Randallstown, MD Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Countless pedestrians are injured all across the United States every day. Sadly, these pedestrians often have grave injuries that require extensive medical treatment in both the short and long term. Such treatment can become prohibitively expensive for many, and even those who can afford it with the help of insurance may start to feel the financial burden of their injuries. This is to say nothing of all the other intangible effects getting badly injured in a crash may have on someone.

If you got hurt by a car, truck, or other vehicle while just going about your daily activities, our lawyers can assist you. We can collect evidence, talk to witnesses, and fight hard for you in a court of law to get you the financial compensation you deserve following a pedestrian accident.

Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s pedestrian accident attorneys are here to assist you with your claim when you contact us at the number (410) 694-7291.

Why Do Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Randallstown, MD?

Pedestrian accidents occur for innumerable reasons. However, what causes pedestrian accidents can be boiled down to one word: negligence. In law, someone is negligent when they do something careless, and someone else gets hurt as a result. There are a lot of different forms that negligence can take which could potentially cause a pedestrian accident. When our pedestrian accident attorneys examine your situation, we will be looking for the negligent acts that resulted in an accident taking place.

Violating Traffic Rules

Perhaps the most common reason that pedestrian accidents happen is drivers not abiding by traffic rules and laws. Failure to abide by traffic laws is treated as negligence in and of itself by the court. So speeding, texting while driving, and drunk driving are all negligent because they are against the law.

Careless Driving

Drivers can also be negligent in ways that do not directly violate the law. The standard used to determine whether a driver was negligent in this way is whether they acted as a reasonable driver would have under the circumstances. Ultimately, the answer to that question is decided by the jury, so our lawyers will be working to make sure they understand that the driver who hit you was negligent.

Defective Vehicles

Sometimes, a pedestrian accident may happen even if the driver is doing everything right. In many cases, this comes down to their vehicle being defective. A “defect” is a problem with a product that results in it hurting someone else. There are two main kinds of defects under the law: design defects and manufacturing defects.

Design defects are problems that are inherent in a vehicle’s design. This means that even a car built exactly to specifications will have a problem that can hurt someone. An example of a design defect that could lead to a vehicle striking a pedestrian is driver assistance software that does not give the level of autonomy advertised.

Manufacturing defects are mistakes and deviations from the intended design. These defects arise when a vehicle is not made to specifications. An example of a manufacturing defect that could cause a pedestrian accident would be improperly installed brakes. When the driver attempts to stop when they are supposed to, the vehicle may not and end up striking a pedestrian instead.

Who Can You Sue in a Randallstown, MD Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit?

Choosing the correct target for your lawsuit is very important. A critical component of proving negligence is establishing that the defendant caused your injuries. For that reason, it is important that you sue the right parties in your claim. Our team of pedestrian accident lawyers will ensure that that happens.

Drivers

The most obvious target of a pedestrian accident claim would be the driver that struck you. If they were acting carelessly, you can file a claim against them.

In some rare instances, you may file against a driver who did not hit you as well. For example, if another motorist was driving aggressively, and the defendant-driver took evasive action to avoid them, striking you in the process, you may be able to sue both of them.

Employers

Sometimes, you may be able to sue someone’s employer for your injuries. There is a legal principle called “respondent superior” that lets you sue employers for the negligent conduct of their employees. The “catch” is that the employee needs to be doing something related to their job at the time you get injured. For example, suppose a pizza delivery vehicle driver is texting and hits you on the way to a delivery as you cross the street. You would be able to sue their employer because delivering pizza is part of their job. On the other hand, suppose an office worker hits you on the way home at the end of the day. In that case, you probably would not be able to sue the employer because driving home is not part of the office worker’s job.

Vehicle Designers and Manufacturers

If you suspect that your pedestrian accident was caused by a defect, you should go after the relevant designer or manufacturer. For example, if our lawyers uncover a known issue in vehicles that were not recalled, you may be able to sue the designer. Conversely, if a poor repair job is discovered, you might wish to sue the repair shop that worked on the vehicle that hit you.

What If I Got Hurt By Something Other than a Car in Randallstown, MD?

Pedestrians can still get hurt by things other than vehicles. For example, debris from an unsafe construction site could result in injury. There can be some complications with those kinds of cases, but you can definitely still talk about them with our attorneys.

Start Discussing Your Claim with Our Team of Randallstown, MD Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Now

Our team of pedestrian accident lawyers is ready to help you out when you call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.