Road accidents are more common than ever and the number of people getting injured is growing at a rapid pace. But such accidents are not limited to drivers and passengers alone. Even pedestrians may get injured and the injuries can be more serious in such cases. But the good news is that you can still claim compensation if you are injured as a pedestrian. However, you need to understand your rights and entitlements well enough. Here are some tips that can help you get the claim accident compensation as a pedestrian.
Stay calm and get help
When you get hit in while walking on the street, the first reaction will be that of shock. Obviously, it is natural to feel that way particularly when someone hits out of the blue. But you should stay calm and get help in the first place. The kind of help you need will depend on the level of injuries. If they are just minor, you can ask someone to assist you. For those with serious injuries, getting medical help should be your top priority. Try to get away from the accident spot and move to a safe place.
Keep the driver there
Whatever the kind of injuries, do not let the driver leave the accident spot. Most of them will be willing to stay and help, except the ones in a hit and run case. Don’t let the driver go just because you think that the injury is minor. Who knows, you may later find a broken wrist or rib! Accident victims are often not able to gauge their injuries right after the impact and they may be more serious than what appears initially. Keeping the driver at the accident spot is also important because the police would want to get details and decide whether the accident was due to the negligence of the driver or the pedestrian.
Seek medical help
Beyond everything else, your safety and well-being matter the most when you get injured in an accident. Therefore, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even if the injuries seem minor, you must still get a checkup for a complete assessment. Not only does it get you the right treatment but it also strengthens your case when you later file a compensation claim. Your medical reports will be on the top of the checklist that the insurance company would demand as a part of the formalities.
Call the police
The next obvious step for an accident victim would be to call the police for lodging an official complaint. An official police accident report is mandatory as a part of the evidence of the accident. You will definitely need one when you file a compensation claim. No insurance company will consider your case without proper documentation and this is one document that you cannot miss. So you must surely call the police and wait for them to arrive and file a report of the accident. Also, make sure that you share your story clearly and they note it correctly.
Connect with a personal injury lawyer
Calling the police is just half the work done in pedestrian accidents. You need to connect with a personal injury lawyer as well. Attorney Justin Kimball from Preszler Law says that if you were in an accident as a pedestrian, you might want to hire an expert to help prove that you were not at fault for the accident. This is because negligence is the mainstay of any accident compensation case under personal injury law. Unless you are able to prove that the accident happened due to someone else’s negligence, you don’t have a solid case.
Gather evidence
Even while you wait for the police to arrive at the accident scene, you should start doing some work by yourself. Gather complete personal information of the driver and check the details of the vehicle as well. In case you encounter a hit and run type of driver, make sure that you note the visible details related to the color, make, model and registration number of the vehicle. Ask someone else to do it if you are not in a position to manage on your own. Also, get the names and contact information of the witnesses because you may need to get in touch later when you file a claim.
Take pictures as well
Another useful tip for people involved in pedestrian accidents is to take pictures of the spot and your injuries. This is easy to do because everyone carries a smartphone these days. Even if your phone gets damaged in the accident, you can ask someone else to take the pictures for you. Fresh photos can be extremely helpful to tilt the case in your favor while settling compensation with the insurance company or fighting the case in the court. In fact, they can make all the difference in getting a verdict in your favor, whether by settlement or trial.
Know your rightful compensation
When you get involved in a pedestrian accident, you can get a claim just like someone who is injured in a car accident does. Just because you are not driving or riding a car does not make your case weaker. Therefore, you need to understand your rights so that you can calculate the claim value you rightfully deserve. Beyond just including the cost of physical injuries, it covers the cost of mental trauma as well. Also, you deserve to get compensation for the loss of employment if you lose your job due to injuries of serious nature.
Pedestrian accidents are as serious as any other type of road accident. Fortunately, they are also covered under the personal injury law, which means that you can claim compensation just like any other victim can. The only condition is that the accident should be caused by the negligence of another person rather than your mistake. Being aware and taking the right approach is important. At the same time, you should have the presence of mind to act quickly and take the right steps to make your case stronger.
