedures you might need. Your path to healing might also involve additional care after that, such as appointments with specialists, follow-ups with your normal doctor, physical therapy, and more.
Do not neglect the mental and emotional side of treating your injuries. Many car accident victims, especially pedestrians facing severe injury, will also need mental health treatment and therapy. You might develop PTSD symptoms and face other effects on your mind, happiness, and well-being that need treatment as well.
Calling a Lawyer
Our pedestrian accident attorneys can help you recover in different ways than your doctors can. We cannot heal your physical wounds, but we can help you understand how much this accident cost you, what expenses you have to pay because of it, and how much you can get reimbursed. We will do what we can to set back the clock financially, restoring you to the economic state you were in before the accident. This means that if you lost wages because you could not work, we will seek to get them paid back by the at-fault driver. If you paid medical expenses or faced other costs because of the accident, we will seek to get them reimbursed as well.
We can also seek compensation for your physical injuries, mental and emotional distress, and other damages. These damages are in lieu of being able to turn back the clock on your physical and mental harm. Additionally, if the driver’s actions were very dangerous, we might be able to seek additional damages to punish them for what they did.
Proving Your Pedestrian Accident Case in Maryville, TN
Pedestrian accident victims often face accusations that they were truly the ones who caused their crashes. In many cases, the law is clear: drivers are supposed to yield to pedestrians, stay off the sidewalk, stop before entering crosswalks, and otherwise keep a lookout to avoid hitting people with their cars. Despite the defenses that drivers try to put up, many cases are squarely the driver’s fault.
If the driver was speeding, driving under the influence, texting while driving, or otherwise driving distracted, then we can use that against them to prove they were responsible. Other violations – such as running a red light or driving on the sidewalk – would also be further proof of their fault.
The defense will likely try to say that you entered the roadway at a dangerous time or in a dangerous way, but the facts of your case might counteract this assertion. If you were hit in a crosswalk or while you were not even in the street, then this defense falls flat. Further, even if you did “jump out” onto the road quickly or cross somewhere you should not have, this might only account for part of the blame, and the driver could still be mostly responsible.
Call Our Pedestrian Accident Attorneys in Maryville, TN Today
Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free case assessment with our pedestrian accident attorneys.
