Today more people than ever are turning to their own two feet for transportation. Pedestrians have every right to enjoy city streets and walkways for exercise, to get to work, run errands, and just enjoy the outdoors. Unfortunately, some reckless and negligent drivers are not sharing the road. Los Angeles Public Health Records indicate that in 2016, Los Angeles County has more pedestrian fatalities than any other county in the United States. Half of the victims involved in car versus pedestrian accidents were hit by a car going 20 miles an hour or faster. At those speeds, critical injuries, disabilities, and fatalities are much more likely to occur.
The Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at OnderLaw know just how devastating a pedestrian accident can be. It has the potential to change a victim’s entire life physically and financially. Yet, surviving the accident can feel like only the first hurdle. It’s just one challenge in a long line of challenges to get back on your feet and get the compensation you deserve. You don’t have to navigate these subsequent challenges on your own.
For help negotiating with an insurance company or filing a personal injury lawsuit, talk to the experienced team at OnderLaw . Call us to schedule a free consultation, and let’s talk about the ways we can help you get the justice you deserve.
Those who survive an impact with an automobile are rightfully focused on their recovery from the traumatic physical and emotional toll that an accident of this magnitude can take. The recovery process often involves doctors, physical therapists, rehabilitation specialists, and friends or family members. Rarely do people think of an attorney as part of the recovery process.
However, having an attorney on your side after a serious auto versus pedestrian accident is an important part of recovery: your financial recovery. Victims tend to think in terms of healing their physical wounds, but healing physically requires the financial ability to keep doctor’s appointments, pay for the medication you need, and make ends meet while you are potentially out of work. An attorney is an advocate who will work towards getting you the compensation you need so that your physical recovery can proceed smoothly and with as little stress placed on your shoulders as possible.
Why an attorney? An attorney is a professional who is interested in your well-being and wants to help you get the money you are entitled to after an accident with a reckless driver. The driver’s insurance company may seem pleasant and nice to work with, but their goal is to keep company costs down and to cut you a check for as little as they can get away with.
Are you sure their offer will cover your medical bills? Your future medical bills? The wages you’ve missed being out of work? An attorney does the math to make sure your needs are covered. An attorney works diligently to negotiate for the full and fair compensation that you need to continue your journey towards better health. At OnderLaw , we are committed to helping you try to achieve this goal.
Why chose OnderLaw to represent you in an auto versus pedestrian accident? We could point to our award-winning recognition by peers and legal professionals. We could point to our record of securing billions of dollars in settlements for our clients. We could even point to our decades of legal experience. In the end, though, none of it matters without you. You are the reason we keep doing what we do.
We are a firm that is deeply committed to helping the people in our community. When you choose us to represent you, you are choosing a team that values you. We understand the difficult position you find yourself in, and we treat you with the compassion and dignity that we believe all people deserve. That’s also why we work hard to aggressively protect your rights and obtain the money that you are entitled to.
Whether it is for your health, for the environment, or just a way to escape for a few minutes, walking is an excellent way to get out and enjoy the surroundings. Pedestrians have just as much right to walk the city as cars do to drive through the city. Unfortunately, when there is an accident between a pedestrian and a car, it is typically the pedestrian that ends up paying, sometimes with their life. From distracted drivers to negligent people speeding through a school zone, there are numerous examples of drivers putting the lives of others at risk with their behavior.
At OnderLaw , we have worked on a wide variety of different pedestrian accident cases. We know the ins and outs of each particular situation and how to help a client achieve the best possible outcome for their circumstances. Some of the most common types of pedestrian accidents cases we handle include:
If you want to know just how serious pedestrian-related accidents are, look no further than the local news. One area outlet found that pedestrian-related accidents continue to be on the rise. In 2019 alone, more than half of the almost 250 traffic deaths in Los Angeles involved pedestrians. Another media outlet found that car crashes are the fourth leading cause of premature death in Los Angeles County. Those that survive the aftermath of being hit by a car are often left with both painful physical and emotional scars.
Pedestrian-related accidents are serious because pedestrians have no protection. A reckless driver has airbags, a braking system, and 3,000 pounds of metal surrounding them. All a pedestrian has are the clothes on their back. This means even a low-speed collision with a car can result in significant injuries. A high-speed collision can be downright catastrophic. Some of the most common injuries that result from pedestrian-related accidents include:
Most people don’t realize that there are regulations that govern how compensation may be allocated following a collision. California is what is known as a “pure comparative negligence” state in this regard. What that means is that a victim may attempt to recover compensation from an at-fault party following an accident. However, the compensation that the victim may receive can depend on their percentage of fault for causing the accident. How does this system work in practice?
Consider this example. A driver hits a pedestrian as the victim is walking across the street. The pedestrian was not in a designated crosswalk at the time; they were crossing just ahead of the crosswalk. The driver could be 80 percent responsible for the accident, but the victim was also partially responsible because they were not following traffic rules. The victim would then be able to recover the full assessed amount of compensation, minus 20 percent, or the amount of fault they bear for causing the accident.
This regulation does not just bind courts. It is a rule that insurance adjusters must also adhere to. That is why there are so many questions and, at times, a lengthy investigation process into the cause of the accident before a settlement can be reached. It benefits you, the victim, to have an attorney on your side conducting an independent investigation into the cause of the accident. This helps to ensure that the insurance company is conducting a fair assessment of the accident and not trying to short-change you in any way.
To be fair, not all pedestrian accident cases end up in court. Many people seek to resolve the matter on their own with an insurance company. When this happens without legal help, the process can be lengthy. The company may conduct an investigation and then offer the victim a settlement amount. If this amount is unsatisfactory, the negotiation process may begin. The back and forth can also take time.
When it is discovered that the process has stalled and the victim won’t get the money they expected, it may be too late to file a lawsuit. California gives victims two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. Once this statute of limitations has expired, there is no longer any legal recourse for obtaining the money a victim may deserve.
Having an attorney on your side means you have a powerful ally in both court and insurance negotiations. You don’t need to be headed for a courtroom to benefit from the services of an attorney. Working with a lawyer can help expedite the insurance claims process. An attorney can also negotiate on your behalf with an insurance adjuster to ensure that you are getting the full and fair compensation that you deserve.
Maximizing your compensation is about making sure you have the money you need to cover all your current and future medical expenses and the income you’ve missed out on from time off of work. Getting the maximum amount of compensation you are due isn’t easy. It takes tenacity and tireless effort to get an insurance company to cover the accident in a full a fair manner.
Let OnderLaw do the heavy lifting for you. To discuss your situation and get the legal advice you need, call us.
