Being hit by a car as a pedestrian is not only frightening, but it can be life-changing as well. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident as a pedestrian, you may be entitled to damages. The right pedestrian lawyer can fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
In New Jersey, pedestrians hit by a car can file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible driver. While there are several situations where the pedestrian may share partial blame for an accident, drivers can still be held responsible for their negligence. To learn more about the process of filing a civil injury lawsuit against a driver for hitting you with their car, reach out to the experienced New Jersey pedestrian lawyers at Legal Care New Jersey.
The team of determined lawyers at Legal Care can help you seek justice after being hit by a car. Our New Jersey pedestrian lawyers will work to protect your interests throughout your case. For a free consultation, call us today at (732) 838-9769.
Steps to Take After Being Hit by a Car on Foot in New Jersey
If you are hit by a car as a pedestrian, there are few things to consider. Immediately following an auto accident of any kind, it is important to call the police and any other necessary emergency services. Next, visiting the hospital to seek medical attention is crucial. Finally, keeping records of the accident and of your injuries can ultimately benefit your case if you choose to hire a New Jersey pedestrian lawyer.
Alert Emergency Services
After an accident involving a pedestrian and a vehicle, you should notify the appropriate emergency services as soon as possible. Calling the police and an ambulance is usually essential. If you are injured by a vehicle as a pedestrian, the police can note the details of the accident. Having a police record of the events of an incident can benefit your case if you decide to sue. Getting help from an ambulance can also get you on the road to recovery and document the injuries.
Seek Medical Attention
If you were injured as in a car accident as a pedestrian, visit a doctor. It is important to get your injuries assessed by a medical professional right away. Seeking immediate medical attention can help you begin treatment for your injuries and prove that your injuries were caused by the accident, not something else that happened later.
For a potential lawsuit to succeed, it is necessary to visit a doctor who can testify about the severity of your injuries. Consistently seeing a medical professional after an accident can help your New Jersey pedestrian accident lawyer outline the lasting effect of your injuries over time.
Gather Evidence
A personal injury lawsuit is meant to compensate victims for an accident’s effect on their lives. For example, medical expenses following a pedestrian accident can become costly. Being hit by a car can not only be expensive, but it can also greatly alter your quality of life. The injuries you have sustained can impact your ability to work, resulting in a substantial loss of wages. For those reasons, it is important to record how the accident has affected your life.
Keeping records of costs accrued throughout treatment for your injuries and your loss of wages during recovery can help your case, as can journaling your pain. Also provide your doctor with detailed explanations of how your injuries impact your life as well. Any information that you can gather regarding your accident can ultimately benefit your case.
When to Hire a New Jersey Pedestrian Lawyer
After being hit by a car as a pedestrian in New Jersey, hiring an experienced New Jersey pedestrian accident attorney can help you get the financial reward you deserve for your injuries. Regardless of the circumstances of an accident, you should be able to receive some amount of compensation.
There are some instances when a pedestrian can be partially to blame. For example, jaywalking (crossing the street at a place other than a marked crosswalk) can cause an accident. In that case, while the pedestrian might have acted irresponsibly, the driver should have still followed traffic laws and tried to avoid the accident.
When operating a motor vehicle, all drivers accept a “duty to care.” That means that drivers must abide by traffic laws. If drivers are distracted or speeding, they might not have time to stop before hitting a jaywalking pedestrian. In that case, the driver will still share blame for the accident, and a pedestrian can still file a personal injury claim.
Similarly, if pedestrians walk against a traffic signal, they could risk being hit by a car. However, drivers must still be aware and yield to pedestrians so as to avoid a collision. While a pedestrian may be found partially at fault in that situation, it is still possible to receive financial compensation for the accident.
Some states, like New Jersey, have comparative negligence laws. As outlined by N.J.S.A. § 2A:15-5.1, comparative negligence weighs the fault of all parties involved to assess appropriate damages. If your personal injury lawsuit is heard in court, a judge might decide that both parties are partially at fault. In that situation, the percentage of fault a pedestrian caused can be subtracted from the total damages they are awarded. Victims can still recover as long as they had a lower percentage of fault than the defendant.
If you are unsure whether or not an accident warrants litigation, reach out to the personal injury and pedestrian lawyers at Legal Care New Jersey for a free consultation.
When to Hire a New Jersey Pedestrian Accident and Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been hit by a car as a pedestrian, hiring an experienced personal injury attorney is important to protect your interests. The dedicated team at Legal Care New Jersey can fight for you to get the financial compensation you deserve following an accident.
In New Jersey, the statute of limitations to bring a personal injury lawsuit is two years. Filing within that deadline is important so that you can seek damages for your injuries.
Call Our New Jersey Pedestrian Lawyers If You Have Been Hit by a Car
To seek financial compensation after being hit by a car as a pedestrian in New Jersey, reach out to our team of experienced attorneys. For a free consultation, call the New Jersey pedestrian lawyers at Legal Care today at (732) 838-9769.
