How Much Compensation Do You Get for a Pedestrian Accident?

How Much Compensation Do You Get for a Pedestrian Accident? How much compensation you may get for a pedestrian accident depends on several factors. No two pedestrian accident cases are identical, and a lawyer can calculate your case value.

How a Lawyer May Determine the Cost of Your Pedestrian Accident

An attorney may calculate the cost of your pedestrian accident case step-by-step. An investigation may be the first step. During this investigation, your attorney may:

• Speak with witnesses: Witnesses may provide compelling testimony about your pedestrian accident. If necessary, your lawyer will speak directly with witnesses to your accident. Witnesses may also provide testimony about circumstances that led to your accident, such as a failure to properly service a vehicle.
• Review accident-related documentation: Your attorney may gather and review police reports, insurance-related correspondence, and other documentation relevant to your case.
• Gather useful evidence: A lawyer can gather evidence that supports your case. This may include video footage of the accident, photographs of your injuries, doctors’ accounts of the injuries, and other usable evidence.
• Keep track of your monetary damages: You may accrue more and more damages as your case develops. Your lawyer should keep a running account of your losses and update their calculations accordingly.
• Consult experts to help value your losses: Experts can be assets to a pedestrian accident case. An expert may reconstruct your accident, help value complex damages, assess your pain and suffering, and assist in other ways.

Your attorney should be patient in valuing your case. Before they begin negotiations for a settlement, they’ll want to be certain of their case valuation. Several specific factors are relevant to case valuations. These factors generally include:

• The types of injuries you’ve suffered
• The severity of your injuries
• The degree of negligence shown by the liable party (or parties)
• The total monetary cost of your accident-related damages

Though some attorneys may cite average case values, know this: Your case is unlike any other, and average settlement values are of little use. You will need an in-depth, personalized evaluation to know the true cost of your damages.

Recoverable Damages in a Pedestrian Accident Case

When evaluating your case value, your lawyer will consider your damages. These are economic and non-economic losses you suffer because of your pedestrian accident. Your damages may include:

Healthcare Expenses

Thousands of pedestrians die because of traffic accidents each year in the United States. An untold number of other pedestrians suffer serious, though not fatal, injuries. In either case, the victim may require substantial medical care—and may initially face the cost of that care. Your attorney may recover the full cost of your accident-related medical care, including:

• Ambulance transport from your accident scene

• Imaging of your injuries
• Emergency care
• Hospitalization
• Follow-up care
• In-home care
• End-of-life care
• Any other accident-related medical care you require

Healthcare expenses are a common loss in pedestrian accident cases. Whether you’ve suffered an injury or lost a loved one, a lawyer will seek coverage for the related medical bills.

Professional Damages

Pedestrian accidents can lead to injuries, which can cause absences from work. In some cases, a pedestrian accident may prevent a victim from working ever again or may change the types of jobs the victim can fulfill. In any case, a pedestrian accident may cause:

• Loss of income (temporarily or permanently)
• Lost earning power
• Lost benefits, such as employer-matched 401(k) contributions, health insurance, and other employer-provided perks
• Loss of professional fulfillment
• Lost opportunities to earn promotions and performance bonuses

A lawyer should always consider the professional harm a pedestrian accident causes their client.

Pain and Suffering

Personal injury claims can cover various forms of pain and suffering, as well as visible injuries such as disfigurement. Though such damages may not have a clear economic cost, they can entitle you to compensation. Pain and suffering may include:

• Pain caused by injuries
• Emotional anguish
• Traumatic memories and dreams
• Loss of physical or cognitive abilities
• Lost quality of life
• Conditions like depression and anxiety
• Any other problems that qualify as pain and suffering

A lawyer may rely on mental health professionals to diagnose your pain and suffering. The lawyer can then calculate the cost of your pain and suffering.

Property Damage

Though pedestrians don’t suffer damage to a vehicle, they can have property damage. You may receive compensation for damage to a cell phone, watch, sunglasses, clothing, or any other personal items harmed during the accident.

Who Is Responsible for the Cost of Your Pedestrian Accident?

Your attorney will establish liability for your accident. A motorist may be most often liable when they strike a pedestrian. However, other parties can be liable—either in addition to a motorist or instead of a motorist. Defendants in a pedestrian accident case may include:

• A motorist
• A manufacturer of a defective vehicle or component
• A municipality that created dangerous road conditions
• Any other party whose actions or failures contributed to the pedestrian accident

Some parties are liable for the negligent actions of others. An employer, for example, can be liable when their employee causes a pedestrian accident. Let an attorney sort out liability in your pedestrian accident case.

An Attorney Will Seek the Financial Recovery You Deserve

A lawyer can guide you through the post-accident legal process. They may also assist with an insurance claim. These processes may be unfamiliar to you, and a lawyer may be a great help. A personal injury lawyer can:

• Investigate the circumstances of your pedestrian accident
• Identify all liable parties
• Calculate the cost of your damages
• Compile evidence for your case
• Hire experts
• Negotiate a settlement
• Proceed to trial, if necessary

A lawyer will be your representative, fighting for the financial recovery you deserve.

Call a Personal Injury Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation

Don’t wait to get legal help after a pedestrian accident. No matter where your accident happened, you likely face deadlines for starting a legal case. A personal injury lawyer can initiate the legal process as soon as possible. Do your research and contact a personal injury firm today. Most offer free consultations, so you can ask questions and gather information before choosing the right firm for your case.

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