Legal Rights Of Pedestrian Hit By A Car
A pedestrian accident occurs when you walk and are hit by a car. Moreover, cycling, jogging, running, hiking, and lying down also comes under pedestrians. If you do the following things and are hit by a car, it will be considered a pedestrian accident.
On average, the majority of pedestrian accidents happen at crossings and sidewalks. However, they can also take place at parking lots and on highways. If you are in a pedestrian accident that involves a car, your primary claim will be against the car driver, and they owe you compensation for all the injuries and damages.
You have every right to file a case against the driver, however, if the driver agrees to settle outside of court, it will benefit both of you as you both will save time and money put into the legal proceedings.
You can negotiate with the at-fault party in the presence of your car accident lawyer in Roseville. However, if they disagree and there is a dispute between the two parties, the matter reaches the court. You both will have to fight it legally with the help of your lawyers.
Steps you should take as a pedestrian after getting hit by a car
If you are ever involved in a pedestrian accident, ensure to take these steps and make sure things are your priority.
- Check if anyone is hurt, including you, and call for medical help immediately
- After calling for a medical emergency, contact the police and inform them about the accident.
- If you are not hurt very badly, wait till the police arrive and investigate the accident scene and make a report of the following.
- Take the contact number and insurance information of the at-fault driver who caused injuries and damages
- Document everything around the accident scene, including your injuries and other damages sustained in the car accident.
- Contact the people who witnessed the accident and ask them for their contact information. You can contact them in the future with their written statements if they are comfortable.
Who is responsible for your medical expenses after the car accident?
The laws can differ from state to state. However, in most forms of America, the driver responsible for the negligence resulting in a pedestrian accident is liable to bear all the medical expenses.
Nevertheless, other options can also be responsible for your accident like,
- The driver’s employer is also responsible if it is a commercial vehicle.
- Sometimes the driver driving the car is not the vehicle’s original owner. In such cases, the vehicle owner is liable for compensation.
- Any third party that contributed to the incident, for example, the government-assigned agency, failed to deliver the road quality, etc.
