While Fort Collins, CO is a relatively easy city to walk in, tragic pedestrian accidents still happen when motorists fail to look out for these vulnerable users. Many of these accidents occur when pedestrians are lawfully walking within a crosswalk. Noting the increase in pedestrian accidents, the city extended walk times on traffic lights to allow pedestrians additional time to cross the street.
If you or a loved one was injured in a pedestrian accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may be able to seek compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. An experienced Fort Collins pedestrian accident attorney can discuss your legal rights during a free consultation. Contact us today to get started.
How Can a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Help Me?
After a pedestrian accident, it’s common for the pedestrian to be knocked unconscious. They may be rushed immediately to the emergency room to treat serious injuries. This can leave the motorist behind at the scene, being the only one whose account is recorded at the time. The motorist will likely try to minimize their role in the accident or outright blame the victim.
This can make it difficult for an injured pedestrian to make an insurance claim to recover the compensation they need to pay for their medical bills and make up for their lost wages. Insurance companies will try to use any excuse possible to deny or minimize liability, especially when extensive damages are involved.
An experienced pedestrian accident lawyer can help prepare a legal claim on your behalf. They can help you navigate the insurance claim process and refute any claims of responsibility. Your lawyer can also conduct a thorough investigation into the crash to identify all factors that contributed to it and the parties responsible, further maximizing its value. Your lawyer fights for full and fair compensation and can advise you whether taking a settlement offer is in your best interests (or not).
The legal team at Dulin McQuinn Young wants you to be able to focus on your recovery after such a traumatic incident. Call us today so we can begin taking the steps necessary to protect your legal rights.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents typically occur due to driver error. Leading causes of these tragic events include the following:
Distracted Driving
Motorists who are distracted have less time to react once they recognize a hazard ahead. For pedestrians, this difference in a few seconds can mean the difference between life and death. Distracted driving takes many forms but can include:
- Texting
- Talking on a cell phone
- Adjusting dials or controls in the vehicle
- Engaging with the infotainment system
- Inputting or looking at directions from the GPS
- Eating or drinking
- Talking to passengers
- Tending to children or pets in the vehicle
- Reaching for a dropped object in the vehicle
- Looking out the window
Proving a driver was distracted may require enlisting the help of a personal injury lawyer in Fort Collins who can subpoena cell phone records and conduct an independent investigation to find other evidence of distraction.
Violating Pedestrian Laws
These accidents can occur when drivers violate pedestrian laws. Pedestrians have the legal right to cross the street when there is a traffic control device instructing them to walk or when it is safe to do so. Drivers owe pedestrians a duty of care to drive safely around them, keep a proper lookout for them, and adjust their speeds when driving in areas frequented by pedestrians. If they fail to uphold these legal responsibilities, they may be responsible for the damages that result.
Negligent Driving
Drivers may make various other mistakes that can contribute to pedestrian accidents, such as:
- Speeding
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Unsafe passing
- Failure to adjust speed for road or weather conditions
- Following too closely
- Weaving in and out of lanes
- Failing to pay attention
If a driver violated their duty of care to drive safely and injured a pedestrian, the injured victim could seek compensation for their ensuing damages. Our experienced Fort Collins car accident attorneys know how to handle these claims.
Injuries Pedestrians Could Suffer in an Accident
Pedestrian accidents can lead to severe injuries due to the forceful impact with the vehicle and the ground, and the huge disparity in the weight of the pedestrian vs. a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds. These dynamics often lead to fatalities. When pedestrian accident victims survive, they are often left with serious injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Neck and back injuries
- Crush injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Nerve damage
- Bone fractures
After any type of injury, seek medical attention immediately. Follow your doctor’s orders. Keep all your medical records and bills. Then, contact an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer for legal assistance in seeking damages for the harm you’ve suffered.
Damages You Can Recover in a Personal Injury Claim
Pedestrian accident victims are often left with permanent injuries that require lifelong care. Through a pedestrian accident claim, you can seek compensation for your economic and non-economic losses, which might include:
- Medical bills, ongoing medical treatment, physical therapy, rehabilitation, medication, and future medical expenses
- Mental health bills to treat conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fear
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning potential
- Property damage
- Transportation to medical appointments
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If you lost a loved one in a fatal pedestrian accident, your family could be entitled to compensation for funeral costs, burial expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of relationships. Our legal team can investigate whether you have grounds to file a wrongful death claim. Call us today to learn more.
Call Dulin McQuinn Young for a Free Case Evaluation
If you were injured or lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident, Dulin McQuinn Young wants to help you hold the negligent motorist responsible and collect maximum compensation to ease your suffering. We can handle your legal claim, investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident, and seek to hold all responsible parties accountable for their negligence.
Call us today for a free, no-obligation legal consultation.