Have you been struck by a vehicle while walking and are now wondering what to do after a pedestrian accident? Here is what you need to know in order to make a successful personal injury claim.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident | Seek Immediate Medical Attention
While the majority of victims of a pedestrian motor vehicle accident are immediately transported from the scene of the accident to the emergency room by ambulance, there are some cases where less forceful impacts are involved, and the injured pedestrian may be tempted to turn down an ambulance, under the belief that they are okay or “too tough” to go to the ER. Regardless of whether or not the injured pedestrian believes they are okay, they often times are not; and seeking emergency room treatment immediately after the accident is important for two reasons. First, it allows for the early detection of hidden injuries that may not be visible or felt by the victim who is likely in shock following the event. Second, it documents the injuries and symptoms one experienced after the accident, allowing that person to be referred immediately to the particular specialists they need to see in order to initiate the healing process.
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What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident | Why You MUST Receive Treatment
When a person refuses to go to the emergency room at the scene of the accident, it gives the adverse driver’s insurance carrier the impression that the victim was not harmed, even though in many cases the victim suffered a severe bodily injury they may not have been aware of due to shock or delayed manifestations of pain. The refusal of emergency treatment at the scene of the accident can create an uphill battle for the injured pedestrian when they later seek to get their injuries rightfully compensated by the adverse driver. Delaying treatment only gives the adverse driver’s insurance carrier an opportunity to attribute the pedestrian’s injuries to some cause other than the accident.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident | Do Not Give a Statement
An injured pedestrian should never give a statement to the other driver’s insurance carrier outside the presence of their attorney. It is common practice for the other insurance carrier to solicit a recorded statement from the injured pedestrian. While the insurance representative may sound sympathetic, it is important to remember that they represent the adverse driver who hit you and their one and only goal is to pay you as little money as possible. They are recording the statement for a reason. It is their goal to get the injured pedestrian talking in the hopes that they make a statement that is unfavorable to their case. In turn, the insurance carrier will later produce that statement and use it to get the injured pedestrian’s case dismissed from court.
What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident | Hire an Experienced Attorney
It is so important that the injured pedestrian or their family retain one of our experienced Buffalo pedestrian accident lawyers as soon as possible after the accident to properly guide them and instruct them how to avoid all of the early traps that unscrupulous insurance carriers spring in their attempts to limit and deny the injured pedestrian’s compensation. All it takes is one early misstep by the injured pedestrian in dealing with the insurance carrier and the entire case may be crushed.