If you or a loved one has been struck by an automobile in a crosswalk, in a parking lot, on the sidewalk, or anywhere else, you know that pedestrian accidents can be life-changing events. Pedestrian accident injuries can be devastating and require ongoing medical care and physical therapy to recover. Some accidents can result in permanent disability or fatal injuries. After a pedestrian accident, injured parties and their families often face significant challenges due to unexpected medical bills, physical therapy, and rehabilitation appointments, and lost income.
The attorneys at Tiano O’Dell, PLLC, represent injured pedestrians and their families in personal injury cases. We offer free consultations to discuss your accident, the injuries sustained, and how it has impacted your life. We will also answer your questions and go over your financial recovery options. Our attorneys understand that you and your family may be struggling after your accident, and we want to help you get the justice and compensation that you deserve.
Our Pedestrian Accident Practice
- Our WV personal injury attorneys have a wealth of experience and success in handling pedestrian accident claims. We are committed to seeking justice and maximum compensation for our injured clients and their families. We provide our clients with compassionate legal services and aggressive legal advocacy.
- We handle all of our cases as efficiently as possible, but we never sacrifice our commitment to justice. We regularly work with defendants and insurance companies to settle claims for our clients. If we cannot reach an agreement that fairly compensates you for your losses, we will be prepared to take your claim to trial.
- We know that accidents happen, and people make mistakes, but we strongly believe that they should be held accountable for their negligent and reckless conduct. Our attorneys will pursue compensation from all responsible parties.
How Can a West Virginia Pedestrian Accident Attorney Help My Case?
After an accident, it is in your best interests not to speak with anyone about the accident until you have consulted with an attorney. Pedestrian accidents are often high-value cases, especially when injuries are severe and long-term medical care will be required. A significant amount of compensation is often on the line when someone suffers permanent or fatal injuries. An attorney can help gather all available evidence to build your claim, hire medical and financial experts if necessary, and calculate the value of your claim.
Reaching out to an attorney when you or a loved one has experienced a personal injury can help to streamline the legal process so that you and your family don’t have to deal with the stress. Following an injury, you have enough to worry about concerning getting over and past the injury, including physical recovery and figuring out how to cover the associated bills.
With a West Virginia pedestrian accident lawyer on your case, you can step back and focus on recovering from your injuries while your attorney handles everything necessary to recover the full compensation you are entitled to.
Your pedestrian accident lawyer takes over the case and handles all aspects, such as:
- Investigating the accident to determine fault
- Collecting evidence to completely and accurately measure your damages
- Interview witnesses and collect other evidence
- Fill out and submit our claims paperwork
- Submit any necessary documents to the court within West Virginia’s deadline
The insurance company has full-time teams of lawyers who focus on denying whichever claims they can, or paying as little as possible on those that must be approved. Accurately measuring your damages then collecting them requires evidence, and then negotiating with the insurance company. Going against the insurance company on your own after your accident can put you in a position where the insurance company could take advantage of you and pay less than you deserve.
When your compensation does not fully cover your damages, you and your family will be left paying the associated bills in the future. The best way to ensure you collect what you deserve is by connecting with a West Virginia pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in West Virginia
Pedestrian accidents are often caused by someone’s negligent or reckless conduct. Distracted driving, intoxication, failure to yield to a pedestrian’s right of way, and simply failing to notice a pedestrian are all common causes of accidents. Other causes and contributing factors include speed, poorly marked crosswalks, and inadequate lighting. A good personal injury attorney will visit the accident scene, hire necessary experts, and gather evidence to prove that the defendants were responsible for your injuries and damages.
While West Virginia might not be as congested and over-crowded as the streets of New York City or Los Angeles, pedestrian accidents are more common than you might think in West Virginia. In congested major cities with large tourist populations, pedestrian accidents happen frequently, and while they happen less often in West Virginia, the injuries and damages that result are no less substantial.
Pedestrian accidents in West Virginia are generally caused by irresponsible or unsafe driver behavior, including:
- Distracted driving – any activity that takes your eyes away from the road, as when a driver is manually, physically, or visually impaired, they cannot safely operate a motor vehicle. Texting while driving impairs a driver in all three ways.
- Speeding and aggressive driving – aggressive driving is an increasingly significant national problem in the United States, and includes speeding, switching lanes aggressively, and not providing other drivers with adequate space on the road.
- Reckless driving – when drivers are not paying attention to the road and engaging in driving that could harm others, they are being reckless, and this behavior is more common than you might think.
- Drunk driving – if a driver is intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, their coordination and ability to react to conditions on the road is drastically reduced, causing liability in accidents.
How We Can Help You Maximize Your Compensation
Our attorneys do not look for the easy way out of our personal injury cases. We put in the time and effort it takes to fully evaluate the extent of your losses, including any future losses you may experience, such as loss of earning capacity and medical expenses. We will also conduct a thorough investigation of your accident and preserve all evidence to help prepare your case for trial. Whether we settle your claim or take it to court, every step we take in the legal process will be with your best interests in mind.
Common Pedestrian Injuries
When a motor vehicle collides with a pedestrian, the potential injuries that can result range from minor to fatal, and include:
- Fractured and/or broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord and nervous system injuries
- Neck and back injury
- Soft-tissue damage
- Paralysis
- Road rash and other cuts and bruises
- Long-term or permanent disability
What To Do If You’re Injured as a Pedestrian?
Being injured in a pedestrian accident can lead to life-threatening consequences, underlining the importance of acting. After your pedestrian accident you need to:
- Call the police
- Remain at the scene of the accident and accept emergency medical
assessments - Collect the contact information of any witnesses that might be present
- Do not make statements of fault to anyone to preserve your best case
- Connect with an experienced pedestrian accident attorney
How to Prove Liability in a Pedestrian Case
To collect compensation, you need to prove the liability of the driver that hit you. For the driver to be liable, you must prove the following four things:
- The driver rowed you a legal duty
- The driver violated that duty
- The duty caused the accident because of this violation
- The accident that resulted caused your injuries
The process of collecting what you deserve is complex, and your West Virginia pedestrian accident lawyer handles your case every step of the way.
Contact Our West Virginia Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Today
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident, contact us today at (304) 720-6700. Our professional pedestrian accident team will advocate for your rights and fight for maximum financial recovery for you and your family. At Tiano O’Dell, PLLC we understand that the compensation you receive is critical to help you move forward after your accident and ensure that your past, ongoing, and future accident-related losses are covered.