Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Assisting Injured Pedestrians
Severe harm inflicted
Pedestrian injuries are some of the most serious injuries that occur on our streets. The physics of a multi-ton machine striking a human body of flesh and bone at considerable speed more often than not causes very significant injuries including displaced fractures, lacerations, torn ligaments, subdural hematoma (bleeding in the brain), severe head injuries, and other terrible conditions.
Many walkers who are hit by cars wind up at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland, Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Police Report Assigning Fault
More often than not, police reports seem to blame the pedestrian more than drivers. One theory is that, in Baltimore City, Maryland, and across the state, injured pedestrians are quickly whisked away in an ambulance to nearby trauma centers for emergency treatment.
The only person at the scene to talk to the investigating officer is the striking driver who is never injured. The driver is still at the scene because he was not taken away for life-saving treatment like the injured pedestrian. Therefore the police reports are often written from the driver’s perspective who, as a matter of human nature, are doing their best to justify their actions to the police officer.
The police are supposed to go to the hospital to follow up on the investigation and discuss the circumstances with the injured party.
However, this does not always occur. As a result, the police reports frequently say that the pedestrian was “at fault” for being struck, if there are no independent witnesses who stick around to give their story to the police.
Pedestrian Litigation Process
When the police report indicates that the pedestrian was “at fault,” insurance companies often refuse to compensate injured walkers.
Luckily, pedestrians injured in accidents have the right to have their cases heard by a jury, and upon commencement of an action for pedestrian injuries, pre-trial discovery begins.
In the discovery process, insurers often times see their cases fall apart in favor of the injured pedestrian. Discovery techniques such as Interrogatories, Depositions and Requests for Production of Documents are effective tools for bringing the true facts of the situation to light, and for exposing the truth. Insurance companies settle many cases after pre-trial discovery, but many still go to trial when the insurers try to “roll the dice.”
Having Benjamin D. Stirling, Esq., an effective Baltimore pedestrian accident lawyer by your side greatly increases your chance of a successful outcome. Call (410) 929-9988 now for a free consultation.
Top 5 Things Injured Pedestrians Should Do After Being Hit By a Car
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- Call 911 immediately to summon the authorities for purposes of treating your injuries and to investigate the matter and secure evidence and witnesses.
- Tell the investigating officer exactly how the accident happened, and try to get the officer’s contact information if you are being taken away from the scene in an ambulance.
- If you are removed from the scene, contact a loved one to go to the scene immediately and collect witness contact information, take photos of the scene, vehicle and debris, and speak to the police on your behalf.
- Follow your doctor’s orders in treating any injuries you sustained, and keep track of all of the doctor’s you’ve seen.
- Contact a qualified attorney, such as Baltimore Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Benjamin D. Stirling, Esq., at (410) 929-9988 for a free consultation regarding your injuries.