A pedestrian accident is one of the most terrifying kinds of car accidents, especially in Grand Junction, Colorado. A pedestrian has no protection against a car, leaving them with more serious injuries than the driver. These common injuries can include traumatic brain injury, facial injuries, physical pain, physical disabilities, permanent disabilities, and lost wages. Many personal injury claims arise from such accidents, as the injured person or injured party may face life-changing consequences and long-term medical problems. This sometimes requires prescription medication, medical devices, and physical therapy. You may need the help of a Grand Junction pedestrian accident lawyer for your injury claims.
If a car hits you, you are likely facing mounting medical bills, and if you can’t work, your income is likely dwindling. Perhaps you’re using the last of your paid time off, or even worse, maybe you have no paid time off and are without income. It’s also possible that your injuries are severe enough that you’ve lost earning potential. Our law firm understands the impact on your financial recovery and will fight for your best interests.
Call The Wilhite Law Firm at (303) 466-3529 today or contact us online for an initial consultation, free case evaluation, and no obligation consultation about how we can help you pursue the money you need. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you do not owe attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Our personal injury attorneys are committed to protecting pedestrians and advocating for your best interests. Trust our experienced personal injury lawyers to help you achieve the financial recovery you deserve.
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Why Should You Hire Us?
If someone hit you with a motor vehicle while you were a pedestrian, you could be entitled to full compensation and maximum compensation for your accident-related losses. You need an experienced lawyer on your side. Our team of skilled pedestrian accident attorneys in Grand Junction is dedicated to providing legal representation for personal injury cases, including pedestrian accident cases, car accidents, and bicycle accidents throughout Western Colorado. As personal injury attorneys and a trusted law firm, we handle personal injury claims, always seeking financial compensation and helping you seek financial compensation for your injuries. We also represent clients in cases involving else’s negligence, ensuring at fault parties are held accountable for the accident caused and the damages suffered.
After the accident occurred, it is extremely important to obtain an accident report and collect insurance information from the at fault party. This documentation is crucial for your personal injury case and can help establish liability for the accident caused. Our team will guide you through every step, from the initial consultation to the resolution of your claim.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
When a driver fails to pay attention to the road and acts without the safety of others in mind, victims on foot will suffer the most. Some of the most common reasons for pedestrian accidents that our Grand Junction attorneys handle include:
Distracted Driving
Drivers often text, fiddle with the GPS, adjust the radio, or engage in any other activity that takes their hands, eyes, or attention away from the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving caused over thirty-five hundred fatalities in 2021 alone. Many of these incidents are the result of an accident caused by a driver’s negligence.
Speeding and Reckless Driving
The faster a driver is going, the more severe the impact with any object will be. If that object is a person, any speed can result in catastrophic injuries. Reckless driving of any kind, including running red lights, aggressive lane changes, and speeding, can all be fatal for a pedestrian.
Failure to Yield at Crosswalks
Colorado law requires drivers to yield at a crosswalk so that pedestrians can safely get to the other side of the road. However, this doesn’t prevent drivers from ignoring the law or not being able to stop in time to avoid an impact. Crosswalks and other safety measures are designed to protect pedestrians from harm and reduce the risk of serious accidents.
Driving Drunk or High
Drugs and alcohol can significantly affect a driver’s ability to make decisions and act on them promptly, such as the decision to hit the brakes in time for a pedestrian to get out of the way.
Bad Weather Conditions
Weather conditions can contribute to low visibility, slick roads, and harsh driving conditions. However, it’s the driver’s responsibility to adjust their speeds and driving tactics to the situation the weather presents to keep pedestrians and other road users safe.
Bicycle Accidents
Bicycle accidents are also a frequent issue, often resulting from similar factors such as distracted or reckless driving, and can pose significant risks to both cyclists and pedestrians.
Because Grand Junction is growing so quickly in population, traffic problems are increasingly common. This includes pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents. According to Colorado Department of Transportation crash statistics, pedestrian injuries and fatalities continue to rise statewide. When an accident occurred, it is important to determine the circumstances and timing to establish liability. Victims of these incidents often suffer common injuries such as fractures, head trauma, and soft tissue damage. At fault parties may be held responsible for damages when an accident is caused by their negligence.
Legal Rights for Pedestrians Hit by a Car
With the rise in these types of accidents, it’s important to know your rights as a pedestrian. Colorado law protects pedestrians from negligent drivers by allowing injured people to hold the at fault party accountable for their careless actions. Drivers have a duty of care to act reasonably in a way that does not endanger pedestrians or other road users. When that duty is breached, pedestrians have the right to pursue a personal injury claim or, if necessary, a personal injury lawsuit for seeking compensation. This can include financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
After an accident, it is crucial to obtain an official accident report and collect insurance information from all parties involved. These steps help support your personal injury claim and protect your legal rights.
There are complicated situations, like hit-and-run accidents, where it might seem hard to get justice. However, a knowledgeable attorney can provide the legal representation you need to protect your rights. If you are the victim of a hit-and-run pedestrian accident, it’s essential to speak to a lawyer in Grand Junction as soon as possible so that you can learn all the ways you can seek compensation, even if investigators never identify the driver.
Types of Compensation Available for Pedestrian Accident Victims
If you’ve been in a pedestrian accident, you’re likely left with a financial disaster. The good news is that there is a variety of compensation you can fight for. What you might be entitled to depends on the details of your case. Some of the common types of compensation you may be able to pursue in personal injury claims include:
- Medical expenses, including prescription medication, medical devices, and physical therapy
- Lost income and lost wages
- Pain and suffering, including physical pain
- Emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life
- Disability and disfigurement, including permanent disabilities and physical disabilities
- Traumatic brain injury
- Facial injuries
- PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- Anxiety and depression
- Repair or replacement of property damaged in the accident, like a laptop or cell phone
A pedestrian injury lawyer in Grand Junction can work with medical experts and financial professionals to review your personal injury case and the losses you’ve suffered due to the accident. This review will help your lawyer determine how much your case is worth so they know how much to demand from the at-fault party’s insurer. The settlement demand your lawyer makes should cover all your accident-related losses, and they will pursue financial compensation for you. Many personal injury claims involve severe injuries and require experienced legal support to ensure you receive what you deserve.
Time Limits for Filing a Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit
It’s extremely important to contact a skilled personal injury attorney as soon as you’re physically able to do so after the accident occurred. That’s because Colorado’s statute of limitations allows people who were injured in motor vehicle accidents three years from the date the accident occurred to file a personal injury lawsuit against the person who harmed them. It’s essential to know that there are exceptions to Colorado’s statute as well, such as the discovery rule, which may affect when the statute begins. The sooner you file your personal injury claim or personal injury lawsuit, the better off you are. You could lose your right to pursue compensation if you miss this deadline.
Acting quickly is extremely important because it also helps preserve critical evidence. Evidence is key in determining fault, which is essential in the fight for your compensation. Give your skilled pedestrian accident attorney in Grand Junction the best chance they can get to collect evidence like security camera footage, eyewitness statements, and police reports by starting your claim or lawsuit right away.
Fatal Pedestrian Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims
The unfortunate truth about pedestrian accidents is that a pedestrian is left so unprotected against a moving vehicle that the crash can turn fatal very quickly. If that has happened to someone you love, a wrongful death lawsuit might be able to help you recover financial compensation for your horrible loss. These claims can help you pursue full compensation from the at fault party or at fault parties responsible for the accident. You may be able to recover financial compensation for:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of companionship
- Lost income and support
- Emotional suffering
- Loss of services that the deceased would have provided to the family
Losing a loved one is never easy, and it is certainly even harder when you rely on that person for income and support. Even though you may not have been harmed directly in the accident, you might still be eligible for financial compensation for how you were indirectly hurt through a personal injury claim.
There are specific rules as to who can file this particular type of lawsuit. The first eligible party is the spouse of the decedent. If there is no spouse, then the children or designated beneficiaries may file the claim. There are other parties that can be eligible to file, but to be sure you qualify and to ensure you receive proper legal representation, it’s recommended to speak to a pedestrian accident lawyer in Grand Junction.
Why Choose a Grand Junction Pedestrian Accident Attorney at The Wilhite Law Firm?
At The Wilhite Law Firm, our law firm is proud to serve as dedicated injury lawyers for clients throughout western Colorado. Our team of attorneys has handled countless pedestrian injury and wrongful death claims, with a strong focus on personal injury cases. As your trusted Grand Junction pedestrian accident lawyer, we combine local expertise with a commitment to your best interests, providing skilled attorney guidance and effective legal representation every step of the way.
What should you do if you hit a pedestrian in Colorado? When you work with us, you’ll get:
We take a comprehensive approach to every case. We will prove liability through evidence like police reports, surveillance footage, medical records, and expert testimony. We’ll build a compelling case and handle all communication with the insurance companies. You don’t have to worry about saying something that could undermine your claim. And if the insurance adjuster refuses to offer you fair compensation, our lawyers will fight for you in court.
Call (303) 466-3529 today or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation, no obligation consultation, or initial consultation. We’re ready to fight for you and get you the compensation you deserve.
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