College Park, Maryland Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Nobody goes about their day thinking of themselves as a pedestrian. People just want to get from point A to point B and do what they need to do. This means that it is even more shocking when you – as a pedestrian – are hit by a motor vehicle. Motor vehicle accidents are dangerous enough on their own. Moreover, pedestrians do not have the safety features provided by being inside of a vehicle, so the injuries they sustain in accidents are often quite serious. These grievous injuries often require expensive medical care, for which victims of pedestrian accidents will want financial compensation.
If you were in a pedestrian accident around College Park, our lawyers can help. We can examine your case to determine all angles of attack for your lawsuit and fight hard for the financial compensation you need and deserve.
For a free case review, call our pedestrian accident attorneys from Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.
Dealing with a Pedestrian Accident in College Park, MD
Not all pedestrian accidents are the same. Accordingly, victims may be in different situations after their particular pedestrian accident. If the situation allows, there are important things that you should do after a pedestrian accident that can help our pedestrian accident lawyers and therefore increase your chance of success in a lawsuit.
Stay at the Scene of the Accident
If you are seriously injured after a pedestrian accident, you are very likely going to be taken to a hospital by emergency first responders. However, in many pedestrian accidents, the victim is able to get back on their feet and may only feel slightly inconvenienced, and likely upset, disgruntled, and frustrated from the experience. The natural inclination may be to go on with your day in order to distance yourself as far from the experience as possible. Doing that, however, is a bad idea. It is better to stay near the accident and collect information to help with a potential lawsuit.
Additionally, it may be a good idea to seek follow-up medical care, even if you think that you are only a little bit injured. Some injuries, like whiplash, may take some time to reveal themselves, so make sure that you take all precautions to ensure you get the care you need to stay safe.
Collect Information
Once you know that you are able to stay near the accident, get as much information as you can. Even seemingly small details can be useful in the preparation of a lawsuit. However, the most important pieces of information to obtain are the name, driver’s license, and insurance information of any drivers involved in the accident. Additionally, take as many photos and videos as possible of the area around the accident. Finally, if anyone is nearby, ask if they can stay as a witness. That can be useful to your case later.
Call Our Lawyers
Once the initial hubbub of a pedestrian accident has finished, you need to get in contact with legal counsel as soon as possible. One of the most important reasons for this is something called the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is a timer that, as the name would suggest, limits how long you have to file a lawsuit. For a personal injury lawsuit in Maryland, the statute of limitations is three years under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101. After that time, you cannot file your case or recover damages.
While three years may seem like a long time, when one takes into account external factors like preparing information and recovering from injuries, it really is no time at all. It is imperative that you file your claim as soon as possible.
Evidence in a College Park, MD Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit
Lawsuits are won using arguments supported by evidence. Without evidence, anything that you or our lawyers say in court does not mean very much at all. Accordingly, having good evidence for your case is very important to its success.
In lawsuits, evidence can be admitted – with a myriad of exceptions and carve-outs – if it has any tendency to prove something to be more or less likely to be true. There are many different forms of evidence that meet these criteria. Below are some of the important forms of evidence that may be useful in your particular pedestrian accident lawsuit.
Testimony
Testimony from people is very important in a lawsuit. Eyewitnesses can give their account of events to support your assertions of what happened or disprove something claimed by the defendant. If you can get more than one eyewitness, your claim will be that much stronger.
Testimony can also come from an expert witness. An expert witness is someone with special knowledge in a certain area that can help prove something relevant in a case to be true or not. For example, if the car that hit you skidded to a stop, an expert on cars or tires may be able to help determine how exactly your accident took place.
Physical Things
Items of all kinds can be admitted into evidence if they are relevant to the case. In the context of a pedestrian accident lawsuit, pictures of the accident, your injuries, or the defendant’s vehicle can serve as physical evidence that helps support your case. Additionally, records of all kinds are very useful as evidence. This includes records of any medical care you had to undergo as well as any property damage to the surrounding area or even to the defendant’s vehicle.
Talk to Our College Park, Maryland Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Now
Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s pedestrian accident attorneys can help you with your case when you call us at (410) 694-7291.