In our last blog, we started to talk our specialties at Raynes Erickson, Attorneys at Law. No one ever wants to experience a catastrophic accident. But the fact of the matter is that they do happen. In the case that you or someone you love experiences a life altering accident that leaves them disabled, or in the worst case, no longer with us; we are here to help you.
Pedestrian Accidents: More pedestrians accidents are happening each year. Between 2014 to 2015, the number of pedestrians hit by vehicles went up 10%. There is a growing opinion that these figures are climbing due to distracted drivers. Drivers today are more likely to be looking at their cell phone for a variety of reasons. Whether for directions to their destination or texting while driving, the numbers don’t lie. This is one of the fast growing catastrophic accidents in the U.S. today. Maureen Vogel of the National Safety Council said “ stronger economy and low gas prices have put more cars on the road and have people driving more often,” creating more opportunities for distracted drivers to cause a potentially dangerous accident with pedestrians.
Pedestrians have little to no protection between them and a 4,000-pound vehicle. Especially when they are in designated pedestrian safe zones, they may not even be on guard for an approaching car. But when your job puts you on the road, there are more possibilities for an accident. If you are working in construction, even with proper signage, many drivers will disregard those signs and drive at unsafe speeds and dangerously close to workers that are repairing the roads.
When an accident occurs, the pedestrian, or the family of the pedestrian if the crash results in death, has the right to pursue compensation from the driver of the vehicle. This compensation can cover medical bills, which are likely to be extensive, loss of income, while the victim is unable to return to work, additional expenses, and pain and suffering that result from the accident. Please call us for a free, no obligation, confidential legal consultation today if you or someone you know has been the victim of a pedestrian accident.