Prince George’s County, MD Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Being in a car accident when you are driving or riding in a car can often leave you with mild injuries or result in property damage alone.  When you are hit while walking on foot, you are much more likely to face serious injuries that could potentially result in weeks or even years of recovery and potential life-long disabilities.

If you were hit by a car, our pedestrian accident attorneys can help you get compensation for your injuries.  While insurance claims might be available, it is likely that the insurance company will fight to avoid paying what they owe you.  Our attorneys can help you sue for full compensation.

For a free case review, contact the pedestrian accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras by calling (410) 694-7291.

Suing for Injuries in a Pedestrian Accident in Prince George’s County, MD

If you were hit by a car, you could be left with serious injuries that need compensation.  From the medical bills to the lost time at work, you could be left with increased expenses and reduced income – all of which could entitle you to compensation.  Getting this compensation might mean filing an insurance claim, but many cases need to be escalated to a lawsuit for the compensation to be paid at its full value.

When a victim files an insurance claim against the driver who hit them, the insurance company often makes it hard for the claim to go through.  Insurance companies make more money when they deny claims or pay out low settlements.  As such, it is likely that the insurance company will ask you for proof that their driver caused the accident, and if questions of fault are hazy, they might refuse to accept blame.  Sometimes they will also offer to pay a settlement, but it will be too low to account for all of your needs.

In order to get full compensation when the insurance company is reluctant to pay, you might need to back up your insurance claim with a lawsuit.  Our pedestrian accident lawyers can file your case in court, putting additional pressure on the insurance company to settle your claim.  While the court case is pending, our attorneys can negotiate with the insurance company.  If a settlement is not reached by the time the case goes to trial, we can fight for proper compensation ordered by a judge and jury instead of relying on the insurance company to voluntarily pay the fair value of your claim.

Proving Fault in a Pedestrian Accident in Prince George’s County, MD

Fault, as a legal concept, is often confusing to many accident victims.  There is often a fear that you might have done something wrong and that you might not be able to get compensation for your crash if you did.  In Maryland, the stakes are even higher because of laws on the books that block cases instead of allowing victims to get partial compensation if they are partially at fault.

Our pedestrian accident attorneys will analyze fault by looking at who violated the law and other safe-driving standards, and how those violations contributed to the accident.  Generally, if the other driver did something illegal such as speeding or even failing to use a turn signal, and that caused the accident, then they can typically be held liable for it.

Often, pedestrian accidents are caused by drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, making them at fault.  Pedestrians are commonly injured in DUI accidents or because of texting and driving as well – which also typically puts the driver at fault.  Generally speaking, a pedestrian would only be held liable for a crash if they did something dangerous like step out into moving traffic without warning, or if their own intoxication made it too dangerous for them to walk down the street.

Barring these kinds of issues of “contributory negligence,” our pedestrian accident lawyers can use your testimony and other witnesses’ testimony to help prove what happened.  We can also use photos you might have taken of the scene of the crash to help show where the vehicle was when it hit you, potentially supporting claims that they hit you in the crosswalk, ran a red light, or otherwise did something wrong.

Damages for Injured Pedestrian Accident Victims in Prince George’s County

The damages that you should be entitled to after a car accident can include a surprising range of harms – both monetary and otherwise.  To make sure that you account for all damages you could be entitled to, have our pedestrian accident lawyers review your case.  Never accept a settlement without having an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer go over your damages and check for any missing compensation.

Damages are often broken down into “compensatory damages” and “non-compensatory damages.”  Damages are “compensatory” if they compensate – pay you back – for harms you experienced.  Non-compensatory damages instead include things like punitive damages, which are used to punish the defendant rather than to compensate you.

Compensatory damages are often further broken down into “economic” and “non-economic” damages.

Economic damages pay you back for expenses and lost money related to the accident.  That would include any medical bills, missed wages, and property damage that resulted from the accident.  These are the most common areas of economic damages, but you can also claim more involved damages for things like household services you cannot perform or childcare needs while recovering from your injuries.

Lastly, the non-economic damages in your case could include compensation for your pain and suffering and other intangible harms.  These damages are typically proved with your testimony rather than hard records and documentation.  Calculating these damages is also more complicated and is best done with help from an experienced pedestrian accident attorney.

For a Free Case Review, Call Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Prince George’s County

To have one of our pedestrian accident lawyers review your injury case for free, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras.  Our number is (410) 694-7291.