Birmingham Pedestrian Injury Lawyer

Common Pedestrian-Vehicle Accident Injuries

A pedestrian’s injuries depend on a number of factors, including the speed of the vehicle and the angle at which they are struck. Common injuries include:

• Fractures: When a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle, the bumper of the car often collides with the legs. If the person is shorter or the car is taller than average, the impact may occur on the person’s abdomen. This can lead to broken leg bones, knees, hips, and ribs. Severe fractures may require surgery to repair, pain management, and physical rehabilitation.
• Spinal cord injuries: A vehicle hitting a person’s torso can injure the spine. The effects of the collision may be fractured vertebrae or a partially or fully severed spinal cord. People who suffer spinal cord injuries can be left in chronic pain or suffer from paralysis below the injury. They can suffer nerve damage and lose their ability to control their bladder and bowels.
• Traumatic brain injuries: In a collision, a person’s upper body and head often collide with the hood or windshield of the car. In a minor accident, a pedestrian may only suffer a concussion, from which they can usually recover within a few weeks. However, moderate to severe TBIs lead to serious long-term consequences and disabilities. They also increase the likelihood of death after an accident.
• Head, neck, and back injuries: Studies have found the most common injuries for children hit by vehicles affect the head, neck, and back. This could include broken bones in the face and skull, fractured or crushed vertebrae in the upper spine, and muscle injuries.

Pedestrian Fatalities

Unfortunately, some pedestrians die after being struck by a moving vehicle. The force by which a car, truck, or van can hit the average person can cause drastic injuries from which many victims simply can’t recover.

In 2013, the U.S. lost 4,735 pedestrians in vehicle accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The next year, pedestrian deaths reached 4,884 in the U.S. Preliminary data for 2015 pedestrian deaths from vehicle accidents showed the number may be rising. Alabama is one of the most dangerous states for pedestrians, according to data compiled by 24/7 Wall St. In 2014, there were 1.98 deaths per 100,000 residents, totaling 96 fatalities.

If your loved one was fatally injured in a pedestrian-vehicle accident, call Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C. today. They have decades of experience with wrongful death claims in Alabama, and they can help you understand who may be responsible.

Ways to Avoid Accidents and Injuries

Drivers need to be aware of pedestrians and obey all traffic laws, but pedestrians also must do their part to avoid accidents.

To improve their safety, pedestrians should always walk on the sidewalk – not in the street. If there is no sidewalk, people should walk on the shoulder in the direction of traffic heading toward them. This may seem counter-intuitive, but it is better to be able to see what is coming toward you and drivers are more likely to see you and make eye contact with you.

If you need to cross the street, you crosswalks. If the intersection uses traffic signals, wait for the signal that it’s your turn to walk.

Additionally, it’s best to forget the earbuds and music when you’re walking near traffic. Being able to hear can help you avoid an accident.

Alabama Personal Injury Claims

If you were struck by a vehicle while walking or jogging outside, then you may have a personal injury claim against the driver. All drivers on the road have a duty to drive with reasonable care and make prudent decisions in addition to obeying the law. If the driver breaks the law or drives recklessly and they hit and injure you, then they may be negligent.

You can seek a number of damages in a personal injury case, including:

When you bring a personal injury claim against another person, you need an experienced attorney by your side. Your Birmingham vehicle injury lawyers will understand how to prove that the driver breached their duty, which led to the collision, and that your injuries are a direct result of that collision.

A personal injury case can become contentious if the other driver claims that you contributed to your injury. If you behaved negligently or recklessly, then the court may consider you partially at fault for your accident. Under Alabama negligence law, contributory negligence might bar you from recovering in court.

Contact a Birmingham Pedestrian Injury Lawyer

If you’re wondering if you have the right to sue someone who hit you in their car, contact the lawyers at Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C. immediately. The lawyers at Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C. have more than 65 years of collective experience as Birmingham personal injury attorneys. They will explain Alabama law and your legal options.

For a free consultation, contact Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C. at 205-933-1500.