Pedestrian accidents can have devastating consequences, impacting victims physically, emotionally, and financially. While getting medical help after a pedestrian accident should be your top priority, taking specific steps after this accident can also protect your legal rights. To help you better understand these steps, in the post below, we will go over what you should do after a pedestrian accident and how an experienced pedestrian accident attorney can help you and your legal claim.
Contact the Authorities Immediately
Contact 911 right away following the pedestrian accident. If you cannot do it yourself, have someone around you call. This can ensure that medical personnel and police are called to the scene to get you the help you need. In addition, after the police complete their investigation, they will write their discoveries in their report, which your lawyer can use to help your legal claim.
Seek Medical Treatment
Even if you do not need emergency medical help after the pedestrian accident, you should still get to a doctor right away to get checked over. It is not uncommon for severe trauma, such as head trauma, to remain hidden for a few days before symptoms manifest. However, the longer you delay examining this condition, the worse it can become.
In addition, your doctor can prepare a medical report detailing the extent of your injuries and connecting the pedestrian accident with the harm sustained. This can be beneficial for your legal claim, primarily if the other party tries to claim that your harm is not that severe or due to a separate event.
Look for Evidence Following the Pedestrian Accident
If you can gather evidence from the scene, you should consider taking as many pictures as possible of the injuries you can see, the vehicles involved in the accident, the road, weather, and traffic conditions at the time of the collision, and anything else that can show what happened.
Check if Anyone Saw the Pedestrian Accident
If anyone was at the scene and saw what happened, get their names and phone numbers. These witnesses can provide helpful information regarding the incident that your attorney can use to strengthen your legal case, as well as offer testimony that can help collaborate your claim.
However, following this pedestrian accident, watch the comments you make. Remember, the things you say can be used against you to hurt your case. That is why avoid making conclusive declarations about the incident, apologizing, or taking any of the blame.
Contact an Experienced Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Following a pedestrian accident, you should not have to stress about how you will obtain the financial recovery you need. Fortunately, with a knowledgeable pedestrian accident lawyer fighting for your legal rights, you will not have to tackle this legal ordeal alone.
Instead, once hired, these attorneys can:
- Go over the facts of the pedestrian accident, determine if you have a viable claim, and figure out the legal remedies you can go after.
- Investigate the pedestrian accident and look for evidence to support your claim.
- Make sure that legal action is taken before the statute of limitations runs out.
- Bring in knowledgeable specialists to help prove your legal claim.
- Deal with the settlement negotiations and fight hard for a reasonable amount.
- Proceed to take your case in front of a judge or jury, if necessary, and go after the compensation you are entitled to.
After a devastating pedestrian accident, do not wait to fight for the justice you deserve. Rather, contact Cave Law for a free case evaluation and find out how our legal team can help you.