Pedestrian Accident Attorney Serving in Staunton

Car accidents are damaging enough when it’s two vehicles colliding with each other. At least there is a certain amount of protection for the people in the vehicles. When a car or truck strikes a pedestrian, however, the results are often catastrophic. Even at low speeds, moving vehicles hit with much more force than the human body can withstand. This can lead to devastating injuries that can require a lengthy recovery and create serious financial strain in the form of medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.

What do you do if you’re injured in a pedestrian accident in Staunton? Your best bet is to talk to a Staunton pedestrian accident attorney at the Kendall Law Firm. Every pedestrian accident case is different. But we have a proven record of success pursuing compensation for our clients. We have five offices throughout Virginia, including in Staunton, Charlottesville, Winchester, Woodstock, and Harrisonburg. Our law firm has a 5-star rating on Google and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

To learn more about how we can help you get the money you need and deserve after a pedestrian accident, call us today at (434) 326-4350 or visit our contact page.

Causes Of Accidents Involving Pedestrians

While every pedestrian accident has unique contributing factors, there are a handful of common causes for many collisions involving cars and people on foot. They include:

• Drunk driving/driving under the influence of drugs – Drivers who drink before getting behind the wheel put themselves and anyone they encounter, including pedestrians, at extreme risk. This is also true of drivers who use drugs before driving, including prescription medications that cause impairment. A drunk or drugged driver may not see a pedestrian crossing the road ahead of them. An impaired driver may drift out of the traffic lane and strike a pedestrian on the sidewalk or road shoulder. In extreme cases, a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol may fall asleep at the wheel, causing them to leave the roadway and hit a pedestrian.
• Distracted driving – Making a phone call, sending or reading a text message, adjusting the radio, eating or drinking while driving, and other distractions can easily cause a driver to not see a pedestrian crossing the road. Distracted drivers are also more prone to leaving their lane and running off the road, putting pedestrians in danger.
• Negligent driving – This is a broad category that includes things like speeding, failing to check the rearview mirror before backing up, and failing to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. Drivers need to take special care to watch out for pedestrians at all times because of how susceptible pedestrians are to serious injuries when crashes occur.
• Bad weather/road conditions – Many pedestrian accidents happen at night. It’s harder for drivers to see pedestrians in the roadway at night, particularly if the pedestrian is wearing dark clothing. Poor driving conditions such as rain or snow can reduce visibility and road traction, making it harder for drivers to stop in time if they see a person in their path.

Common Types Of Injuries

Pedestrian accidents often lead to major injuries for the person struck by a moving vehicle. These injuries can lead to large amounts of money in medical bills. Not all injuries may fully heal.

Here are a few of the most common injuries that result from pedestrian accidents:

• Broken bones – Even in low-speed collisions, the impact of a car can break bones if a driver hits a pedestrian. Some of the most common fractures in pedestrian accidents are broken legs, hips, ribs, arms, and pelvises.
• Internal damage to organs and other soft tissues – The human body isn’t designed to absorb the impact of being hit by a car or truck. Pedestrians often sustain significant internal injuries including damage to internal organs, as well as muscles and tendons.
• Disfigurement and scarring – The impact of a pedestrian accident can crush your limbs and cause deep cuts across your body, causing your body to be scarred and disfigured.
• Neck and spinal cord injuries – The force of a pedestrian accident can cause whiplash and other trauma to your neck and spinal cord. While whiplash injuries are painful, they may heal over time. Damage to your spinal cord, however, is often permanent and can lead to partial or full paralysis.
• Traumatic brain injuries – Even if your head is not struck directly in a pedestrian accident, you may hit your head on the ground due to the force of the impact. Head injuries can lead to diminished cognitive and physical function, memory loss, personality changes, and other major health concerns.
• Death – Even if the pedestrian survives the initial impact, their injuries may be so severe that they don’t survive long afterward. While any pedestrian accident is a tragedy, fatal accidents are especially devastating.

What To Do If You Are Hit By A Car In Staunton

If you’re hit by a car while walking on a street or crossing an intersection in Staunton, you may not be in a position to do very much in the aftermath of the crash.

However, here are a few tips to keep in mind if this happens to you:

• Call 911 right away – Your immediate concern after being hit by a car is to get medical treatment as fast as possible. Even if you feel fine, you may have internal injuries that need to be evaluated by a medical professional. Call 911 as soon as you can after being hit by a car. This will alert emergency personnel to your needs and summon law enforcement to begin the initial accident investigation.
• Take pictures if you can – Get photos of your injuries, the make and model of the car that hit you, the car’s license plate number, the driver’s contact information, the area where the crash happened and any witnesses who might have seen what happened. You’ll need this information later when you file a claim for damages.
• Don’t say anything to the other driver’s insurer – The other driver’s insurance carrier may try to get you to make a statement about what happened in the accident. DO NOT provide a statement until you’ve spoken to a Staunton personal injury lawyer. If you’re not careful about what you say, the insurance company may try to use your own words against you to minimize your claim, preventing you from getting the compensation you need.
• Talk to a lawyer – Once you’ve received treatment for your injuries, it’s time to call a pedestrian accident lawyer. A pedestrian accident attorney can help you gather the evidence you need to show that the driver of the vehicle was responsible for the accident and handle all communication with the other driver’s insurance company. This way, your rights are protected, and you have the best chance of recovering compensation for your injuries.

Who Can Be Held Responsible For Pedestrian Accidents?

Drivers have a legal responsibility to watch out for pedestrians on the roadways and at Staunton intersections. Motorists must yield to pedestrians who have the right of way.

Pedestrians also have their own responsibilities to avoid causing accidents. They should take care to cross at designated intersections or crosswalks, and they should look both ways before crossing. They should obey traffic lights when intersections are signalized. Pedestrians also have legal responsibility not to step off the curb in front of an oncoming car that doesn’t have room to stop.

Pedestrians may be held liable for accidents if they were drunk or otherwise intoxicated at the time of the crash.

Who is at fault after a pedestrian accident depends on who had the right of way when the accident occurred.

Contributory Negligence In Staunton

Unfortunately for pedestrian accident victims in Staunton, state law can make it difficult for them to pursue compensation if they contributed to the accident. The state of Virginia follows a pure contributory negligence standard for accident claims. Essentially, this means that if you are found to bear any responsibility for the accident whatsoever, you can be denied compensation.

Drivers in pedestrian accidents will often try to show that the pedestrian was partly responsible for what happened.

The quickest way to understand your rights under Virginia law is to reach out to a qualified Staunton pedestrian accident attorney. Our experienced pedestrian accident attorneys at Kendall Law Firm are ready to help you.

Let A Staunton Pedestrian Accident Attorney Help

If you’ve recently been involved in a pedestrian accident, you already know how serious it can be. To seek full compensation for your injuries, turn to a pedestrian accident firm with more than 30 years of combined experience handling these matters. Our attorneys have honed their skills over many years in practice, including founding attorney David Kendall’s experience as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Marine Corps prior to entering private practice.

When you hire the Kendall Law Firm, you know you’re getting a firm with experience and integrity. Let us help you get the money you need to put your life back together after an accident. To learn more, call us today at (434) 326-4350 or visit our contact page.