Most people take their safety for granted when they cross the street, walk through a parking lot, or chat with friends on a sidewalk. We rarely worry about cars hitting us. Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents occur in the area far too frequently. Because pedestrians have no protection from the impact of a crash, these accidents often cause severe, life-altering injuries and fatalities.
If you were recently struck while walking, you have legal options available to you and a committed personal injury attorney might be able to file a lawsuit against the party that caused the accident. A Joliet pedestrian accident lawyer could help ease the financial burden that has been placed on you.
As with other types of car crashes, pedestrian accidents occur for many different reasons:
It is essential to contact a Joliet pedestrian collision attorney as soon as possible after an accident to preserve all of the critical evidence. Legal staff could perform a thorough investigation of the crash scene to determine the precise cause, contact the police to review the accident report, interview eyewitnesses, and gather video surveillance.
Sometimes, walkers or joggers bear some responsibility for their accidents, such as when they jaywalk or fail to use an available crosswalk to cross the road. Fortunately, Illinois courts allow claimants to pursue compensation for their injuries even if they bear partial responsibility for the accident that caused their injuries.
Under the state’s modified comparative negligence standard, as long as the claimant’s degree of blame is less than 50 percent, they can still recover damages. An Illinois court would reduce a partially at-fault pedestrian’s recoverable damages in proportion to their degree of fault.
For example, if a court determines that a claimant bears 30 percent of the blame for the accident for crossing the road outside of a crosswalk, then that court would award the claimant 30 percent fewer damages. A local pedestrian accident attorney could explain how limitations on damages might apply to the claimant’s situation.
A person who is hit while walking or jogging is much more vulnerable than a person who has the protection of a vehicle’s metal frame. If you are suffering the physical, emotional, and financial after-effects of a devastating crash, you should reach out to a Joliet pedestrian accident lawyer. They could fight hard to get you what you need to help your family and put your life back on track.