Lutherville Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Some of the worst types of car crashes are those that involve pedestrians. Of course, we are all pedestrians at least some of the time, and we should all share an interest in making our roads safe for walking. If you were injured in a pedestrian crash in Lutherville, Maryland, you likely have questions about your rights and legal options.
At Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP, our dedicated team of personal injury attorneys fights to obtain compensation for victims of pedestrian collisions. These incidents often cause life-altering injuries and can impact a person’s ability to work or live their life as fully as they had previously.
Call us today at 410-769-5400 to consult with a dedicated Lutherville car crash attorney.
Maryland Pedestrian Accident Facts
Statistics indicate just how dangerous cars are to pedestrians. In Maryland, data suggests that when a person is struck by a vehicle, that individual will, in most cases, suffer injuries. In fact, 92 percent of pedestrians involved in collisions with cars will suffer an injury or death due to that crash. These incidents cause, on average, about 100 deaths in the state each year.
Nationally, the number of pedestrians killed in crashes has reached disturbingly high numbers. The reason that more people are dying in pedestrian collisions is linked to the popularity of larger passenger vehicles. SUVs are dominating the United States car market and are far more dangerous to pedestrians than are sedans. As SUVs have become a larger portion of the cars on the road, the number of pedestrian crashes that result in fatalities has increased as well.
When it comes to pedestrian crashes in Maryland, the locations where the majority of these collisions occur are urban, and they tend to happen outside of intersections and at night.
Pedestrian crashes can be prevented. In most cases, human errors lead to these devastating incidents.
If you sustained injuries in a pedestrian crash in Lutherville, Maryland, contact a pedestrian accident attorney for help with your recovery.
What Can I Do to Collect Compensation After a Lutherville, Maryland Pedestrian Crash?
If a driver struck and injured you in Lutherville, Maryland, you might be entitled to compensation from that person. Recovering that compensation can help you with costs associated with the crash.
The first step to recovering compensation is to contact an experienced Lutherville, Maryland, pedestrian accident attorney who will be able to analyze your claim and develop a strategy tailored to the facts of your case. Before your attorney files a claim, he or she may engage in settlement negotiations. If those efforts do not pan out, your attorney will file a complaint and initiate a lawsuit.
During the process of that lawsuit, you and the defendant will exchange information through a process called “discovery.” The attorneys may depose you, the defendant, witnesses, and doctors who treated you after the crash. One or both parties may engage expert witnesses as well to build a case.
Most cases will reach a settlement at some point during the litigation process, but in a few situations, they will go to trial. At trial, a jury will decide on liability and damages. If your claim succeeds, then you will recover from the defendant.
What Damages Are Available in a Lutherville, Maryland Pedestrian Case?
If you were hurt in a pedestrian crash, you likely understand how quickly the medical bills can add up after one of these incidents. Even the first trip to the emergency room can result in thousands of dollars in medical treatment. In many cases, injuries lead to surgeries and physical therapy long after the initial crash.
Compensation for medical bills is part of what you can recover. Also included will be lost wages, future lost wages, property damage, and damages for your pain and suffering and disfigurement. If you are a family member of a victim who died in a pedestrian crash, you might be entitled to recover damages as well, which would cover medical costs, pain and suffering, loss of financial support, and other damages.
The amount of compensation available in any given case will vary greatly depending on the facts of the case, including the severity of the injuries and the long-term impacts of the crash.
Negligence in Lutherville, Maryland
To succeed in a personal injury claim, the victim must show that the driver is liable for the injuries. To prove liability, the victim must show that the driver behaved negligently. Negligence means that the driver breached his or her duty to act as a reasonably prudent individual and that in doing so, the driver caused the injured person harm.
Unlike most states, courts in Maryland will not divide liability between the plaintiff and the defendant and adjust the damages correspondingly. In Maryland, the cases are all or nothing. As the plaintiff, you cannot be partly to blame for your injuries and still recover.
Call Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP Today
At Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP, our dedicated pedestrian accident attorneys understand the importance of your claim. Call us today at 410-769-5400 to learn more about how we can help.