{"id":2829,"date":"2017-05-30T15:10:09","date_gmt":"2017-05-30T22:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-personal-injury\/?page_id=2829"},"modified":"2024-07-31T10:20:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T17:20:29","slug":"auto-pedestrian-accidents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-personal-injury\/blog\/auto-pedestrian-accidents\/","title":{"rendered":"Injuries From Auto Pedestrian Accidents"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

Auto pedestrian accidents are car accidents where a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle. This is much more common\u00a0of an occurrence than\u00a0one might think. According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Association<\/a>) there was a total of 5,376 fatalities in 2015 from pedestrians being hit by a vehicle in the United States. Auto pedestrian accidents can be a scary and traumatizing event and in many cases lead to severe bodily harm.<\/p>\n

Depending on the situation, a pedestrian may be able to recover damages if the incident occurred due to someone else’s negligence. If you or someone you know was hit by a car, you may be thinking about what you should do next. Due to statutes of limitations you only have a certain amount of time to make a car accident claim<\/a> for your injuries.<\/p>\n

Getting Hit By a Car: What to Do<\/h4>\n

Getting hit by a car can be an extremely dangerous, sometimes fatal experience. If you are hit by a car or witness a pedestrian get hit by a car\u00a0there are some things that you should know. The following is a list of advice for a pedestrian that was just hit by a car.<\/p>\n

Safety first<\/h4>\n

If you are able to yourself, get to a safe location to avoid any further danger. If you are unable to do so, ask for help from the driver or any nearby witnesses. While assisting\u00a0an injured pedestrian it is critical to not attempt any medical treatment beyond what would be necessary in an emergency situation, such as CPR.<\/p>\n

Call the police immediately<\/h4>\n

Police will arrive quickly with help if anyone has been injured. Not only will police help an injured person but they are also\u00a0be the best equipped to handle the situation. Authorities will take statements from both the driver and the pedestrian, as well as any witnesses to the accident to determine who was at fault.<\/p>\n

Exchange insurance information and call a pedestrian accident attorney and your insurance company<\/h4>\n

Ask for a representative from your insurance company to come to the scene as well. The police will take statements and create a police report of the accident, in this report they may rule who was at fault or conduct a detailed investigation. Auto insurance companies are able to dispute whatever findings are in the police report, so you will want the company that represents you present. If you have health insurance as well as auto insurance, it may be useful to contact each respective company.<\/p>\n

Important<\/h4>\n

It is crucial that you do not give too much information at the scene of the accident. JacksonWhite highly recommends you call an auto pedestrian lawyer before you engage in any conversation other than exchanging insurance information. Remember the phrase \u201canything that you say can and will be used against you in a court of law\u201d.<\/p>\n

Who is at Fault?<\/h4>\n

When a person is hit by a car one of the biggest questions will be: Who is at fault for the accident?The answer to this question is determined by the law of negligence. In this case, which person failed to exercise the standard Duty of Care. There are also situations where both the pedestrian and the driver of the vehicle could be deemed negligent. To get a better understanding we will cover the duty of care of the possible parties.<\/p>\n

Pedestrian\u2019s Duty of Care<\/h4>\n

Although they are not operating a vehicle, pedestrians are still expected to exercise a standard duty of care. Failing\u00a0to exercise this properly, pedestrians\u00a0could be proven to have had contributory negligence. In other words, contributing to the accident and a cause to their injuries because of it. Here are a few examples of what can be assessed as contributory negligence:<\/p>\n