LET OUR RICHMOND VIRGINIA PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS HELP YOU MOVE FORWARD
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Richmond Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
At some point in our lives, we are exposed and at risk of being accident victims while simply walking on the sidewalk or in the crosswalk. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 7,500 pedestrians died in 2022. Personal injury can create great strife in someone’s life, but an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer can help lessen the burden and recover compensation in the event of an injury from the at-fault party.
If you are the victim of a pedestrian accident, a personal injury lawyer can be your best defense in collecting the compensation you deserve. Insurance companies may try to discredit a victim to avoid needing to payout. Our attorneys are well-versed in Virginia pedestrian law and how insurance companies may try to settle quickly and cheaply to their advantage.
Pedestrian accident cases can be scary and challenging to navigate; the lawyers with Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci will help you file a claim and defend your case so you can collect the compensation you deserve.
What Are The Causes Of Pedestrian Accidents?
More often than not, the primary cause of pedestrian accidents is distracted driving. Driving requires 100% of your attention, and if this attention is split when attempting to multitask, car accidents may occur.
In 2019, over 3,000 lives were lost because of distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Typically, a pedestrian accident occurs when the driver is doing one of the following:
Texting While Driving
Texting takes not only your eyes off the road but also occupies your hands and your mind. Looking down at your phone can mean not noticing when the light turns red or missing a stop sign. Teens are more likely to text while driving than adults.
Eating While Driving
Though this seems innocent enough, eating takes your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel. This can potentially be difficult to prove without police evidence.
Speeding
Speeding creates less reaction time and more risk of serious injury in the event of a pedestrian accident. Speeding is incredibly reckless, and with cases involving speeding, an experienced pedestrian accident attorney will help you consider this when demanding compensation.
Looking Away From The Road
Sightseeing or looking somewhere other than the road can make the difference between seeing a pedestrian and creating a pedestrian accident. Though this is difficult to prove, the driver should always be aware of their immediate surroundings.
Talking On The Phone
Even hands-free can create a distracting environment for a driver. Thankfully, cases involving operating a cell phone during an accident may be relatively easy to prove due to access to phone records.
Driving While Drowsy
Driving while fatigued can cause slowed reaction times, creating dangerous situations for those on the road. Drowsy driving is considered impaired driving and should be taken seriously.
Driving While Stressed Or Overly Emotional
Mental state is not something that first comes to mind when talking about driving while distracted. Drivers who get behind the wheel while overly emotional are more likely to cause a car accident, as emotions such as anger or crying can affect driving performance.
Adjusting The GPS Or Radio While Driving
The use of GPS while on the road is a common occurrence. Yet behaviors such as changing the route or looking at the map can be distracting enough for the driver to cause a car accident.
When drivers are distracted, they are more likely to fail to see pedestrians walking on the sidewalk, crosswalk, or in a parking lot.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Lacking protection, we are significantly more at risk for severe injuries when involved in pedestrian accidents while simply walking on the sidewalk. Below are some examples of catastrophic injuries pedestrian accident victims may experience:
Broken Bones
Thankfully, broken bones heal with time; however, depending on the injury, one may be out of work or unable to complete their usual activities for an extended period of time.
Spinal Cord Injuries
A pedestrian does not have any protection from a car, and is at risk of severe injuries following an accident. Spinal cord injuries are particularly catastrophic injuries with long-term therapy and care needs and potentially permanent effects.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s), can create life-threatening injuries that can last a lifetime.
Road Rash
Road rash may seem minor, but it can potentially leave permanent scarring or require procedures such as skin grafts.
Internal Injuries
Internal injuries can often mean the difference between life and death. They may not be immediately apparent after an accident, which puts the victim at considerable risk.
Emotional Trauma
Being involved in a pedestrian accident can create severe emotional trauma. Emotional trauma is not a visible injury and can create lifelong behavioral changes and trauma that may require therapy.
The mental anguish that can plague victims can be debilitating. Often, insurance companies try to discredit emotional trauma in an attempt to pay less. For our lawyers, cases involving emotional trauma are just as important as those with physical trauma.
Financial Impact Of Pedestrian Accidents
In addition to the many severe injuries, pedestrian accident victims may experience catastrophic financial turmoil. Rising medical costs coupled with lost wages from the inability to work can create a problematic living environment for someone.
While various safety measures have helped reduce the overall number of pedestrian accidents across Virginia by 18% from 2015 to 2022, the number of fatalities has increased by 98% over the same time. So, while efforts to curb accidents are working, the odds of a fatality in a pedestrian accident have gone from 4.7% in 2015 to a staggering 11.6% in 2022, meaning more than 1 out of every 10 pedestrian accident crashes has a death associated with it.
In Richmond, pedestrian accidents have been steadier over the 2015-2022 timeframe; last year, there were 75 serious injuries and 27 fatalities. While 2015 was an outlier with lower overall injury levels, the share of serious injuries and death because of a pedestrian accident in Richmond remain steady. On average, 27% of motor vehicle accidents involving a pedestrian result in serious injuries in Richmond, and 9% involve a fatality.
These data points reflect the dangers many victims face when involved in a pedestrian accident, like people struggling to make ends meet while recovering. Serious injuries take time to heal. Emergency services such as ambulance rides, emergency room visits, surgeries, and hospital stays can seriously affect someone’s financial well-being.
They carry economic and non-economic costs due to significant impairment or loss of a loved one.
Given the serious nature of these incidents, working with the experienced and accomplished lawyers at Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci allows you to receive the proper treatment and compensation you and your family deserve.
What Happens If A Pedestrian Causes An Accident?
Not every pedestrian accident is the fault of the driver. Sometimes, a distracted or negligent pedestrian may walk into the path of a vehicle that has the right of way, such as trying to beat cars in a crosswalk, walking around while inebriated, or walking where pedestrians are not supposed to, such as the expressway.
Drivers may be unable to stop in time and may hit the pedestrian, swerve, hit a pole, or even move into oncoming traffic.
If a pedestrian caused an accident, the driver might be able to file a claim against the pedestrian for any sustained injuries and damage to property caused by the accident.
Can I Claim Compensation For A Pedestrian Accident?
If you are a pedestrian accident victim, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries through both economic and non-economic damages; these include medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain & suffering related to the pedestrian accident.
In addition to compensation for damages incurred in the accident, the legal process allows punitive damages to be awarded. Punitive damages are considered punishment for the at-fault party if their behavior was deemed harmful or reckless. Our experienced lawyers can help you request these damages to be paid out.
How Much Is My Pedestrian Accident Case Worth?
Every pedestrian accident case is unique. The value of an injury case can be calculated with the help of an experienced pedestrian accident attorney. The other party’s insurance company may try to lessen the case’s value by discrediting the victim.
Compensation depends on many factors:
Injuries Sustained And Medical Expenses Resulting From Care Related To The Accident
Injuries, medical care, and expenses will vary with every accident. The severity of injuries can depend on factors such as the speed of the vehicle, or type of vehicle, or the angle at which the pedestrian was struck. Medical expenses can quickly pile up, even after the insurance company covers part of the treatment. Vehicle accidents can create long-term catastrophic personal injury to pedestrians, which may require more extended care such as surgeries or physical therapies. A tragic accident may lead to wrongful death, which can drastically increase the amount of compensation to be collected.
Damages To Property
Personal injury is often not the only damage that occurs due to vehicle accidents. Automobile accidents can cause significant property damage to things such as a cell phone, a backpack or a structure.
Pain & Suffering
Suffering from extreme injuries can create significant emotional turmoil. The stress can impact the victim considerably, and they may suffer injuries such as depression or anxiety due to the accident.
Opportunities Lost
Recovery from injuries may take some time and result in the loss of opportunities for the victim. Lost opportunities are often difficult to prove, but with the right legal advice, an experienced attorney can help you collect on this.
Lost Wages
Following a car accident, a victim may be unable to work during recovery; if they have experienced severe, long-term injuries, they may remain unable to work. Combined with high medical bills, the loss of income can be tough for someone to handle.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Richmond, VA Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
Victims of pedestrian accidents are not left without options. A lawyer is your first defense against financial devastation while recovering from your injuries.
The attorneys with Cantor Grana Buckner and Bucci help investigate all evidence and find options to recover compensation for personal injury cases pertaining to pedestrian accidents. Our law firm runs on a contingency fee basis; that means our law firm will only collect legal fees if we win your case. We understand you may be struggling due to your injuries, which is why we believe in helping our clients win their case before worrying about legal fees.
Wrongful Death In Richmond, VA
Unfortunately, pedestrians have little to no protection in the event of an accident, which may result in the victim passing away from their injuries. Losing a loved one can be devastating for family members. In addition to the pain and suffering caused by losing a loved one, family members may experience severe financial ruin due to the loss of the family member if it also means a loss of a line of income.
Family members have a right to pursue compensation to cover funeral expenses, pain & suffering, and loss of income, among other damages following an accident resulting in wrongful death.
Options For Richmond, Virginia Pedestrian Accident Victims
Victims of a pedestrian accident are not left without options. A Richmond pedestrian accident lawyer is your first defense against financial devastation while recovering from pedestrian accidents.
Pedestrian accident lawyers help investigate all evidence and find options to recover compensation for personal injury cases pertaining to pedestrian accidents.
Why Choose Cantor, Grana, Buckner, & Bucci As Your Richmond Pedestrian Accident Lawyers?
The accident lawyers at Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci have a combined 120 years of practicing personal injury law. Our founder, Irv Cantor, has been recognized with multiple awards and is a member of The Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and was named a Top Virginia Super Lawyer from 2012-2021.
We combine compassion, expertise, and dedication to providing victims of pedestrian accidents with their best chance of getting the justice they deserve. If your insurance company fails to give you the compensation you deserve, we will be more than ready to defeat them in court.
We value the attorney-client relationship we build, and we are here to protect pedestrians from being taken advantage of by the other party’s insurance company. Our law firm is dedicated to fair compensation and compassionate representation for accident victims in Richmond and across Virginia, including Chesterfield, Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, Chesapeake, Charlottesville, and Virginia Beach. A free initial consultation is a phone call away with one of our Richmond attorneys.
Areas we serve in Richmond
Bellemeade, Bellevue, Cedarhurst, Chimborazo, Church Hill North, Colonial Place, ForestView, Fulton Hill, Highland Park Southern Tip, Hioaks, Lockgreen, Mary Munford, Maymont, Montrose, Monument Ave Park, Oak Grove, Oxford, Randolph, Reedy Creek, Rosedale, South Garden, South Hampton, Stonewall Court, Stratford Hills, Three Chopt, West Hampton, Westlake Hills, Westover Hills, Willow Lawn, Woodhaven.
