Valdosta is a very walkable city, and many people choose to get around town on foot. Unfortunately, careless drivers put pedestrians at risk, and accidents have been known to occur.
After a pedestrian accident, you should focus on getting emergency help and exchanging information with people at the scene. Once you have received medical treatment, you should contact an attorney for advice about legal action. Many accidents happen in intersections or on walkways that run alongside traffic, and negligent drivers are often to blame. You can claim various damages related to economic and non-economic losses. Damages may include medical bills, lost income, pain, suffering, and more. To support your claims and get compensation, we need evidence. Much evidence might come directly from the crash scene, while other evidence must be gathered elsewhere.
The driver who hit you should be brought to justice and made to pay for your significant expenses from the accident. Our Valdosta, GA pedestrian accident lawyers can help you take action and get compensation. Call Howe Law for a free case assessment at (844) 876-4357.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Valdosta, GA
Immediately after being hit by a car, you should call for emergency help. If you are too badly hurt to call for help on your own, someone at the scene can help you and call 911. Getting emergency help should be your number one priority, even if you feel like you are not badly injured.
As you wait for help to arrive, you should try to document as much of the scene as possible. This might not be safe if your injuries are severe. In that case, you should stay out and wait for help. However, if you can, you should take photos and record videos of the scene to preserve as many details as possible. Accident scenes are often cleaned up very quickly, and these photos and videos might be the only images we have of the crash scene.
You should also exchange information with the driver and other people at the accident scene. Exchanging information after an accident is practically standard procedure, as people must exchange insurance information. Not only that, but you should get names and contact details from people who can testify as witnesses in a trial or give a statement to an insurance company.
Once you have gotten treatment for your injuries and the dust has settled, you should reach out to an attorney. Our Valdosta, GA pedestrian accident attorneys can help you take legal action to get compensation. An insurance claim is a good first step, and a lawsuit might be a necessary second step.
How and Where Pedestrian Accidents Tend to Happen in Valdosta, GA
Pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere there are vehicles and people walking. Crosswalks are notorious for pedestrian accidents. Often, accidents at crosswalks happen because drivers refuse to yield to crossing pedestrians. Drivers sometimes mistakenly believe that pedestrians must always yield to traffic, but the reverse is true in many circumstances.
Another high-risk zone for pedestrian accidents is the parking lot. People often let their guard down in parking lots because cars usually move slower as drivers search for a parking space. However, many drivers speed through parking lots to snag a spot or simply because they are reckless. People walking to or from their vehicles might be hit by negligent drivers in parking lots, especially during crowded shopping times.
Pedestrians are also often hit by drivers in parking lanes. Like parking lots, people might walk to or from their cars in parking lanes. Since parking lanes run right alongside normal lanes of traffic, drivers must be careful to avoid hitting pedestrians as they enter or exit their vehicles. Unfortunately, negligent drivers do not look out for pedestrians, and people might be severely injured.
Damages You Can Recover in a Valdosta, GA Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit
Damages fall into two broad categories: special and general damages. Special damages focus on the economic and monetary losses of the plaintiff. Meanwhile, general damages encompass losses or experiences that are more subjective and do not necessarily come at a financial cost. Speak to our Valdosta, GA pedestrian accident attorneys about the damages you can claim in your case.
Special damages include monetary losses from the accident. For example, any money you spend on medical bills can be claimed as part of your special damages. Many injured pedestrians experience severe injuries that require ongoing or long-term care. In those cases, plaintiffs can claim the estimated value of their future medical bills. Similarly, injured pedestrians might be unable to return to work and lose important income. Lost income and lost future income may be claimed as part of your special damages.
General damages are more amorphous and harder to quantify. They are designed to compensate injured pedestrians for painful experiences rather than monetary losses. You can claim mental and physical pain and suffering as part of your general damages. These damages might be quite high if your injuries are severe. Additionally, you can claim other injuries like humiliation or damage to your reputation.
How to Collect Evidence in a Valdosta, GA Pedestrian Accident Case
Collecting evidence is often one of the hardest parts of taking legal action after an accident. Evidence can be fleeting, and if we do not act quickly, it might be lost forever. Some evidence might come straight from the accident scene and must be collected soon. Other evidence might be collected elsewhere or as testimony and records.
Photos and videos are incredibly important pieces of evidence. Taking photos or recording videos of the accident scene immediately after being hit by a car helps preserve the details of the scene for the courtroom. In many cases, if there are no photos or videos from the accident scene, we have to recreate the scene from memory and testimony.
Other extremely strong evidence is video footage of the accident as it occurred. Depending on where you were hit by a car, there might be nearby businesses or homes with security cameras. We should check with home and business owners in the area for any footage. A video showing the defendant being negligent might be the strongest evidence in our arsenal.
Call Our Valdosta, GA Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for Assistance
Pedestrians hit by cars are sometimes left with catastrophic, life-altering injuries. The driver responsible for these accidents must be held accountable and brought to justice. Our Valdosta, GA pedestrian accident lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call Howe Law for a free case assessment at (844) 876-4357.
