People traveling on foot in Clovis often take their lives in their hands as they try to cross in front of careless and distracted drivers. We must all remember that we all become pedestrians when we park our cars and get out and walk. Our children are pedestrians as they walk to school or get out of a car to travel across a parking lot.
A reckless driver can miss spotting a pedestrian, big or small, and cause a devastating collision. A defenseless pedestrian might suffer a traumatic injury and be left to complete a difficult recovery over weeks and months. In that time, victims don’t need to worry about the cost of healthcare over an accident that wasn’t their fault.
Free Consultations for Clovis Pedestrian Accident Victims
Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, offers all victims and their families a free, no-obligation consultation. Pedestrian accident victims should know about all of the benefits available to them before talking to insurance adjusters. Insurance companies try to pay out as little as possible no matter how long a pedestrian injury recovery takes. They might try to convince you to accept unnecessary responsibility for your accident or offer you a much lower settlement than your injury is worth. Contact Maison Law of Clovis to schedule your free case evaluation today. We will gladly answer your questions and help you navigate your next steps.Clovis Pedestrian Accident Hazards
Busy Clovis roads carry plenty of traffic along with a large number of pedestrians. High-traffic areas like Fowler Avenue and residential areas like those along Temperance Avenue carry many people on foot across Clovis. Pedestrians will be those heading to work, students, joggers, dog walkers, shoppers, and others. All pedestrians are owed a legal “duty of care” from drivers. Clovis drivers should be monitoring for pedestrians at all times, in crosswalks and outside of them. Drivers must slow down when they see a pedestrian entering any roadway. They must travel brake enough to prevent any chance of a collision. This special duty of care is due to the defenseless nature of pedestrians when in accidents involving any vehicle. The dangerous results of these motorist vs. pedestrian accidents are seen every year in Clovis. California transportation officials tracked 12 pedestrian accidents involving injury across Clovis in 2021. Those collisions resulted in two tragic deaths. In 2020, there were 15 pedestrian collisions recorded with one death. In 2019, there were also 15 pedestrian collisions documented with 16 people reported injured in those accidents. These dangerous impacts can leave you or a family member facing long recoveries. You may also have to miss valuable work hours, making it hard to make even a first payment towards hospital bills. Trusting your case to a Clovis Bicycle Accident Lawyer means you’ll have a skilled legal representative working to get the most out of a pedestrian accident injury claim. You’ll get what you need to get back on your feet again.How Can I Strengthen My Clovis Pedestrian Accident Case?
After suffering a frightening hit from a car, SUV, or truck, victims must take action to prove they weren’t to blame for what happened. Even though a police collision report says the driver was at fault, a car insurance adjuster can still try to shift blame in an accident. They can also try to downplay the injuries victims suffer or imply that the victim had a preexisting injury before getting hit. Victims must keep all of their receipts for medical care as they recover. They should also track their expenses for travel to doctor’s appointments and physical therapy. These costs can be high when a victim can’t walk and may be on crutches. Some of the most valuable evidence will available on the scene of a pedestrian accident in the moments after it occurs. This evidence may exist only until the accident is cleared. So, it’s important that victims or someone with them, move to collect certain details:- Call 911. Give a full report to the responding Clovis police officer. Tell ambulance crews about every pain you have. Go to the hospital if necessary.
- Take plenty of pictures at the scene. Show the cars involved. Show any visible injuries. Get shots of traffic signs, crosswalk markings, and skid marks.
- Get contact information from witnesses. Get the name and phone number of anyone who stopped to assist you, even if they didn’t see the accident occur.
- Scan the area for the potential of any security cameras. Alert your Clovis personal injury lawyer to these cameras.
- Keep all evidence. Don’t wash any bloody clothing. Preserve your clothes and your shoes.
- Get yourself checked out by your own doctor as soon as possible. Follow your doctor’s advice and see specialists and physical therapists if recommended.
What Can I Earn Compensation for After a Pedestrian Accident?
After an accident, your Clovis pedestrian accident lawyer works with you to create a complete list of the financial damages and hardships you’ve endured. Every damage must be on this list when submitted to an insurance company in an injury claim. Anything not included could become a cost that you are held responsible for. An experienced attorney will know to include some losses you may not have thought of. These are just a few of the things that will factor into your pedestrian accident injury claim settlement check:- Medical bills – The bills already sent to your mailbox and the cost of any care you’re expected to need in the years to come.
- Permanent disability or disfigurement — Money for the long-term physical therapy and medical equipment needed. Compensation for career training if you can’t go back to your old job. House renovations to make living with a disability easier. Plastic surgery costs to restore your appearance.
- Wrongful Death – After the tragic loss of life, the family should receive support for funeral and burial costs and in paying the remaining hospital bills. The guidance and income the deceased can no longer provide in the coming years must also factor into a settlement check for loved ones.
- Physical pain and emotional trauma – The level of pain experienced after a pedestrian accident and during recovery factors into compensation. Emotional trauma in the crash or in recovery also must be considered when negotiating a personal injury settlement with insurance companies.
- Loss of income — The wages and benefits you’ve given up by having to miss work hours over your injuries.
