INVESTIGATING PEDESTRIAN AUTO ACCIDENTS
A Vehicle-Pedestrian Collision Demands a Thorough Investigation
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Pedestrian Accident Lawyer. I’ve investigated pedestrian auto accidents for over thirty years. If you or a loved one have been struck by a vehicle in a pedestrian accident, you are well aware of the physical pain and financial losses that can come with these incidents. Vehicle accidents and truck accidents are deceptively complex cases that can require expert testimony in order to establish fault and the extent of your injuries. Collisions between pedestrians and vehicles are similarly complex and succeeding with a pedestrian injury lawsuit will often demand that the pedestrian’s attorney consider and be prepared to discuss with the court or jury what makes pedestrian accidents unique from motor vehicle collisions.
Special Considerations in Auto versus Pedestrian Accidents
When investigating pedestrian auto accidents, your attorney will need to tailor his or her investigation so that important questions unique to pedestrian accidents are uncovered. This is important to ensure that your lawsuit has the greatest chance of succeeding (and, by extension, to ensure you have the best chance of recovering compensation for your injuries). Your attorney will need to discover:
- The type of pedestrian collision: When a vehicle hits a pedestrian, a pedestrian can either be projected forward in front of the car, vaulted over the roof or fender, or dragged underneath the car and run over. It is important to establish what type of collision occurred in your case because each type of collision can result in different injuries to the pedestrian and different damage to the car involved. Being able to explain how the pedestrian’s injuries are consistent with the type of collision involved helps prove the pedestrian’s case.
- The location of the collision: An attorney will need to know where the pedestrian was when the collision occurred (was the pedestrian in a crosswalk, was the crosswalk controlled with a “Walk/Don’t Walk” sign, was there no crosswalk but the pedestrian was at an intersection, etc.) as this can affect whether the pedestrian may be found to have contributed to the collision and his or her injuries through the pedestrian’s own negligence.
- Orientation of the pedestrian relative to the vehicle: Analysis of evidence can help the attorney discover how the pedestrian was oriented relative to the car at the time of the collision. A collision that occurred with the pedestrian facing the car can result in different injuries than a collision in which the car struck the pedestrian from behind or at an angle.
- Evidence that helps reconstruct the pedestrian collision: The more evidence the attorney is able to discover, the better he or she is able to paint a picture in court to describe how the collision unfolded. The attorney will be interested in blood stains at the location of the collision, any biological matter found on the car, the damage the car sustained in the collision, the medical reports (including X-rays and results of medical tests) of the pedestrian, witness statements, and any blood or breath tests conducted on the driver can all be helpful in this endeavor.
The sooner a pedestrian collision attorney is able to begin such a detailed investigation, the more evidence he or she is likely to discover. This is why it is important for injured pedestrians to seek and retain the services of an experienced pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible after their collisions.
Consult with a Sacramento Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
If you are an injured pedestrian, you need legal representation from an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer who is able to efficiently investigate the circumstances of your crash and help you recover monetary damages for your injuries. I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Pedestrian Accident Attorney since 1982.
Call me anytime at 916-921-6400 in Sacramento or 800-404-5400 Elsewhere.
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