What Should I Know about Pedestrian Vs. Car Accidents in Illinois?
Drivers operating on our roads are required to share these roads with others and make sure they act in a way that will protect everyone, including those on foot. Unfortunately, these road rules are sometimes neglected. Any type of Illinois motor vehicle accident is disturbing, but those involving pedestrians are particularly devastating. When you’re injured in such an accident and want to focus on your recovery, you need an experienced Southern Illinois personal injury accident attorney to help with your case.
Pedestrian accidents involving motor vehicles can be severe. These injuries may be life-altering and may cause you to incur tremendous losses immediately and in the future. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a pedestrian vs. car accident, you deserve justice. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone. A Mt Vernon car accident attorney can help you prove that the other party was at fault for your injuries and losses.
How Common Are Pedestrian Accidents in Southern Illinois?
Several public safety campaigns have helped highlight the dangers pedestrians face. Drivers are being encouraged to be cautious of pedestrians around them. But even so, these accidents continue to happen. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reported about 4,940 crashes and 148 pedestrian deaths in 2017 involving pedestrians and motor vehicle accidents. Due to the speed, size, and weight of motor vehicles, these accidents often lead to substantial injuries and fatalities.
What Are the Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents?
While Illinois is known for having extreme weather, most of the causes leading to pedestrian injuries are typical of any state. A pedestrian is expected to maintain a lookout on the roadway. However, many of the factors are out of their control. Some of them include:
- Distracted or drowsy drivers
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Intoxicated or impaired driving
- Traffic congestion
- Low visibility
- Inclement weather like fog, freezing rain, blowing snow
- Left-hand turns
- Failure to stop and yield
- Backing-up accidents
- Poorly maintained sidewalks or lack of it
- Time of day
- Size of the city – how busy it is
Who Is At Fault in A Pedestrian Vs. Car Accident?
In many cases, a negligent driver will be found liable if proper care to safety was not given to those on foot. But in some cases, a city or municipality may be responsible for the accident if it failed to provide safe sidewalks or ensure the safety of its pedestrians. Similarly, hazards on sidewalks should be addressed or at least give warning signs. But if not, a government agency in charge of that may also be held responsible for the accident.
Illinois being a “modified comparative fault state,” if a pedestrian is determined to be more than 50% responsible for the accident, recovery of damages from a reckless or negligent driver won’t be possible. But if the driver was clearly at fault, the injured pedestrian will usually receive compensation without much of a fight from the insurance company. But the insurer will likely lowball you, and that’s why you need a Southern Illinois car accident lawyer to make a counter-offer that will cover all your current and future losses.
What Are the Most Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries?
Cars weigh thousands of pounds, and even a low-speed impact can cause immense damage to one’s body. Apart from the injuries a pedestrian may suffer due to the collision with a car, one may also suffer additional damages when their body smacks the ground or other vehicles. The common injuries a pedestrian may suffer include:
- Whiplash and neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Amputations
- Road rash
- Dislocated joints and sprains
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Severe scarring and disfigurement
- Internal injuries and organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries
Sometimes pedestrians are partly injured in Southern Illinois by cars. If you just lost a loved one ad don’t know what to do because this person was a primary source of income, don’t worry. The diligent and skilled Mt Vernon wrongful death attorneys at Olson & Reeves, Attorneys at Law, are ready to help you recover compensation.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Pedestrians are likely to be struck by motor vehicles at non-intersection crossings, city settings, and at night. But those mostly at risk include:
- Children
- Older adults
- Pedestrians under the influence of alcohol
What Should I Do After a Pedestrian Vs. Car Accident in Illinois?
The first step to take is to seek medical care. Even though you don’t feel injured, you still need a doctor’s evaluation because it’s possible to have life-threatening injuries that won’t show up immediately. If you are not seriously hurt, try to collect or ask someone to help you gather the driver’s information, any witnesses’ contact information, and even photographs of the accident scene. You should then contact a Mt Vernon pedestrian injury lawyer immediately to help you assert a claim. Allowing more time to pass makes it difficult to obtain evidence and pursue a claim.
What Compensation Will I Get Following a Pedestrian Vs. Car Accident?
You may qualify for these damages if injured in a car accident in Illinois:
- Disability
- Medical expenses
- Wage loss
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Loss of quality of life
- Emotional distress
In the event of the loss of a loved one through a pedestrian-car accident, you can receive these losses if you pursue a wrongful death claim in Illinois:
- Loss of economic support
- Burial and funeral expenses
- Medical bills prior to the passing of your loved one
- Grief, mental suffering and sorrow
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of moral training and instruction of children
A High-Level Legal Assistant to Protect Your Rights
Following a pedestrian accident that resulted in your injuries, you probably want to have the peace of mind to focus on recovery. But you cannot do this if you’re constantly thinking about your medical bills and losses. That’s why you need an experienced and reliable attorney to deal with the legal issues surrounding your case and help you secure compensation.
A good pedestrian accident lawyer in Southern Illinois will obtain the needed evidence, witness testimonies, medical experts, police report, and even traffic cameras to build a strong case against the at-fault driver. And our personal injuries lawyers are ready to aggressively fight for you and help you receive the compensation you need to allow recovery from your injuries. Call us today at 618-316-7322 for a free, no-obligation consultation, and let us advise you.