Olney, MD Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

When motor vehicle accidents happen, occupants of vehicles often end up seriously injured. However, people in cars and other vehicles often have the benefit of safety features to mitigate those injuries. When a pedestrian is hit by a car, they do not have that luxury. As a result, pedestrians often are very badly hurt when hit by cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles. Worse still, those injuries are often very expensive to treat and can create a great deal of financial stress.

If you were injured by a motor vehicle while going about your day, we can help. Our lawyers have represented many pedestrians who were wrongly injured, so we have the experience to give you a good shot at getting the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.

For a free analysis of your claim, call the pedestrian accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.

What Should I Do After a Pedestrian Accident in Olney, MD?

There are some important steps that need to be taken immediately after a pedestrian accident happens to you or someone you care about. Not only can doing these crucial tasks help keep people safe, but they can also improve any pedestrian accident lawsuit you elect to bring later down the line.

Call 911 and Get Help

The first thing you need to do – before even thinking about legal ramifications – is call emergency services and get injured people the help they need. If you are not able to dial 911 yourself for whatever reason, get someone else to do it by telling them directly. Once emergency services arrive, follow all of their instructions. If they want to take you to the hospital, comply with that request. However, if you are cleared to stay near the crash, there are other things you can do.

It may also be advisable to get follow-up medical treatment after the crash. Some injuries may not be obvious right away, and you could endanger your health by not getting subsequent medical care.

Record Information

The next important thing that you should do is get as much information as possible. Talk to anyone who witnessed the accident and record their statement as well as information about them. These witnesses could potentially testify on your behalf in court or otherwise help your legal claim. You also need to take numerous videos and photos of the crash and surrounding area, as they may be able to be used as evidence in court. Finally, get the insurance information, license plate information, and other details about any drivers involved in the accident.

Lawyer Up Quickly

Once the dust has settled, you should talk to our lawyers right away. In Maryland, you only have three years from the time you are injured to file a claim pursuant to Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101. Once that three-year period is up, your claim is void.

Three years may appear to be a long time, but when the length of recovering from injuries and collecting information to file a lawsuit is taken into consideration, this is really no time at all. Accordingly, you should reach out to our pedestrian accident lawyers as quickly as you can.

How to Win a Pedestrian Accident Case in Olney, MD

To win a pedestrian accident case in Maryland, you need to prove that the defendant was negligent. “negligence” in law means that the driver who hit you was careless and, consequently, hurt you. Of course, the driver will almost assuredly have an attorney representing them, and they may try to make the accident seem like it was really your fault, not their client’s. For example, a defense attorney may say that you crossed the road at an unsafe point, and their client could not possibly react in time. However, in the vast majority of cases, drivers must yield to pedestrians.

Speeding, driving under the influence, texting while driving, and other traffic violations all constitute negligent acts. If the driver who hit you was doing any of those things, you can hold them liable in court for your injuries.

Damages from Pedestrian Accident Cases in Olney, MD

If you are successful in court, you can get damages awarded to you. Damages are how the court tries to “turn back the clock” on a plaintiff’s situation and injuries through financial compensation.

One thing you can get damages for is your medical bills and expenses. This includes more than just emergency treatment. You can also be awarded compensation for expected long-term care stemming from the injuries you received in the accident.

You can also get damages for lost wages and income. If you had to take a lot of time off of work to recover, you can be compensated based on the money you would have been earning during that time. You can also get compensation if you have to take a less lucrative job because of your injuries or need to stop working altogether.

You can also be awarded damages for less concrete things. For example, you can be awarded damages based on the physical pain you experienced because of the accident. This includes not just immediate pain after the driver hit you but also long-term chronic conditions you may have to live with. You also can be given compensation if there are mental effects stemming from the crash. For example, if you experience PTSD because you were hit by a car, that can be factored into your damages.

Finally, you may be able to get extra damages if the defendant did something particularly egregious. Courts do not always award that kind of damages, so you should discuss that prospect with our attorneys.

Talk to Our Olney, MD Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Today About Your Case

Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s pedestrian accident lawyers can help you when you contact us at (410) 694-7291.