PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS
Washington Pedestrian Accidents
Big cities like Seattle frequently have a high number of pedestrian accidents because of the close proximity between vehicles and pedestrians. Sometimes, those accidents happen when they shouldn’t have due to a driver not paying close enough attention to the road and the other people on it, or when a driver simply doesn’t obeying the rules of the road. Speeding through a traffic light that shortly goes from yellow to red, can also cause a driver to easily hit a pedestrian.
Because people who live and work in Seattle depend so much on their cars, it’s not difficult to understand why there’s such a high fatality rate in the area. To make matters worse, Washington citizen and visitors who choose to walk or ride public transportation experience frustration just in trying to get from one place to another. It’s not easy for pedestrians to get from here to there, and it’s not easy for drivers, either; combine the two, and both need to practice caution in trying not to collide with the other.
How Common are Pedestrian Accidents?
The short answer, unfortunately, is that pedestrian accidents happen a lot more frequently than you might realize. More than 110,000 pedestrian accidents occur just in the U.S. annually, and those accidents result in almost 60,000 injuries and 4,000 deaths. When you do the math, that amounts to one pedestrian being hit by a car every eight minutes – and that’s just being hit – remember some of those are fatalities. Another notable fact is that almost all (90 percent) of those accidents happen in clear weather, and most (about 75 percent) of them occur in urban areas.
Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Although it would be convenient to blame pedestrian accidents on the weather – wet, slick, and icy roads and poor visibility, for example – that only accounts for about ten percent. Alcohol plays into a huge number (almost half) of all pedestrian accident fatalities. Other things that make it more dangerous to drive among pedestrians and walk among vehicles include distractions (i.e., cell phones, in-vehicle navigation systems, and passengers), busy streets, and not obeying the rules of the road (including walking outside of a designated crossing zone, speeding, and not checking for pedestrians).
Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Given the size and weight differences between a pedestrian and a vehicle, it should be no surprise that these types of accidents can be incredibly serious and cause life-altering and -ending injuries. These injuries can be devastating for so many reasons because they can cost you a lot physically, emotionally, and financially. Costs can include doctor visits, medication, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and there’s even the potential you’ll need medical aids or nursing care for the rest of your life! You could experience any one of the following injuries if you’re involved in a pedestrian accident:
- Broken bones, scrapes, and bruises
- Head and brain injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Internal damage, including internal bleeding and damage to internal organs
- Back, neck, and spinal injuries, which could mean para- or quadriplegia
Many of these don’t occur when the car hits the person, but rather in the ensuing moments, when the person falls to the ground or hits other objects. Depending on your injuries, you may be entitled to the following compensation:
- Medical costs, including co-pays and prescription medications
- Wages lost due to your injuries sustained in the accident, including decreased earning potential, disability, and disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship (when a spouse or child dies due to an accident)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a pedestrian accident, you should consider hiring an experienced trial attorney to help you through the complicated, cumbersome process of filing a lawsuit and preparing your legal case in order to seek the compensation you deserve. Call the law firm that is fighting for your rights – call R Martin Law Group at (425) 635-2000 for a free case consultation. When you talk to an attorney, you’ll tell them your story, and they will tell you about your rights and the options available; then, together, you can decide on the path that best suits your particular needs and desires, given your specific situation.
A pedestrian accident is nothing you should take lightly. Time is of the essence in these situations, and the sooner you take action, the better off you will be. There is a deadline if you want to file a lawsuit for a personal injury case, so if you’re considering that option, you should call to speak with an experienced Bellevue Injury Lawyer who cares about you. We also take cases on contingency, which means that your attorney won’t get paid unless and until you do, so you have nothing to lose by hiring someone to help you. You don’t need to brave this challenge alone.
