Bethesda Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

After being hit by a car or another vehicle, you might be critically injured with no way to pay for your treatment and other expenses. A lawyer will help you fight for fair compensation from the driver responsible for your accident.

Pedestrian accidents can happen where there is vehicle traffic, even in some unexpected places. Crosswalks, sidewalks, non-intersection locations in the road, and parking lots and garages are common places for accidents.

After an accident, you should call for help immediately and wait for medical personnel and the police to arrive. If possible, take photos and record videos of the scene while you wait to use it as evidence later.

You should also call an attorney to help you through the insurance process and file a personal injury lawsuit. An attorney can also help you identify and assess your damages so you get as much compensation as possible.

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

How and Where Pedestrian Accidents Might Happen in Bethesda

Pedestrian accidents can occur wherever vehicles and foot traffic intersect. Some places, like crosswalks, are designed so pedestrians and vehicles can move around each other safely. Other places are a bit riskier.

As said before, crosswalks are designed so pedestrians can cross streets safely. Unfortunately, the safety of these pedestrians often comes down to drivers. A negligent driver might fail to stop in time for crossing pedestrians, perhaps due to distractions or speeding, and a pedestrian might be badly hurt.

Sidewalks, on the other hand, are not intended for vehicle traffic. However, pedestrians might still be injured if they are close to the curb and a negligent driver clips them or makes a sharp turn and runs up on the sidewalk.

Parking garages and parking lots are other common places for pedestrian accidents. Often, cars and pedestrians are coming and going through these places, and a negligent driver could easily strike someone walking to or from their car.

What You Should Do Right After a Pedestrian Accident in Bethesda

Immediately after being hit by a car, you should call 911 and get help. If calling for help is difficult because you are injured, someone at the scene with you – perhaps the other driver or a passenger – should call for help.

If possible, take as many photos of the accident scene as possible. This is common after car accidents, as many people need these photos as proof to show the insurance companies. Additionally, these photos might save details we can use later in a lawsuit. Once the police clean up the accident scene, your photos might be the only recordings of the scene.

Once you have gotten medical attention, you should contact an attorney about a potential lawsuit. Your damages might be quite significant, and an attorney can help you get fair compensation from the driver responsible. Additionally, an attorney can help you through the insurance process.

How a Lawyer Can Help You Get Compensation in a Bethesda Pedestrian Accident Case

There is more than one way to get compensation for your injuries. Drivers frequently file insurance claims after accidents, although lawsuits can help you get damages normally not provided through insurance.

Insurance

Maryland is a fault-based state as far as auto insurance claims go, and injured drivers typically need to submit third-party claims with the other driver’s insurance provider.

This also means you must prove that the other driver is at fault for the crash before the insurance company pays for anything. A great place to start is submitting a copy of the police report for the accident, although additional evidence might be necessary.

The State of Maryland requires drivers to purchase uninsured motorist coverage in case the other driver in an accident is uninsured. This claim would be with your own insurance and might help cover various expenses.

MedPay is an optional insurance coverage option that pays only for medical expenses. Often, MedPay is helpful when the other driver’s insurance company is too slow with their decision on your claim or is pushing back and refusing to cover you. Through MedPay, you can at least get some of your medical bills covered while our pedestrian accident lawyers work with the insurance company.

Lawsuit

Insurance can be a great help, but it is not always sufficient. We will assist you in filing a lawsuit against the other driver to get the remainder of your damages covered.

Step one is to file a complaint, the legal document initiating the lawsuit. In your complaint, we need to ensure details about you, the defendant, the accident, and why we believe the defendant should be held responsible are included. We must also include a detailed explanation of your damages; otherwise, you risk losing compensation.

A big advantage of lawsuits is that a wider range of damages is often on the table. Insurance claims mostly cover economic losses like medical bills and property damage. In a lawsuit, you can also claim non-economic damages for your pain, suffering, and other painful experiences.

Potential Damages You Can Claim in a Bethesda Pedestrian Accident Case

Your damages are used to determine the extent of your financial compensation. As such, damages must be accurately calculated so that no compensation is missed.

Your economic damages will be based on the actual money you lose because of the collision and your injuries. Medical bills, lost income, and the cost of replacing lost personal belongings are common economic damages.

Non-economic damages can be interesting because they are often not connected to money or a price. Instead, these damages are measured by their impact on your life.

Physical pain, emotional suffering and trauma, humiliation and embarrassment, and other negative experiences may justify your claim of non-economic damages.

Call Our Bethesda Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for Assistance

For a free evaluation of your case, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 and speak with our pedestrian accident attorneys.