Austin Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

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CALL (800) 863-5312 TO SPEAK WITH AN AUSTIN PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

The last thing someone needs while recovering from a pedestrian accident is the burden of seeking legal compensation for his or her injuries. Having a personal injury attorney is in your best interest as a recovering victim. Our attorneys at Zinda Law Group have the experience to assist you with your claim and may be able to help you seek the maximum compensation for your injuries.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident, call (800) 863-5312 for a 100% free case evaluation with an Austin pedestrian accident attorney today.

WHAT IS A PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT?

A pedestrian accident is an accident involving a pedestrian and some other type of force. This force could be a car, a bicycle, a skateboard, or any other type of vehicle. In 2017, about 137,000 pedestrians were treated in emergency departments across the country for non-fatal crash-related injuries, according to the CDC.

Pedestrian accidents are becoming a growing problem, both nationally and in Austin. Statistics from the Austin Police Department show that in 2019 two of every five people that were killed on the city’s roadways were traveling on foot. These numbers had risen in just one year with 31 people being killed due to pedestrian accidents in 2018 and 36 people in 2019. While certainly not all pedestrian accidents result in death, pedestrian accidents may result in mild to severe injuries that can impact a victim’s life forever.

Pedestrian accidents can be mild, but they can also be very severe. Unfortunately, these accidents are sometimes even fatal. This is because, in most situations, there is an imbalance in the strength of each force. A human being is no match for a moving car or someone zipping down the road on a bicycle. One of these objects has more strength or even a protective shield of metal around it, while you alone do not have that same protection. That is why it is so important to be aware of your surroundings and make sure that you are taking proper safety precautions when moving around busy city streets on foot.

COMMON TYPES OF PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT INJURIES

Both pedestrians and other roadway users can be injured when a car hits someone. The type and severity of a person’s injury depend on the circumstances surrounding the accident. Pedestrians who are hit by a car traveling 15 MPH or less are not likely to sustain fatal injuries. However, the risk of more serious injury increases in situations where a driver is speeding beyond that limit.

These are the most common injuries sustained in pedestrian accidents:

Head trauma
Bone fractures
Spinal cord injuries
Cuts and scrapes
Bruising
Emotional trauma
Death

COMMON CAUSES OF A PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT

Austin is a beautiful city where people love to get out, be active, and walk around. Having an abundance of pedestrians walking close to roadways creates many different scenarios in which people are more vulnerable to being hit by a motor vehicle. Here are a few of the situations where a pedestrian may be hit by a car or other vehicle:

Hit by a car in a crosswalk
Hit by a car while riding a scooter, bike, or skateboard
Hit by a car on a sidewalk
Children hit by a car while playing outside

Above are the situations in which a car may hit a pedestrian, but what causes these situations to happen? Common causes of pedestrian accidents include:

Distracted driving
Driving while under the influence
Failure to stop at a stop sign or follow other right-of-way rules

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT

Here are a few steps you can take after being hit by a car to not only make sure you are safe, but to make sure you put yourself in a position to recover the legal compensation you deserve:

Call the Police

It is crucial that you contact law enforcement as soon as you can. The police play an important role in getting emergency dispatch to the scene to tend to injured parties. Police also document the accident, usually in the form of an official accident report. This report can be very helpful later on when filing a personal injury claim.

Seek Medical Attention

After suffering any accident, the most important thing to do is to seek medical attention. Injuries can range from mild to severe, but even mild injuries need to be evaluated by a medical professional. A medical professional can also play an important role in documenting your injuries, which can be used as evidence in your claim.

Document the Scene

Preserving necessary evidence is key to prevailing in your claim. Beyond speaking with the police and getting a medical professional to evaluate your injuries, do everything you can to document the scene of the crash. This can include simple tasks such as taking pictures or making quick notes of important memorable details.

Call an Attorney

Those filing personal injury claims can get easily taken advantage of by opposing parties and insurance companies. If a car has hit you, the best way to make sure you are being treated fairly and are being offered the compensation you deserve is to hire an experienced attorney. Our Austin pedestrian accident lawyers at Zinda Law Group may be able to help.

HOW TO FILE A CLAIM

The following are the three general steps you will go through in order to file a claim for a pedestrian accident:

1. Speaking with an Attorney

It is always in your best interest to speak with an attorney. Our attorneys at Zinda Law Group have dealt with many pedestrian accident cases and work with their clients on a contingency fee basis. This means that unless we win your case, you don’t owe us anything.

Learn More: Why Hiring a Lawyer Will Help Your Case

2. Investigation

Once you speak with an attorney and hire them to help you with your claim, they will launch an investigation into the incident. This investigation may include speaking with insurance companies, going through your medical records, reviewing photographs, and speaking to any relevant witnesses.

3. Settlement

After a thorough investigation, either your attorney or the responsible party will make an offer of settlement. This is an agreed amount of money that is offered in order to resolve the case without going to trial. Your attorney may be able to advise you on the risks and rewards of settling your case.

WHAT IS MY CLAIM WORTH?

Every case and situation varies, and any number of factors could affect the value of your claim. However, in general, there are certain types of damages that may be available to you after you have been involved in a pedestrian accident. If a car has hit you, you may be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages for your claim. Economic damages compensate you for your medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and other financial injuries. Non-economic damages are more commonly referred to as damages for pain and suffering. Calculating pain and suffering is not an exact science, but often attorneys multiply your economic damages by a number that represents the severity of your suffering.

Some states also allow for the possibility of punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the liable party for conduct that is particularly egregious in the hopes that it will deter others from acting similarly. Texas law does allow for these types of damages in certain situations.

Learn More: How to Calculate the Value of Case

HOW MAY ZINDA LAW GROUP HELP?

Regardless of whether your claim is simple, complicated, or somewhere in between, it is in your best interest to consult with an attorney. The world of lawsuits can be complex and burdensome. Don’t make it harder on yourself by trying to go through this process alone. Our attorneys at Zinda Law Group have the experience to guide you through the legal process, make recommendations, negotiate with the involved parties, and help advise you on important legal decisions. Having an experienced attorney may improve your chances of being able to seek the maximum compensation for your injuries. We may fight for you and make sure you are being treated fairly after being involved in a pedestrian accident

At Zinda Law Group, we believe that quality representation should be available to everyone. That is why we work on a contingency fee basis. You don’t owe us anything unless we win your case. Give us a call today at (800) 863-5312 to discuss your case for free and let us see how we may be able to help you seek compensation after your pedestrian accident.