Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Crash in Merced
A hit-and-run pedestrian crash in Merced left two parties injured on the night of Wednesday, March 2, 2022. The incident occurred in the area of 12th Street and M Street at approximately 7:45 p.m.
Details on the Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Crash on M Street in Merced
Officers with the Merced Police Department (Merced PD) responded to the scene and located two pedestrians that had moderate injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. Both parties were transported to an area hospital for immediate treatment. An update regarding their conditions was not immediately provided by officials.
A preliminary investigation by Merced PD revealed that the driver involved in the pedestrian accident allegedly fled the scene without rendering aid or contacting officials for assistance. After Merced PD officers spoke with eyewitnesses, they learned that a driver of an unspecified sedan crashed into the two pedestrians before leaving the scene. The witnesses described the damage to the suspect vehicle as affecting the headlight and the front right bumper. Those with details on the collision are encouraged to contact Merced PD to speak with Officer Matthew Calcagno.
Pedestrian Accidents and Personal Injury Claims
As a pedestrian, we would expect all drivers to follow the rules of the road. However, not all motorists abide by traffic laws which may ultimately lead to a catastrophic accident. Due to a lack of physical protection, pedestrians are likely to suffer some of the most serious injuries on the spectrum. This may include spinal cord injuries, disfigurement, scarring, internal trauma, bone fractures, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and death in some extreme cases. It is essential for anyone that suffered injuries in a crash as a pedestrian to seek immediate medical treatment. The failure to do so may lead the insurance company representing the other side or even your own to question the severity of your injuries. This defense tactic may cause the insurer to downplay the value of the personal injury claim or outright deny it. That is why retaining legal counsel in such situations may make all the difference in the outcome of the case.
A Merced pedestrian accident lawyer may get to work quickly by establishing liability through photographs of the accident scene, traffic incident reports by officials, eyewitness statements, video surveillance of the crash site, and working with experts in the field such as an accident reconstruction expert. With the assistance of an experienced injury lawyer, the injured party may be eligible to recover economic and non-economic damages that reflect past and future losses. This is particularly important in serious injury cases that require ongoing treatment and care. Compensation through these types of cases may include medical bills, wage loss, disfigurement, loss of consortium, mental anguish, lost quality of life, pain and suffering, and more.
Recovering compensation through a pedestrian accident case may be challenging, particularly if the driver responsible for the incident left the scene without identifying themselves. This may put the injured party in a financial predicament, particularly if law enforcement is unable to successfully locate the at-fault party. This is another reason why it is essential to hire an accident attorney to handle all aspects of your case. An experienced lawyer will get to work quickly with a private investigator to track down the hit-and-run driver and determine whether they have liability coverage to pay for damages incurred. If it turns out that the other side has no auto insurance, the attorney will work to determine whether the injured pedestrian may have recourse through their auto insurance policy if they have uninsured motorist coverage. An injured party is not necessarily without recourse if they do not have auto insurance, as they may bring a UM claim under a relative’s policy so long as they lived with them and were not excluded from the plan. For more information on UM claims, watch this video.
What is the Time Limit on Pedestrian Accident Cases?
A two-year statute of limitations generally applies to personal injury cases arising from pedestrian accidents. This means a lawsuit must be filed in civil court if a mutual settlement agreement is not met and accepted within that time period. Since other factors may have a significant influence on the filing deadline, it is best to have an experienced Merced personal injury lawyer handle your case moving forward. An attorney will get to work quickly to ensure that all filing deadlines and criteria are met accordingly. Therefore, do not hesitate to retain legal counsel if you have been injured in a hit-and-run accident as a pedestrian.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Merced
I’m Ed Smith, a Merced personal injury lawyer. Accidents between people traveling on foot and motor vehicles may have catastrophic, life-changing consequences for the pedestrian and their family, particularly when traumatic injuries are involved. If you have suffered injuries in an accident as a pedestrian, you need the best injury lawyer representing you to ensure your rights and interests are protected throughout the process, and that is exactly what you will get when you contact our legal team at AutoAccident.com. Get started today by calling us for free, friendly case advice at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400.
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Photograph Source: Pixabay User “ElasticComputeFarm”
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