Advocacy for pedestrians injured in accidents with vehicles
If you or a loved one were injured in a pedestrian accident caused by a negligent driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. At The Law Offices of Haytham Faraj, our team is highly experienced in providing victims with the legal help they need to ensure the maximum compensation possible. To learn more about how our team can help you through this difficult time, contact us today for a free consultation.
Many times, when people are walking, they take their safety for granted. While sidewalks, crosswalks, and crossing signals protect you from traffic, your safety is never guaranteed. No matter what, you always run a risk while walking near any type of road. The causes of pedestrian accidents can vary exponentially; however, it’s important to know that these types of accidents are preventable. Perhaps a driver ran a red light, didn’t stop at a crosswalk, was texting and driving, or wasn’t paying attention to the road, it is important that you seek legal help from a pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights.
Types of Damages Available in a Pedestrian Accident Case
Pedestrian accidents have the potential to cause serious injuries that can potentially be life-changing, and even fatal. Because pedestrians do not have any type of external protection, this leaves them extremely vulnerable to serious injuries, resulting in a wide range of damages, including:
Lost wages
When a plaintiff misses work due to their injuries or treatment necessary for their injuries, they can be awarded compensation for the time that they missed work. If the plaintiff used their vacation time or sick time, they can still be awarded compensation for using their paid time off (PTO).
Loss of future income
When a plaintiff is no longer able to work due to permanent injuries caused by the accident, they can be awarded compensation for their loss of future income they would have made had they not been injured.
Medical bills
When an accident occurs, medical bills can quickly add up. If an accident is caused by the negligence or misconduct of another, the plaintiff may be awarded in compensation for the medical bills incurred.
Pain and suffering
Pain and suffering includes the physical pain a victim suffers, as well as physical discomfort from treatment, mental anguish, fatigue, anxiety, and many other physical impairments caused by the accident.
Emotional distress
If an accident has impacted the plaintiffs mental health, they may be able to receive compensation for their emotional distress.
Wrongful death
If the victim was killed in a pedestrian accident due to the negligence of a driver, the family of the deceased victim may be able to recover compensation for wrongful death, which includes a number of damages, such as the victim’s pain and suffering, the victim’s lost wages, funeral/burial costs, loss of care, guidance, nurturing, and much more.
Common Pedestrian Accident Causes
Unfortunately, there are many common causes that can lead to a pedestrian accident, including:
Distracted driving
Distracted driving is the leading cause of accidents and is completely preventable. Distracted driving can range from texting and driving, talking on the phone, using a mobile device for any other reason, changing the radio station, and much more.
Speeding
Speeding can easily cause an accident, which is why it is extremely important to follow traffic laws and abide by speed limits.
Intoxicated driving
Unfortunately, intoxicated driving is a very common cause of all types of accidents, including pedestrian accidents. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can result in a serious accident and is illegal.
Failure to stop or yield
Failing to make a complete stop or yield at a traffic light or stop sign can easily result in a pedestrian accident, therefore, it is important to follow traffic rules to avoid this type of accident from occurring.
Weather conditions
When you add fog, rain, sleet, snow, or other bad weather conditions and driving, this can result in serious accidents. It is important to remain extremely cautious when driving in bad weather to avoid an accident from happening.
Left-hand turns
When it comes to drivers making a left-hand turn, there are many elements of traffic that they must keep track of simultaneously, including opposing traffic flow, pedestrians crossing, and traffic lights. It is extremely important to be cautious of pedestrians crossing when making a left-hand turn to avoid this type of accident from occurring.
Right-hand turns
A right-hand turn accident, also known as a “right hook” accident, is unfortunately quite common when it comes to pedestrian accidents. Oftentimes, drivers fail to yield at a right light or a stop sign when making a right turn, or they do not double check to look out for pedestrians or bicyclists, which can result in a right-hand turn accident.
Backing-up accidents
When a driver is backing out of a parking spot or a driveway without looking to see if it is clear, this can result in the driver to strike a pedestrian. This can occur in residential home driveways, parking lots, and many other scenarios.
Types of Injuries in a Pedestrian Accident
Unfortunately, there are a wide range of injuries that a victim can suffer from a pedestrian accident. Like mentioned earlier, pedestrians do not have any type of external protection that can help ease any type of impact. Therefore, the types of injuries one can suffer can be extremely serious, and sometimes even fatal. For instance, motorists have seat belts and airbags, as well as the external protection of the actual vehicle. On the other hand, pedestrians don’t have any protection whatsoever. As a result, pedestrians can suffer extreme injuries, including:
Head injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
Spinal cord injuries
Internal bleeding or other internal injuries
Crush injuries and amputations
Paralysis
Bone fractures
Wrongful Death Caused by a Pedestrian Accident
A wrongful death caused by a pedestrian accident is by far one of the worst, unimaginable circumstances. Aside from the pain and suffering that victims endure before they pass, their family and loved one also experience an immense amount of grief, which often includes leaving their loved ones in a tough financial state.
As a result, this allows the descendant’s loved ones to pursue a wrongful death claim to seek recovery for the many losses, including:
Burial expenses
Funeral expenses
Medical expenses provided to the loved one before death
Loss of income of the loved one and future financial support
Lost household services, such as child care, cooking, and cleaning
Lost love, companionship, and moral support
Loss of consortium
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