Birmingham Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Pedestrian Accident Lawyer | Fighting for Clients in Birmingham & Jefferson County

Unfortunately, the physical pain, emotional distress, and financial hardship that pedestrian accidents cause can leave victims feeling overwhelmed and powerless. However, the right team of Jefferson County personal injury lawyers in your corner can give you a voice and fight back. Our firm can help you effectively navigate the legal system, negotiate with insurance adjusters, and, ultimately, work tooth and nail to get you fully compensated for your injuries so you can pick up the pieces and move on with your life.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, such as pedestrian misconduct, poor road conditions, and more, however, they are most commonly a result of driver negligence. Some of the most common types of negligence that lead to pedestrian accidents are as follows:

• Failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians at crosswalks, intersections, or sidewalks.
• Speeding or driving too fast for the weather, road, or traffic conditions.
• Running red lights, stop signs, or other traffic signals.
• Texting, talking, or otherwise being distracted by a phone or device while driving.
• Doing makeup, fixing hair, or eating while driving.
• Drinking, using drugs, or being impaired by fatigue or medication while driving.
• Making illegal turns, lane changes, or U-turns without checking for pedestrians.
• Driving in the wrong direction, on the wrong side of the road, or on the shoulder or median.
• Ignoring school zones, school buses, or crossing guards.

Common Injuries in Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents can cause all types of injuries. If you have been injured in an accident as a pedestrian, you should see a doctor promptly. You need to make sure you receive a comprehensive diagnosis, and you need to make sure you receive all of the treatment you need.

At Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC, we represent individuals who have suffered all types of injuries in pedestrian accidents. This means a Birmingham pedestrian accident attorney at our firm can help you if you have suffered any of the following:

Bone Injuries

Common bone injuries from pedestrian accidents include fractures and dislocations. These injuries require appropriate treatment to heal properly, and surgery will be necessary in some cases. In all cases, rest and recovery are essential, and this may mean taking time off from work during the healing process.

Internal Injuries

Internal injuries, such as internal bleeding and organ damage, can be serious medical conditions that require prompt medical intervention. If you are experiencing abdominal pain or back pain, swelling that is sensitive to the touch, or any abnormal bodily functions after a pedestrian accident, these are signs (among others) that you should see a doctor promptly.

Neck Injuries

The neck is among the most fragile parts of the human body. The forces involved in a pedestrian accident are more than enough to put excessive strain on the neck, and this can lead to whiplash and other potentially serious injuries.

Nerve Injuries

Nerve injuries can result from deep lacerations or from pinching beneath the skin. Damage to the nerves can cause loss of sensation, loss of motor control and other effects; and, sadly, nerve damage is irreparable in some cases. When nerves can heal with medical intervention or on their own, giving them time to heal after an accident is essential.

Soft Tissue Injuries

While soft tissue injuries can heal with proper medical treatment in most cases, pedestrian accident victims who suffer soft tissue injuries can still face long, painful and expensive roads to recovery. Surgery will be necessary in some cases; and, even when surgery isn’t necessary, accident victims must prioritize their recovery in order to avoid unnecessary long-term complications.

Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)

The forces involved in a pedestrian accident are also more than enough to cause damage to the spine. Spinal cord injuries (SCI) often have lifelong effects, and this makes it essential for accident victims who suffer these injuries to consult with an experienced Birmingham pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible. We help accident victims seek just compensation for medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other losses resulting from vertebrae fractures, herniated discus, impingement and all other types of SCI.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

We also help victims seek just compensation for all types of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) after pedestrian accidents in Alabama. Brain trauma is always serious, and treatment, rest and recovery are all essential for mitigating the risk of long-term consequences. Sadly, in some cases, long-term consequences cannot be avoided. Whether you have been diagnosed with a concussion or a more serious form of TBI, our attorneys are here to help.

How to Document a Pedestrian Accident

We mentioned some important forms of evidence already, but it’s worth taking a slightly more in-depth look at how to document a pedestrian accident. If you were seriously injured in a pedestrian accident, you might not be able to do anything to document the accident—and that’s completely fine. Your Birmingham pedestrian accident attorney will be able to conduct a thorough investigation.

But, if you are able to do so, you should take some steps to assist your attorney with proving your legal rights. For example, if possible, you should:

• Keep the Police Report and the Driver’s Insurance Information in a Safe Place – If you received a copy of the police report and were able to obtain the driver’s insurance information, you should be sure to keep these in a safe place. You will want to share these with your Birmingham pedestrian accident attorney during your free consultation.
• Contact the Police if Necessary – If the police did not respond to the scene of your pedestrian accident, you should still contact the police to file a report. Your attorney can help with necessary. This will help with documenting your accident, which will be important when dealing with the insurance companies.
• Keep All Photos and Videos You Took with Your Phone at the Accident Scene – If you were able to take any photos or videos at the accident scene, you should keep these to share with your attorney as well. Keep all of your photos or videos for now—your attorney can decide what is (and isn’t) relevant to your claim for just compensation.
• Keep Your Damaged Clothes and Other Items – You should also keep the clothes you were wearing and any other items that were damaged in the accident. These could be useful as evidence in your pedestrian accident claim as well.
• Write Down Everything You Can Remember About the Accident – Finally, you should write down as many details as you can remember. How were the road and weather conditions? Where were you when you got hit, and which way was the vehicle traveling? Do you suspect that distracted driving or drunk driving may have been a factor? These are all important details that your attorney will want to know.

How to Document the Costs of Your Injuries

Along with documenting your pedestrian accident, it will also be helpful if you can take some steps to document the costs (both financial and non-financial) of your accident-related injuries. Some examples of these steps include:

• Keep Your Medical Records and Medical Bills – You should try to get into the habit of keeping all records you receive from your healthcare providers. This includes scans, test results, bills, and any other documentation you may receive.
• Keep Your Account Statements and Receipts – You should also try to get into the habit of keeping your account statements and receipts. As you incur costs for medical supplies, medications and other expenses related to your accident, you will want to keep track of these so that your attorney can seek reimbursement on your behalf.
• Keep Your Paystubs and Other Employment Records – If you miss work as a result of your pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to just compensation for your lost wages. Any records you receive from your employer will be essential for recovering these losses.
• Document Your Injuries and the Recovery Process – Along with financial losses, you are entitled to just compensation for the non-financial impacts of your pedestrian accident as well. Taking photos and videos to document your injuries and the recovery process will help your attorney seek the full compensation you deserve.
• Document the Accident’s Day-to-Day Consequences – It will also be helpful for you to document the accident’s day-to-day consequences. This includes recording your daily pain levels (on a scale from 1 to 10) and any activities or events you miss as a result of your injuries.

How a Birmingham Pedestrian Accident Attorney Can Help

While these are all important steps to take if possible, these are also just the first steps involved in seeking the financial compensation you deserve. To make sure the insurance companies don’t take advantage of you, you will need an experienced attorney on your side. Here are just some of the ways a Birmingham pedestrian accident attorney at our firm can help:

1. Proving the Cause of Your Pedestrian Accident

Filing a pedestrian accident claim requires proof of the cause of the accident. Once you get in touch, your attorney can conduct a thorough investigation to determine why the accident happened and who is legally responsible.

2. Calculating Just Compensation for Your Financial and Non-Financial Losses

Your attorney can also work with you and your doctors to calculate just compensation for your financial and non-financial losses. While the out-of-pocket costs of traumatic injuries can be substantial, the non-financial costs of these injuries will be far greater in many cases.

3. Dealing with the Insurance Companies

After collecting the evidence needed to prove your legal rights, your attorney can deal with the insurance companies on your behalf. Your attorney will work to get the insurance companies to accept liability; and, if they do, then your attorney will shift focus to negotiating a favorable settlement.

4. Helping You Make Smart Decisions

Throughout the process, your attorney will help you make smart decisions with your long-term best interests in mind. This includes helping you make a smart decision about when (and if) to accept a settlement. Once you settle, you cannot go back and ask for more, so this is an extremely important decision.

5. Going to Court if Necessary

While going to court usually is not necessary, it is still important to be prepared for this possibility. If the insurance companies aren’t willing to offer a fair settlement, your attorney can go to court to fight for just compensation on your behalf.

Filing Your Claim

If you were injured as a pedestrian due to another driver’s negligence, there’s a strong chance you’ll be entitled to financial compensation in a personal injury claim. However, you and your pedestrian accident lawyer will first have to collect and present evidence to satisfy the burden of proof. Some of the most useful forms of evidence to prove your claim can include:

• Surveillance or dashcam footage of your accident
• Witness testimony
• Pictures of the aftermath of your accident, including of your injuries
• Medical documentation and bills
• A copy of the police report drafted at the scene of the accident

Filing On Time

Accident victims in Alabama should understand that personal injury claims are time-sensitive matters and should avoid waiting to file their claims. The statute of limitations for most personal injury claims in Alabama is two years, meaning accident victims will typically only have two years from the date of their accident to sue for the damages they’ve incurred.

Contact a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Don’t face your injuries alone. Contact Alabama Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC today to schedule your free case evaluation with our seasoned legal team. We are here to fight for you, every step of the way.