If you are a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to recover significant damages. A pedestrian is injured in a motor vehicle accident every eight minutes in the United States, and one is killed every 113 minutes. If you or your loved one has been injured, the West Seegmiller Attorneys can help. We have nearly 30 years of working with personal injury claims including pedestrian injuries and have won millions of dollars in jury verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Look Both Ways
According to experts most pedestrian accidents are caused by negligence on the part of the driver. These accidents can happen when drivers are careless such as:

• Failing to yield for pedestrians in crosswalks
• Backing out of parking spaces in parking lots
• Speeding in residential areas where there are children playing
• Turning right on a red light, and not looking for pedestrians in the crosswalk

According to the NTSB half of all pedestrian accidents involving children occur between the hours of 3 and 4 p.m. in the afternoon when they are out from school.

Halloween could be most dangerous night for the child pedestrian. Many pedestrian accidents involve trick-or-treaters in black costumes out on Halloween at dusk or in the dark. Parents should make sure that young children are accompanied by an adult, wear costumes that are visible to drivers in the dark and carry flashlights. Parents should urge children to take every precaution to check for traffic on streets and obey all pedestrian traffic laws to avoid pedestrian accidents.

Children 15 years old and younger make up 39% of all injured pedestrians. Last year 4000 elderly were injured resulting in 700 deaths. The Federal Highway Administration reports that the elderly are particularly vulnerable to injury or pedestrian fatality because they have slower reflexes and walk slower. They need more time to cross streets and their injuries are more severe if not fatal.
A pedestrian crash victim can be compensated for injuries such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries and head injuries, as well as for those that result in death.

Damages are also recoverable for:

• Recurring pain and suffering caused by physical injuries
• Reimbursement for medical bills related directly to the pedestrian accident
• Reasonable future medical bills
• Rehabilitative services or accommodations, such as physical therapy or a ramp leading to the home
• Lost past and future wages
• Mental pain and suffering
• Permanent impairment or disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life

If you are injured in a pedestrian accident, it is a good idea to keep a daily diary. Use it to document how the injury is affecting you, both emotionally and physically. This will be helpful later on if you need to prove your injuries in a legal setting.

If you or your loved one has been injured in a pedestrian traffic accident, contact an experienced professional at the West Seegmiller Attorneys. We will fight hard to obtain the care you deserve and just compensation for your injuries.