If you or your loved one was struck by a motor vehicle, it can leave lasting effects. You may be wondering how you are going to pay your medical bills or how you are going to work if the accident left permanent injury.
The personal injury attorneys at the McEnery Law Group know what you’re going through because we have represented clients like you.
Pedestrian accidents are not limited to people who are struck by cars or trucks. They also include people on foot who are hit by bicycles, mountain bikes, skateboarders, electric scooters, motorcycles, mopeds, golf carts, go-carts, ATVs, and Quads.
We have represented pedestrians who have been struck:
- While walking in a striped crosswalk, crossing with the light,
- Crossing at an unmarked intersection,
- Attempting to walk across the street in between cars,
- Jaywalking, and
- By a car backing up in a parking lot.
Sometimes the pedestrian is not at fault in any way. They were struck because the driver was:
- Talking on a cell phone,
- Trying to beat the light,
- Trying to turn on a green arrow,
- Blinded by sun glare,
- Running a red light,
- Traveling too fast for road conditions,
- Not paying attention to the road, and
- Failing to give the pedestrian the right of way.
Many pedestrians think they cannot recover for pain or injuries from a car accident unless the driver intentionally caused the accident. This is not true! Connecticut law says that a driver who is simply negligent is liable to pay for pain or injuries that he or she caused to another person as a result of that negligence. Generally you are also entitled to recover from the driver even if you are partially at fault, as long as you are less at fault than the other driver. A pedestrian may even receive a verbal warning or citation when they are hit by a car. But even if the pedestrian gets a ticket and the driver doesn’t, the driver may still be liable for your injuries.
Many people also think they must suffer catastrophic injuries in order to be compensated by the at fault driver. This is also not true! The driver who is at fault is liable to compensate you for your pain and for your injuries even if they are not life threatening or did not result in broken bones.
Preservation of evidence in pedestrian accident cases is very important and the police should be called to the scene any time a person is struck by a vehicle. However, if a family member or friend is present, it’s a good idea for them to get the names and contact information of any other witnesses who might leave the scene before the police arrive. We will get a copy of the police report, and may also have our investigator interview key witnesses. Make note of the road conditions at the time of the accident if possible. Note whether there was any debris in the street or a pothole in the road. Likewise make note of the weather conditions at the time of the accident. Damage to the vehicle is often an important piece of evidence, so if the vehicle is towed, try to find out where it is so our investigator can take photographs.