Arbutus Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Pedestrian accidents are some of the most serious motor vehicle incidents that can happen in Arbutus, often causing devastating injuries to victims.

Pedestrian accidents typically happen when drivers act negligently, whether by failing to yield to a pedestrian’s right of way, speeding, or driving under the influence. If injured in a crash in Arbutus, victims should immediately call 911 and talk to law enforcement when they arrive. After you give the police the necessary information, you should go directly to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. This will lead to medical records, which our lawyers can introduce as evidence in your claim. Other evidence we may use to get damages on your behalf includes eyewitness statements, expert witness testimony, and physical evidence from the scene.

For a free review of your case from Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call our pedestrian accident lawyers today at (410) 694-7291.

How Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Arbutus

Drivers who act negligently or recklessly might strike pedestrians in Arbutus, causing them life-altering and serious injuries.

Generally speaking, pedestrians have the right of way in most areas, like crosswalks and intersections, and cars must yield to pedestrians. Failing to observe a pedestrian’s right of way is a top cause of these types of accidents in Arbutus and elsewhere.

Drivers might not be able to slow down and stop before hitting a victim if they are driving well over the speed limit. Following posted speed limits is part of a driver’s duty of care, and breaching that duty of care could lead to a catastrophic accident.

Drivers’ reaction times are substantially affected by alcohol and other substances. Driving under the influence could constitute gross negligence, making victims eligible for additional damages in their claims, such as punitive damages.

Driving without headlights during bad weather or at night when visibility is low also causes pedestrian accidents in Arbutus, as drivers might fail to see pedestrians crossing the street.

Even when struck at relatively slow speeds, pedestrians could sustain life-altering and sometimes fatal injuries. The force of impact from a vehicle could cause crushing injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries. When suing negligent drivers for pedestrian accidents, our lawyers must be able to show exactly how the accident happened and who caused it. To do this, we might enlist accident reconstruction experts to assist with and testify in your case.

What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident Happens in Arbutus

When negligent drivers hit pedestrians in Arbutus, how those pedestrians respond in the following minutes, hours, and days could dictate the course of their claims.

Start by calling 911 immediately. Because of the high risk of injury to pedestrian victims, negligent drivers might be more likely to leave accident scenes without stopping to give aid or exchange information. Do not expect the negligent driver to help you call 911. If you can call for help using your phone, do so. If you are unable to call 911 because of your injuries, ask eyewitnesses to do so on your behalf.

Victims should never leave accident scenes before speaking with the police. Tell officers what you can remember about the accident, but be careful not to apologize or accept any degree of fault. Maryland is a pure contributory negligence state, meaning that victims who contribute to an accident in any way are barred from recovery. While contributory negligence is not an issue in all pedestrian accident claims, victims should be careful when discussing the accident and their involvement so that they do not misspeak and give the negligent driver something they can use to evade liability.

After you speak with law enforcement, go straight from the accident scene to the hospital. Depending on their injuries, victims might need emergency surgery, broken bones set, physical therapy, or other specific treatments. Delaying medical care for any reason whatsoever could leave you without sufficient records to prove the injuries mentioned in your claim. Victims can focus on their physical recoveries while our lawyers prepare their lawsuits against negligent drivers in Arbutus.

What Needs to Happen for You to Get Damages for an Arbutus Pedestrian Accident

For victims of pedestrian accidents in Arbutus to get damages, they must file lawsuits on time and prepare enough evidence to meet the standard of proof for personal injury claims in Maryland.

Victims only have a three-year window following pedestrian accidents to initiate lawsuits. Attempts to file outside this timeframe will likely be unsuccessful, and such victims would be barred from recovery. Based on when your accident happened, our pedestrian accident lawyers can calculate how much more time we have to prepare and file your case based on the statute of limitations.

The second piece of the puzzle is proving liability, which requires evidence. Compelling evidence in pedestrian accident claims includes eyewitness statements, medical records, photographs, surveillance footage, and expert witness testimony. Even if your case settles out of court in Arbutus, we will need evidence to leverage during negotiations to reach a fair settlement. We can calculate your damages before settlement negotiations so that we can properly evaluate any offers from the defendant. Generally, the first few settlement proposals defendants send are unfair and do not account for all of a victim’s damages, typically their non-economic losses. We can use the necessary equations to estimate your pain and suffering from the accident and use evidence, like statements from mental health experts, to support those calculations.

Alternatively, victims may go to court, where our lawyers can present evidence to a jury. The jury will then decide liability and award the victim the damages they incurred because of the defendant’s negligence. Victims might reach settlements at any point during trials or decide to stop settlement negotiations and move forward with a trial at any time before finalizing an agreement.

Call Our Lawyers About Your Arbutus Pedestrian Accident Case

For a free case assessment from Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call our pedestrian accident lawyers at (410) 694-7291.