How a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Help You

Thousands of pedestrians are injured in car wrecks every year. In 2019, a total of 6,205 pedestrians lost their lives in car accidents, accounting for 17% of all accident fatalities.

Walking is a great form of exercise. However, getting into a pedestrian accident while on Connecticut roads can be a scary experience. After such an accident, you may face a long recovery period. You may also incur significant medical bills and no income as you recover.

If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident, you may be eligible for compensation. You should contact a pedestrian accident lawyer in Connecticut to help you with your personal injury claim. Remember, insurance companies have in-house legal teams and investigators who'll look for any reason(s) to limit or deny your payout.

An experienced pedestrian accident attorney can help you recover damages for your medical treatments and other losses after a traffic accident. Hiring a lawyer in pedestrian accident lawsuits can make all the difference.

What Does a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Do?

Reckless actions, like speeding and distracted driving, increase the risk of pedestrian accidents in New Haven, CT. After a pedestrian accident, take a deep breath and check if you have any visible injuries. 

Follow these steps if you have been involved in an accident:

• Seek medical assistance
• Contact the police
• Get the driver's details
• Document your injuries
• Don't discuss fault while at the scene
• Notify your insurance company
• Seek professional legal help

Here's why you should hire pedestrian accident lawyers after your crash.

Win Financial Compensation for Damages, Including Medical Expenses

Damages in pedestrian accident claims compensate victims for the harm they've suffered. The idea of damages is to make injured persons financially whole again.

Pedestrian accident lawyers can help victims recover damages for their traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries. Generally, victims of personal injury lawsuits receive economic and non-economic damages for their losses. 

Economic damages are monetary losses found in receipts and bills, including:

• Medical expenses (past, present, and future)
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Property damage

You may also be entitled to non-economic damages after a traffic accident. These damages are more difficult to put a price tag on. They include:

• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of sexual function

An experienced Connecticut pedestrian accident lawyer can evaluate the facts of your case and determine how much your claim is worth. They can analyze medical records, employment records, dashcam footage, police reports, and toxicology reports to build a strong pedestrian accident claim.

Once the attorney establishes liability, they can push for maximum compensation for damages.

Help Negotiating With Insurance Companies

Insurance companies are in the business of making money. They care about their profit margins. So don't be fooled by how friendly or caring an insurance adjuster seems.

If you decide to represent yourself after an accident, insurance adjusters may offer you a raw deal that doesn't cover all your losses. They may not factor in your future medical expenses or lost earning capacity. Once you sign away your rights and receive compensation, it's hard to get any additional compensation from the insurance company.

By hiring a pedestrian accident lawyer from New Haven, rest assured that your attorney will aggressively negotiate for the best settlement. An experienced lawyer knows how insurance adjusters operate. They won't rest until you get the compensation and justice you deserve for your pedestrian accident claim.

Hold the Negligent Driver Accountable

To receive compensation in a pedestrian accident claim, a lawyer should prove the driver's negligence. If a driver operates a motor vehicle while impaired or disregards marked crosswalks and traffic signals, they may be liable for your injuries.

An experienced personal injury attorney can gather and analyze evidence to prove that the driver breached their duty of care. Every driver on Connecticut roads has a legal obligation to protect the rights of other road users while driving. If a driver engages in reckless actions and causes an accident, an attorney can directly link their actions to your injuries.

Shorten Your Financial Recovery Time

An aggressive lawyer can accelerate your financial recovery time after a pedestrian accident in New Haven, CT. While some delays in the claims process are unavoidable, the discovery and negotiation phase often involves inefficiencies that a skilled lawyer can address.

Insurance companies usually frustrate unrepresented crash victims. Rather than paying you the compensation you deserve, they'd prefer to wear you down until you are willing and desperate enough to accept a lowball settlement.

Most insurance companies often take pedestrian victims with lawyers more seriously. Attorneys understand their tactics and can counteract them. Pedestrian accident lawyers are also prepared to go to court if the insurance company offers a lowball settlement.

Review All of Your Legal Options

After a pedestrian accident in Connecticut, a lawyer can look into the facts of your case and advise you accordingly. Evidence analysis can help a lawyer to understand the dynamics of your case. A lawyer can determine the value of your claim and help you seek the best compensation. For reckless actions, like drunk driving, an attorney may determine if you are eligible for punitive damages.

If out-of-court settlements don't work out, an attorney can review your legal options and counsel you regarding the litigation process for pedestrian accident claims.

Seek Maximum Compensation With Experienced Attorneys

Certain areas within Connecticut bring pedestrians and motor vehicles into close proximity, increasing the risk of pedestrian accidents. Areas like school zones, stoplights, parking lots, crosswalks, and residential areas are especially hazardous for pedestrians.

If you or your loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident, it's advisable to act fast. Your first priority after an accident should be seeking medical attention. It's also important to keep a record of crucial information, such as hospital receipts and photos from the scene of the accident.

But most importantly, talk to a lawyer. At Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, we have the best pedestrian accident lawyers in Connecticut ready to help you with your claim.

Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.