Why You Need a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Pedestrians hit by cars are at a higher chance of suffering catastrophic injuries. Common injuries include fractured or broken bones and internal organ damage, traumatized brain injuries or spinal cord injury and disfigurement.
A NYC pedestrian accident lawyer can help victims recover compensation to cover future and present medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages due to absence from work, and other damages.
What to Do After an Pedestrian Accident
Even with crosswalks and sidewalks walking on the road can put the risk of being struck by a car. When walking across the street or jogging to your car for groceries, pedestrians face the risk of serious injuries and death when struck by a vehicle. If you've been struck by an automobile while walking, it is important to act immediately to safeguard your legal and financial rights. A New York pedestrian accident attorney can help you navigate through the complex process of submitting personal injury claims.
It is also crucial to seek medical attention right away after a pedestrian accident. It is crucial to seek medical attention before speaking with insurance companies. Your adrenaline could mask any signs or symptoms, so it's critical to have a medical exam and diagnosis from a physician. Delays in seeking care can severely hinder your ability to recover compensation for your losses and injuries.
After obtaining medical treatment, you should contact the police to file a report of the incident. Be sure to get the name of the officer, badge number as well as the case number assigned to your particular case. This will make it much easier to obtain a copy of the police report once it's completed. Record any additional statements that you provide to the police officer so that you have a complete record.
If you have a smartphone, make sure you take pictures of the scene and the injuries. This can be important evidence to support your claim. Not least you should attempt to get the names and contact information of any witnesses who were present at the accident. This can be a valuable evidence to support your claim, as it is difficult to establish fault without the testimony of other parties involved in a collision.
An attorney can evaluate your claim and determine which types of damages you are entitled to. These may include future and current medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages from absence from work, property damage, emotional distress and suffering and pain. An attorney for pedestrian accidents can maximize your compensation by ensuring all of your losses are properly recorded and properly documented.
Establishing Liability
A lawyer can help you identify who is liable for your injuries and build an effective case against the party responsible or parties. They will collect evidence such as eyewitness testimony, CCTV footage and police reports to help strengthen your claim. They also work with accident reconstruction experts who recreate the scene to determine factors such speed, impact angles, and more.
Other parties may be accountable for your injuries even if the person who hit the pedestrian was typically at fault. If it can be proven that inadequate lighting or obstructed vision was a factor in the accident, then you could also sue the government agency responsible for road conditions. You could be entitled, based on the laws in your state to a compensation under the no-fault policy of the driver.
Your lawyer can also go over any evidence from a hit and run accident, and then try to trace the driver who fled the scene. Click On this page is especially important if you were injured by an intoxicated driver.
It is also important to note that pedestrians could be held liable in some states for not taking care for their own safety. In New York, for example pedestrians must follow traffic signals and signs and be vigilant in areas that have high traffic. If a judge decides that you contributed to your accident in some way, your damages could be reduced by an amount proportional to your degree of fault.
Your NYC pedestrian accident lawyer will assist you in obtaining compensation to cover any medical expenses you might have suffered, including future ones, lost wages due to missing work days as well as the pain and suffering. They can also assist you in recovering compensation in the event of property damage or other damage. They will collaborate with experts in the field to accurately estimate your losses, so that they reflect the accident's full impact on your life. They can also negotiate with insurance companies to ensure that you're compensated fairly and don't fall victim to bad-faith tactics. They can also manage your interactions with insurance companies so that you don't need to settle for less.
How to File a Claim
Pedestrian accidents can be difficult and confusing to navigate without the help of a seasoned attorney. It's not always clear which option to pursue an injury claim or sue for damages. A wrong decision can result in a devastating financial burden. For instance choosing to settle with an insurance provider may seem like a sensible option after being struck by a vehicle, but typically, their plans do not fully cover all of your losses.
The first step is to seek medical attention immediately for your injuries. It is important to document the extent of your injury and the consequences that result, such as physical pain, emotional stress and loss of quality of life. It is also important to keep track of any costs you incur as a result of the accident, like medical expenses, lost wages due to missed workdays and property damage.
The next step is to make an insurance claim with the owner or driver's insurer. In states with no fault, the personal injury protection coverage of the driver, which is usually part of all car insurance policies will pay for pedestrian's injuries regardless of who was responsible for the incident. In some cases the pedestrian may be covered by their own insurance company, depending on what type of insurance they have.
Before submitting any insurance claim, it is crucial to consult an New York pedestrian injury lawyer. Insurance companies are skilled in settling claims for less than their value. They also know how they can uncover loopholes in the law that hinder you from recovering your full losses.
An experienced pedestrian accident lawyer from Shaevitz & Shaevitz can help you decide on the best avenue to pursue in order to recover of your losses. We can review any settlement offer from the insurance company and make sure that it is sufficient to compensate you for your damages, including medical bills, lost wages from working hours missed and pain and suffering, emotional distress and costs of rehabilitation. In some instances, we can also assist by pursuing compensation from other parties who might be responsible for your losses, for instance, the city for poorly designed pedestrian crossings and sidewalks or a company if an driver on duty hits you.
Recovering Compensation
A car crash can be life-altering. It is possible to be responsible for medical bills that cost a lot of money and lose earnings due to the absence of work. You may also experience persistent emotional pain and suffering. If you find yourself in this position you should consult an attorney who can help you recover the maximum compensation available. The best choice is an attorney with expertise in claims for pedestrian accidents. They know how to determine the total amount of your damages and how to communicate effectively with insurance companies.
A NYC pedestrian accident attorney with experience can collect evidence in court to show that pedestrians have the right of way in a variety of traffic situations. They will utilize videos as well as police reports and witness testimony to build a solid case for you. This will give your best chance of obtaining the compensation you deserve for medical expenses as well as lost wages and other damages resulting from the accident.
A lawyer's help is the only way to get the compensation you need to compensate for your losses following being hit by a car as a pedestrian. Your lawyer will also shield you from being taken advantage of by the at-fault driver's insurance company and negotiate a settlement that is fair to you.
Depending on the extent of your injuries you could be entitled to the compensation you deserve for your economic and non-economic damage. Economic damages include medical expenses and lost income. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering.
It is important to remember that New York is a no-fault insurance state, meaning that your injury claim will be filed with the at-fault driver's car insurance company. However, if your injuries are serious enough to warrant a serious injury threshold, you can bring a lawsuit directly against the driver for their negligence.
You should speak to an attorney for pedestrian accidents immediately following your accident, as the statute of limitations is short. A knowledgeable and experienced lawyer will guide you through the procedure of filing an injury claim and will make sure you have all the required evidence ready before the deadline expires.