Involved in an Accident as a Pedestrian ? Here’s What You Should Do

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The roads are the vehicles’ turf, which nobody really questions. This is the very reason we pedestrians are asked to exercise caution when we need to cross the street. There are pedestrian lanes, and we are expected to cross only using those. Crossing is a lot safer if there are skywalks. There are also traffic lights that tell us exactly when to move. As much as possible, we should avoid jaywalking.

However, no matter how careful pedestrians are, there are times when some drivers don’t apply the same level of care and their negligence results in mishaps that leave pedestrians injured. If you find yourself in an unfortunate situation, there are things that you should do to make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve.

Get yourself treated, and get all the records that you can.

First and foremost, you need to take good care of yourself. Go to the nearest hospital or doctor’s office and get all the tests and treatments that you need to properly assess your current state. Inform the staff that you are suffering pedestrian injuries from an accident, and ask them for copies of your medical records.

While there, do not ever attempt to cover any pain or discomfort that you feel. Tell everything to the attending physician so that they can prescribe the right test, treatment, or medication. Remember, conditions that get worse because of your underreporting might be difficult to get compensation for.

It is also very important for you to follow all the instructions that the physician gives you. Your non-compliance with such prescriptions can be used against you when your claim is discussed.

Get all the evidence that you can legally get your hands on, and report to the police.

Most states here in the country have at-fault policies, which means that those who caused injury-inducing accidents are the ones obliged to pay for their injured party’s recovery expenses. But before you get this benefit, you’d need to make a formal police report, preferably with evidence that the officers can verify. Whenever applicable, you can include pictures of the vehicle and skid marks in your narrative. The most important detail in the report should be the details of the driver, including the number of their license plate. 

Make the insurance claim with the help of a competent lawyer.

When you have all the records and documents that support your claims, you can start communicating with the concerned insurer. But you have to remember that this is a very detail-oriented process, and you don’t want your claim to have loopholes that may lead to non-payment. Because of this, it’s going to be to your benefit if you communicate with the help of a competent pedestrian accident lawyer.

Getting involved in a pedestrian accident is really unfortunate but it’s possible to have a positive outcome. There are just some steps that you need to follow to get the support that you need to recover damages for your injuries.