Pedestrian Injured in Sacramento Hit and Run
On January 12, 2020, a hit and run injury to a pedestrian occurred in Sacramento along Florin Road in a Walmart parking lot. The incident was reported by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) as happening at 11:23 in the morning between a pedestrian and an unknown driver who fled the scene. Emergency responders with the Sacramento Fire Department arrived at the accident site to assess the pedestrian’s injuries. The walker was then transported to Kaiser North Medical Center for a knee injury. The CHP is investigating the accident to locate the driver who left the scene without offering aid or exchanging information.
Pedestrian Accidents and Hit and Runs
Pedestrian accidents resulting in fatalities accounted for about half of all hit and run crashes in Sacramento County in 2019. A hit and run injury often occurs because a pedestrian has no protection when struck by a motor vehicle. The speed at which a motorist is driving makes a difference as does the age of the pedestrian with older walkers being more vulnerable. A study by the American Automobile Association shows that severe injuries occur to half of all pedestrians when the motorist is traveling at 31 mph. If the driver is going 58 mph, 90 percent of all pedestrians who are struck will suffer a serious injury.
Hit and Run Accidents
A hit and run injury leaves the pedestrian wondering how they will pay for their lost wages, medical bills and to compensate them for their pain and suffering. In some cases, the driver can be located and held responsible for the walker’s accident injury through either the insurance company or judgment in court. Our office has been successful in locating fleeing drivers. However, contacting us as soon as possible is important before the evidence is covered up or disappears.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Another option that our office can help with is collecting damages through uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This type of insurance is offered to all California drivers as an option. Even if the injured pedestrian does not carry this type of insurance, if anyone living in their household has it, the injury will be covered through their policy. Using uninsured motorist coverage does not affect insurance rates. It will cover accident injuries for motorists, motorcyclists, bicycle riders, or pedestrians.
Seeking Advice From a Personal Injury Lawyer
An experienced personal injury lawyer can help a pedestrian with a hit and run injury to obtain the compensation they deserve. We send out investigators to the accident scene right away to search for evidence. They look over the police report for errors, talk to witnesses and look for video footage from traffic and business cameras in the area. In addition, they perform accident reconstruction to show how the incident occurred. Our lawyers take over after all the evidence has been gathered to prepare a strong claim on behalf of our client to recover personal injury damages. The lawyers use this in negotiating with the insurance company or in preparing a case to present in civil court.
Related Articles by Sacramento Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Ed Smith:
Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a pedestrian accident lawyer in Sacramento. Pedestrians who are injured through negligence by others may be able to claim fair compensation to pay their medical bills and for lost wages and pain and suffering. Call me at (916) 921-6400 for my free and friendly advice. If you live outside the area code, you can reach me free of charge by calling (800) 404-5400 or messaging me on the contact form at AutoAccident.com.
Clients’ reviews and cases that were handled by my firm in the past can be found below:
I am a member of the following associations, among others:
Since 1982, I’ve helped many Sacramentans and Northern Californians in obtaining fair compensation for their accident injuries. These include wrongful deaths, traumatic injuries, and any kind of traffic collision, among others.
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