What To Do If You Were Hit By a Car When Walking

Walking is a fitness-friendly and eco-friendly choice. Many people walk within their communities daily, either to work or school, for local errands, for dog walking, or just for fresh air and fitness. While walking seems like an all-around good option, it sometimes pits a vulnerable pedestrian against a moving vehicle weighing an average of 4,000 pounds. The unprotected pedestrian is at extreme risk for serious injuries or fatality when hit by a car.

If you or a loved one was hit by a car, it’s critical to seek medical care immediately, either through emergency services or by arranging transportation to an emergency room. If you are able, taking certain steps at the scene of the accident and in the days to follow can help protect your physical and financial future as you move forward from the accident.

Important Steps to Take at the Scene of a Pedestrian Accident

If you are too seriously injured after an accident to move safely, you may be unable to do anything except wait for help to arrive; however, if you’re able to use your cell phone you can take specific steps at the scene to protect yourself. If an uninjured friend or helpful bystander is with you, you can also ask them to use your phone or theirs to take the following steps to document evidence:

• First, call 911 to report the accident and tend to any immediate life-threatening injuries
• Then, take photos of the car that hit you including any visible damage
• Photograph your visible injuries
• Take photos of the accident scene, especially if you were hit in a crosswalk
• Add the contact information of the driver who hit you
• Add the contact information of any eyewitnesses to the accident

Often, eyewitnesses are the key to proving fault in pedestrian accidents but sometimes they walk away without leaving a name or other contact information. If the negligent driver tries to deny their fault in the accident or their insurance company attempts to assign an undue percentage of fault to you as the injured pedestrian, eyewitness testimony can be invaluable in proving your case.

What To Do In the Hours and Days After Being Hit by a Car

It’s always best to go to a hospital with the paramedics after a serious injury such as a pedestrian accident. If your injuries appear only minor or non-life-threatening, and you don’t want to ride in an ambulance, make arrangements for a loved one to drive you to an emergency room as soon as the police clear you to leave the scene. Then, undergo a thorough medical evaluation. It’s important to tell the doctor about every symptom, even if it seems minor. Some injuries, including traumatic head injuries, may worsen or develop symptoms hours after the initial trauma.

Not only is it critical to ensure that you have medical care, but it’s also important to have documented evidence that the injuries were caused by the accident.

Ask the doctor for a detailed medical report listing every injury, the doctor’s recommended course of treatment for the injuries, and your prognosis for recovery.

In the days after the accident, the insurance company of the at-fault driver may reach out to you. It’s best to obtain a copy of the police report, your medical report, and all medical bills and then reach out to a personal injury lawyer with experience in New Haven pedestrian accident claims. Then, direct all communication with the insurance company to your lawyer.

Never accept a fast settlement offer, since these require you to sign away your right to a lawsuit. Insurance companies may offer fast, low-balled settlements before you know the true extent of your damages like total medical expenses, lost wages, and temporary or permanent disability.