Have you been involved in a pedestrian accident? Contact an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer at Mama Justice.
Car accidents involving pedestrians can happen anywhere, anytime and as a result, your life can change in an instant. Whether walking down a sidewalk, crossing a parking lot, or sitting on a bench, a car accident can happen and leave you with broken bones, a spinal cord injury, severe fractures, or other devastating injuries. The financial burden from medical bills and loss of income can be overwhelming and put your future at risk.
Pedestrians are the most defenseless travelers on the road, with hundreds of people dying yearly in pedestrian accidents. If you were injured in an accident caused by another person’s negligence in Hattiesburg, you deserve to be adequately compensated for your injuries.
Contact our experienced Hattiesburg pedestrian accident lawyers at Mama Justice today to learn how we can help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. Schedule a free consultation with our law firm at your earliest convenience to get started. Our Hattiesburg personal injury attorneys will review your case’s circumstances, determine fault, and pursue litigation on your behalf.
If you have been injured in a car accident, schedule a free consultation with our law firm as soon as possible to get started.
What are the Main Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Hattiesburg?
Collisions involving pedestrians result in thousands of fatalities each year and are a leading cause of death in the United States. They account for 16% of all traffic fatalities. Negligence is a severe problem on Hattiesburg streets.
Drivers, pedestrians, and others fail to consider and adhere to the rules of the road. This causes a large number of accidents and injuries. The following enumerates various types of negligence that are common in pedestrian accidents. Here are some common causes of pedestrian accidents in Hattiesburg:
- Left-Hand Turns: Left-hand turns cause around 4,000 car accidents with pedestrians every year. Drivers making left-hand turns are three times as likely to hit pedestrians as those turning right. As a result, pedestrians in crosswalks are neglected and are at higher risk of being involved in motor vehicle accidents.
- Distracted Drivers: Distracted driving increases the risk of accidents. Drivers distracted by texting and chatting on cell phones increase their chances of causing vehicle-pedestrian accidents. Distracted drivers are also a danger to themselves and other road users. When drivers are not paying attention to their surroundings, they risk pedestrians’ lives.
- Drunk Driving: Drivers who drive their vehicles while drunk or under the influence of drugs are a danger to everyone on the road. Impaired driving is considered a criminal offense in most states across the United States.
- Recklessness: Reckless actions by both drivers and pedestrians are one of the primary causes of pedestrian accidents. Drivers who don’t look for pedestrians or obey crosswalk laws are dangerous to pedestrians.
- Weather Conditions: We all know that rainy weather and icy conditions can be dangerous for pedestrians. Weather conditions such as rain, snow, fog, and ice can make driving on slippery roads hazardous. Drivers of all vehicles must beware of slippery and hazardous road conditions while driving. Because of the additional risk, drivers have a heightened responsibility to exercise extreme caution and drive defensively when thunderstorms or other adverse weather conditions are expected.
- Inexperienced drivers: Inexperienced drivers might be less likely to know where pedestrians tend to be present. They are also less to know how to react to the presence of a pedestrian in their paths.
- Pedestrian Negligence: In addition to driver error and carelessness, pedestrian errors also increase the risk of a car-pedestrian collision. Pedestrians who fail to use sidewalks or crosswalks can create a dangerous environment for both themselves and drivers.
- Car Accidents: Motor vehicle accidents often lead to pedestrian accidents, as people walking across the road can get killed whenever a car crashes.
- Motorcycle Accidents: Pedestrian accidents can also be caused by motorcycles. It is essential always to be vigilant while walking to avoid being involved in a motorcycle accident.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an auto accident due to someone else’s negligence while walking, contact an experienced Hattiesburg pedestrian accident lawyer at Mama Justice for a free case evaluation. Our personal injury lawyers can help you recover damages, including medical expenses and lost wages.
What are the Most Common Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents?
Car accidents involving pedestrians are some of the most dangerous accidents a person can encounter. They can result in gruesome, life-altering injuries. In an instant, your life can change. You may be forced to deal with the financial burden of expensive medical bills, loss of employment, or limited mobility.
Our Hattiesburg pedestrian accident lawyers are here to help you find justice and recover your medical costs. Some of the most common pedestrian accident injuries we see at Hattiesburg are:
- Soft Tissue Injury: A soft tissue injury is one of the most common pedestrian accident injuries. While you might not incur major permanent consequences, these injuries can be excruciating and result in scarring, ligament damage, or even more severe injuries. In these cases, you may require long-term medical treatment after your car accident. Dozens of soft tissue injuries can result from a pedestrian accident. Bruises, lacerations, tears, dislocations, and sprains are soft tissue injuries that can keep victims from engaging in everyday activities.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: A spinal cord injury results from traumatic damage to the spinal cord stemming from a fracture, dislocation, tear, or contusion to the nerves in the spinal cord. A spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe injury that affects the victim’s life in nearly every way. These car accident injuries can be deadly and often require extensive care from doctors, nurses, therapists, and family members. People with spinal cord injuries face a life-long battle of rehabilitation and therapy.
- Broken Bones: Broken bones are common after pedestrian accidents. These injuries require immediate attention in order to avoid long-term disability, heart damage, and even death.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: A traumatic brain injury is caused by force such as a jolt to the head, and it can result in a wide range of physical, emotional, and cognitive problems by damaging the brain’s neurons, axons, and synapses. Traumatic brain injuries are common in accidents involving pedestrians. These accidents can inflict serious damage, depending on the force of the blow to the head.
Brain injuries are severe, often life-changing injuries that can impact someone for years. Common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include loss of consciousness, headaches, nausea, fatigue, drowsiness, difficulty speaking, sleep problems, dizziness, loss of coordination, sensitivity to light or sound, and mood swings.
The chances of suffering critical injuries dramatically increase when a commercial vehicle is involved. Injured parties often require immediate medical attention and long-term care for their injuries.
If you or your loved one was injured in a pedestrian accident, you have the right to pursue legal action and hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligence. A dedicated car accident attorney from our law firm can help you get answers and make sure your claims are settled promptly.
Schedule a free consultation at Mama Justice, and let us fight for you today. Our Hattiesburg car accident lawyers will remain by your side throughout the confusing claims process and aggressively advocate on your behalf every step of the way.
What to Do Immediately After a Pedestrian Accident in Hattiesburg?
Car accidents involving pedestrians can be an unsettling experience. You must know what to do if you ever find yourself in one. The first few moments after an auto accident can be fraught with stressful emotions and feelings. Yet these emotions can decide the outcomes of your case in court. That’s why it’s so important to know what you should do at this crucial juncture. Here are some of the things you should do immediately after an accident in Hattiesburg:
- Check for Injuries: If you have been involved in a car accident and have been injured, the first thing you should do is stay calm so that you can assess your injuries. You should also attempt to move out of the road if possible. Before communicating with any other party involved, you must assess the damage and locate any injuries.
- Contact the Police: The local police should be notified immediately. You need to file a report on the incident, whether you’re hurt or not. A police report can serve as proof of the accident and any possible instances of negligence by the driver.
- Exchange Contact and Insurance Information with the Driver: If you’re involved in an accident, you should collect as much information about the other driver as possible. Gathering information from the other driver involved in a motor vehicle accident is a wise precaution to take because it can help protect you legally.
- Collect Evidence: The sooner you get the necessary information to properly deal with the insurance company, the better off you will be. It’s also essential to get a witness to testify as to what they saw while there. Use your cell phone to take pictures of the scene. Take pictures of the car that hit you and any damage it caused. Also, take pictures of any other cars or property damaged by the accident. This can serve as evidence. It is vital that you preserve any evidence, whether it’s evidence or not, and be prepared to testify as to what took place.
- Seek Medical Attention: If you’re involved in a pedestrian accident, it is crucial to seek immediate medical treatment to avoid any severe complications or long-term injuries.
- Do Not Settle With Insurance Companies Without Seeking Legal Counsel: The insurance company for the driver may offer to pay for your damages and injuries, or at least a portion of them. The insurance adjuster may try and get you to agree to take less than what you are entitled to. If so, consult legal counsel first before making a settlement.
- Speak with an Experienced Attorney: As soon as you’re involved in an accident, you should immediately contact a lawyer for legal representation. A lawyer can help determine your case, fight for your rights, and secure the compensation you deserve. If you’ve been involved in a pedestrian accident, seeking help from an attorney can help you determine your next steps and receive compensation for your injuries. Contact our experienced attorneys today to discuss your legal options.
Having a solid legal team on your side while dealing with the stressful time following a motor vehicle accident is invaluable. Our car accident attorney has extensive experience helping.
Types of Damages Available to Pedestrian Accident Victims
If you sustained a personal injury, property damage, or any other kind of loss due to a pedestrian accident, the law allows you to seek compensation from the person responsible for your losses. The legal term for this kind of compensation is “damages.”
The amount of compensation you receive for each of the types of damages depends on the facts and circumstances of your case. The types of damages available in personal injury cases generally fall into one of three categories.
- Economic Damages: Economic damages refer to the financial losses you have sustained due to your injury. Economic damages are common in a pedestrian accident claim. Economic damages include the medical, rehabilitation, counseling, and all other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by a person as a result of an accident. These damages can be divided into direct and indirect economic damages. Direct economic damages are when money is lost directly due to an accident. Indirect economic damages occur due to an injury but would have occurred even if the accident had not happened. Economic damages are quantifiable. Examples of economic damages include medical bills, household expenses, income losses, and funeral expenses in cases of death.
- Non-Economic Damages: Non-economic damages include the pain, suffering, and inconvenience suffering an accident victim experiences because of the accident and injuries. It is often difficult to determine the value of non-economic damages. They often include compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium.
- Punitive Damages: Punitive damages are one of the many damages available in a personal injury case. Punitive damages are awarded by the court to punish the responsible party for reckless or malicious behavior and to deter others from engaging in similar conduct in the future. Punitive damages are awarded in minimal circumstances.
Speak with an Experienced Personal Injury Accident Lawyer Today
When pedestrians are injured after being hit by a car, truck, motorcycle, or bicycle, it can be challenging to know what to do next. There may be very limited time available on the scene to gather information about how the collision occurred and talk with witnesses. That’s why it is essential to talk to a lawyer. Whether you were injured or if you lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident, you have the right to pursue legal action and hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligence.
Our qualified Hattiesburg pedestrian accident lawyers at Mama Justice can help you get answers and ensure your claims are settled on time. Let us fight for you today. If you were injured in an accident because of someone else’s carelessness, you should consider your legal options. To recover compensation and move on with your life, it is crucial to speak with an experienced injury accident attorney who knows how to work with insurance companies and other legal professionals.
Our Hattiesburg car accident lawyers can examine the facts of your case and explain your legal rights for seeking compensation for your pain and suffering, lost wages, and other financial costs. Contact our Hattiesburg pedestrian accident lawyers today. Call us at (888) 484-1476.