The four most common pedestrian accident injuries include leg, head, neck, and back injuries. The injuries a pedestrian sustains depend largely on how old they are and how fast the car was going at the time of the collision. Pedestrian injuries can be fatal if not treated right away.
If you sustained any sort of injury because of a negligent driver, you have the option of calling our Long Island pedestrian accident lawyers for assistance. We will pursue appropriate compensation based on the nature and severity of your injuries and what consequences those injuries have had on your life.
- How Pedestrian Accident Injuries Happen
- Why Are Pedestrian Accident Injuries So Severe?
- What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident Injury
- Our Attorneys Can Seek Compensation for Your Pedestrian Accident Injuries
How Pedestrian Accident Injuries Happen
The four most common pedestrian accident injuries happen because:
- When a vehicle strikes an adult, the first part of the body that makes contact is typically the legs hitting the bumper. This might break bones or, at the very least, lead to severe bruising.
- After the initial impact, the adult’s head and upper body often hit the hood and/or windshield of the car. This could cause back and spine injuries, including injuries to the neck, and traumatic brain injuries.
- When a vehicle strikes a child, the child’s upper body is more likely to receive the brunt of the initial impact because they are much smaller than the average adult. This increases the odds that the child will sustain serious spine and head injuries, as well as chest and stomach injuries.
It is vital that you seek medical care immediately after any pedestrian accident injury. Not doing so puts your health and even your life at risk. The record of your doctor’s visit will also establish a connection between your injury and the crash, making it easier for you to recover damages.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
In far too many cases, pedestrian accidents could have been avoided if the driver had exercised reasonable precautions, such as:
- Checking for pedestrians before backing out of a parking space or driveway
- Refraining from alcohol or drug use before getting behind the wheel
- Maintaining a safe rate of speed based on the posted speed limit, the environment, and the weather conditions
- Yielding the right of way to pedestrians in a crosswalk or on the sidewalk, as mandated by many states’ laws, including New York Vehicle & Traffic § 1151
Violating these behavioral norms is irresponsible and illegal, and it often leads to preventable pain and suffering.
Pedestrian Accidents Are Sometimes Fatal
Some injuries are so serious that the victim passes away immediately. Other injuries are treatable, but only within a narrow timespan: for example, head injuries can be fatal if not treated promptly.
If you lost a loved one due to a fatal pedestrian accident injury, please accept our condolences for your loss. Our Long Island wrongful death lawyers are here to listen to your story and help you fight for justice after a negligence-related crash.
For a free legal consultation, call 516-932-0400
Why Are Pedestrian Accident Injuries So Severe?
It goes without saying that any motor vehicle, even one as small as a motorcycle, is much heavier and capable of traveling much faster than a person on foot. All too often, this combination of weight and speed has a devastating impact on the injury victim, who might:
- Have temporary or long-term trouble walking due to leg injuries
- Sustain spine injuries that range from treatable conditions (e.g., whiplash) to permanent disabilities (e.g., paralysis related to spinal cord damage)
- Suffer traumatic brain injuries that affect motor control, emotional control, speech, and, in children, cognitive development
- Experience psychiatric and emotional harm, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, as a result of the accident and injuries
- Suffer extreme financial hardship due to high medical bills and a long-term inability to work
The faster a vehicle is moving, the more likely it is that it will inflict catastrophic damage. For example, a car backing out of a parking space at Long Island MacArthur Airport could cause painful injuries, but it does not have the same momentum as a driver barreling down Old Country Road in Plainview or Sunrise Highway in Massapequa with no regard for the speed limit.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident Injury
While your first concern after a pedestrian collision should always be getting to safety and receiving medical care, it is also important to consider your legal rights. This includes the right to hire our pedestrian accident attorneys to:
- Review all available evidence in your case, including medical records and doctors’ statements pertaining to your pedestrian accident injuries
- Find proof that the liable party caused your accident by behaving negligently
- Communicate with the at-fault party and their insurance company on your behalf, which could include negotiating a settlement that meets your family’s needs
- Make sure you understand your rights and have every chance to hold the negligent party accountable
A personal injury claim or lawsuit could entitle you to compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and disability. A wrongful death case could entitle you to reimbursement for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.
Pursue Pedestrian Accident Damages Within the Deadline
If a driver’s negligence contributed to your injury, you have the right to take legal action against them, but you have a limited time to start your case. Under New York Civil Practice Laws & Rules § 214, you must begin a lawsuit within the statute of limitations or risk losing out on much-needed compensation.
Even if you have not yet recovered from your pedestrian accident injuries, we recommend starting on your case right away. We make this recommendation not only because of the statute of limitations but also because the sooner you reach out to us, the greater our opportunity to build the strongest case possible for you.
It is best to obtain eyewitness statements while memories are fresh. It is also best to obtain physical evidence, such as surveillance and dashcam video before it becomes unavailable for any one of many possible reasons. Our personal injury attorneys are willing and able to visit you wherever you are on Long Island or in the New York metropolitan area, so you do not have to leave your home or the hospital to speak to our legal team.
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Our Attorneys Can Seek Compensation for Your Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Friedman & Simon, L.L.P., is less concerned with the four most common pedestrian accident injuries than we are about how our nationally recognized law firm will seek compensation for your specific injuries after a preventable crash.
Call today for a free consultation to find out how our pedestrian accident lawyers will help you.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form