Those that are involved in a pedestrian accident may be left feeling helpless. If you were hit by a car, then you are left with life-altering injuries that need to be tended to.
Obviously, that kind of treatment does not come cheap. Those medical expenses will put a significant amount of financial stress on you and your family.
Someone else needs to pay for the injuries you sustained. That someone is the person who is responsible for causing them.
There are a few things you need to do in order to receive the full compensation that you deserve. Be sure to take every action that is listed below.
1. Get to a Safe Location
Depending on the severity of the accident, you may find yourself going into shock.
Try to keep yourself as calm as possible and if possible, make sure that you and the driver move to the side of the road. Do not let them get back in the car, as you may risk them driving away.
Get to the side of the road before proceeding with the next step, thus ensuring everyone is safe from further harm.
2. Call 911
As soon as the incident happens, the police need to be called. Depending on the severity of injuries that you (and others) sustained, you may need an ambulance as well.
This is a crucial step in your pedestrian accident case. The police will file a report of what happened, along with the names and contact information of everyone there.
This includes you, the driver, and any witnesses that stayed to give a statement of what they saw.
You and everyone else’s health is the top priority. You can worry about the next steps to the process after you are sure that everyone is safe.
3. Gather Evidence
Now that you have checked on the injuries that you and others sustained, and made sure that everyone is in stable condition, it is time to gather evidence.
The information and evidence that you gather while on the scene of the pedestrian accident will play a crucial role in building your case.
Be sure to take as many photos as possible. Take pictures of your injuries, any damage to the car, the car’s license plate, the location you are at, etc.
Next, be sure to gather names and contact information. Get this for the police officer filing your report, the driver that hit you, and any witnesses that were there.
Take some notes of other things such as where you were, the approximate time that it happened, and all details of the incident that you can remember.
If your injuries were too severe and you needed to be rushed to the hospital, ask someone else to gather the evidence for you.
4. Seek Medical Treatment
Now that the accident is over with and you have gathered as much evidence as possible, the focus shifts back to your immediate medical needs.
The injuries you sustained in the accident may change your life forever if not properly tended to. Get the medical treatment that you need right away.
Listen to everything the doctor tells you about the treatment process and follow every step he gives you to a “T”. This is as important for your well-being as it is for your case.
The defendant’s side can use your lack of urgency for medical treatment against you. They may claim that your injuries are not as severe as you claimed them to be, otherwise, you would have required more treatment.
You might be wondering “Am I left paying these expensive bills in the meantime?”
That depends. If you own a vehicle then your insurance will pay for the initial bills. Otherwise, if you do not own a vehicle and the accident happened in what is called a no-fault insurance state, then the driver’s car insurance should be responsible for paying some if not all, of your expenses.
If the state you are in doesn’t have a no-fault insurance law in place, then your personal health insurance should initially pay the medical bills. However, if you didn’t have health insurance prior to the accident, then you could be on the hook for those costs.
5. Hire an Attorney
After you have tended to your injuries and are on the right path to recovery, it is time to seek legal advice for your claim.
Hire a trusted pedestrian accident attorney with the experience and know-how in this type of case.
You have all the evidence and contact information to get things started, your attorney will help you sort it all out. They can point you in the right direction of properly making a claim.
They can also help you with taking strides towards the most compensation possible.
For example, you may not only be able to receive compensation from the driver that hit you but from local municipalities as well. If factors such as a faulty streetlight or lack of street signage are to blame, that is an avenue you can take.
When you list out what happened to your lawyer, they’ll take your story and point out the right way to go about your case.
From then on, you’ll have an experienced lawyer to see your case through to the end.
Involved in a Pedestrian Accident? Get the Help You Need!
There is no time to waste if you were involved in a pedestrian accident. It is time to get the compensation that you and your family deserve.
For more inquiries, please reach out via our contact us page and we’ll be happy to discuss with you further.
