The sidewalks of Philadelphia are often full of people walking to work, shop, or explore the city. It’s an easy way to get around if you don’t want to worry about traffic, paying for a ride, or parking your vehicle. While there are traffic signs and designated crosswalks to keep pedestrians safe, there are cases where drivers of motor vehicles like cars and trucks don’t pay attention and cause an accident. If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian accident, you don’t need to go through this on your own. A Philadelphia pedestrian accident lawyer from Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco, LLC can help you get compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical expenses.
We understand how traumatic an accident involving a motor vehicle and pedestrian can be. Your injuries and recovery plan are probably what you’re focusing on, and the idea of a claim may be too much to add to the pile. But that’s why we’re here. With us at your side, we can do the heavy lifting and alleviate much of the stress the situation caused.
Philadelphia Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 6,283 pedestrian fatalities in traffic accidents in 2018. This is the highest number of annual deaths since 1990 and is over a 3% increase. Let’s look at the numbers for Philadelphia.
The Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Report from 2009-2013 breaks down how pedestrians are involved in crashes and what influences the number of accidents in Philadelphia.
The report shows the following statistics for the city:
- 2013 had 1,842 pedestrian crashes.
- 2013 had 37 pedestrian fatalities.
- More pedestrian crashes occur on Fridays.
- Pedestrian accidents are more likely to happen at 8 a.m. and from 3 to 7 p.m.
If you or a loved one has been hurt as a walker in a collision, you may wonder how it happened in the first place. A Philadelphia pedestrian accident lawyer from Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco will help you find out the details of what happened, who was responsible, and the compensation you can recover.
It’s important to have an experienced lawyer at your side so you can ensure you’re protecting your rights. To get started on your case, contact our office today.
How Do Accidents with Pedestrians Happen?
In a city with sidewalks, crosswalks, and traffic signals, you may be wondering how a pedestrian accident could occur. Many wrecks involving pedestrians happen because of driver error or recklessness, meaning that the accidents were preventable. Just because you’re following the traffic rules as a pedestrian doesn’t mean the drivers will also follow them.
Preventable causes of pedestrian accidents include:
- Distracted Driving. More people are driving while trying to use their cell phones simultaneously. A person attempting to text won’t see if they have a red light and people are crossing the street ahead of them.
- Failure to Yield Right of Way. Drivers may not know that they’re supposed to yield right of way to pedestrians, or may drive aggressively and not stop for pedestrians. Both situations can result in collisions.
- Speeding. Drivers trying to beat city traffic or not get caught at a light may disregard the speed limit to get past the intersection. But speeding in tight areas gives drivers less time and space to react if a pedestrian steps into the road.
- Not Stopping at Red Lights or Stop Signs. Drivers who ignore traffic signals are a danger to everyone in the city, including pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists.
- Driving While Intoxicated. Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol lessens reaction time, judgment, and ability to control the vehicle.
These aren’t the only ways a crosswalk accident can occur. If you were in an accident and have questions about whether the cause merits a claim, you can ask one of our skilled pedestrian accident lawyers.
Car vs. Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrians usually receive devastating injuries because there’s nothing to protect them from the vehicle. These injuries can often hospitalize victims and require surgery and long treatment plans.
When pedestrians are in accidents, they are at risk of sustaining the following injuries:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries. Injuries to the head and brain can cause issues with memory, thought processes, mobility, and function. People can also get concussions, which will need to be treated by a medical professional.
- Broken Bones. The impact of the crash can cause fractures, breaks, or even the loss of a limb. People may not recover the full use of their arms or legs after an accident.
- Spinal Cord Injuries. A severe injury to the spine could potentially cause paralysis.
- Burn Injuries. Friction can tear skin in an accident. Injuries can reach down to the bone and possibly damage nerves or become infected with debris from the road. Burn injuries usually need immediate hospital treatment.
- Psychological Illnesses. Accident victims may develop depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that could require professional help and medication to treat.
Your injuries will need time to heal. During your recovery, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to work. While most people have sick time and paid time off, this may not cover the time it will take for you to heal. Not being able to work and missing that regular paycheck can be extremely stressful for anyone—which can increase if others are depending on you to provide. With a Philadelphia pedestrian accident lawyer on your side, you’ll have professionals fighting for you to recover the lost wages you missed because you were unable to work.
There’s another side to crosswalk accident injuries that can have permanent implications. A full recovery isn’t always a guarantee, and some of these injuries have the potential to cause lifelong issues. There may even be a situation where your injury will prevent you from doing your job.
If your injuries were severe enough, you may be unable to return to your job after you’ve recovered or aren’t able to return to the workforce at all. Because of the severity of the injuries, you may need continued medical care for the foreseeable future, like physical therapy. Affording this care and not being able to work can create difficult financial situations, and you may wonder how you’re going to get the care you need.
Your Philadelphia pedestrian accident attorney from Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco will fight for you to get the compensation you deserve, so you’re not constantly worrying about financial hardship brought on by the accident.
What You Can Financially Recover
You shouldn’t have to deal with the costs of the injuries and damages you suffered from the car vs. pedestrian accident you were involved in. After determining who was negligent, your attorney will collect all of the documents and bills showing what you had to pay and will begin calculating what you should receive in compensation from the liable party. As a walker who was injured, your injuries were likely serious, which your lawyer will take into consideration when determining how much you’re owed.
One of the categories of damages that you could financially recover from your collision are economic damages. These are the firm costs that you paid as a result of your injuries. Your medical bills, medication costs, any repair costs, and lost wages all factor into how much you deserve in compensation.
Depending on the severity of your injuries, future costs could be covered as well. Future medical costs, physical and emotional therapy, loss of earning capacity, and permanent disability will all be considered by your attorney.
On top of the physical injuries that you suffered, there are likely other damages that were more abstract, but still had an effect on your life. Noneconomic damages cover these costs that you suffered. Pain and suffering, mental trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, and other traumas that might not have a real cost attached to them, but still caused you hardship. Your lawyer will know how to calculate these damages to ensure you get full and fair compensation.
With the help of our Philadelphia pedestrian accident lawyer, you’ll be able to feel confident in your claim and know that we are fighting to get you the full and fair compensation you deserve. We’ll keep you from settling for less, and are prepared to represent you in court if we can’t come to a fair settlement with the negligent party.
Get in Touch with a Philadelphia Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Pedestrian accidents can cause significant injuries that can take weeks or months to heal. You shouldn’t have to worry about how you’re going to afford your medical bills when you have your regular financial responsibilities to keep up with as well. That’s where we step in.
You deserve legal representation that will stand up for your rights and fight to get you fair compensation. Our lawyers at Shrager, Sachs, & Blanco will diligently investigate your case to find the cause of the accident, determine the extent of your injuries, and calculate what damages you can recover. We’ll do everything we can to maximize the compensation that will help you secure your future. With our help, you can get peace of mind knowing that professionals are on your side.
Contact our Philadelphia office today and you can set up a free consultation. You’ll go over your case with one of our pedestrian accident attorneys. During this time, we’re ready to ask any questions you have and go over the legal process so you understand the options available to you and what they entail. We’ll work together to find the best course of action for you so you can proceed with confidence.