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Injuries are at the core of any personal injury lawsuit, but they are especially prevalent in a pedestrian accident. While motor vehicle drivers are protected in most low-level accidents, even a minor crash involving a pedestrian could send them to the hospital. If you sustained injuries in a Cicero pedestrian accident, you have the right to recover compensation for the costs. Learn what you need to do by speaking with a qualified pedestrian accident attorney.
Accidents involving pedestrians tend to be more serious because they do not have the benefit of a vehicle’s protection, which means the body must absorb whatever force comes with the accident. Common injuries in pedestrian accidents include broken bones, lacerations, and internal injuries. A person could also suffer a traumatic brain injury if they were hit hard enough.
Factors such as the speed of the motor vehicle, the direction of impact, and the movement of the body after impact can all influence what injuries occur. Most pedestrian accidents involve injuries as a result of the force of the impact between the motor vehicle and the pedestrian’s body, but contact with the ground is also a concern. Even if someone feels they are not seriously injured after a pedestrian accident in Cicero, it is always advisable for a pedestrian to go to the emergency room following a serious accident.
Following a pedestrian accident, some injuries will prevent people from returning to work right away. This is another element of damages which their lawyer could pursue in their recovery. Even if the person has disability pay or sick time, and are paid following missed work in an accident, the insurance company is still responsible for paying them for any lost income.
However, there is a chance that they may end up losing their job if they cannot come back immediately, as there is no requirement for an employer to accommodate them following an accident. While some employers may offer a period of unpaid leave, others can terminate someone even if their absence is the result of an accident.
If a person loses their job as a result of injuries sustained, they should not apply for unemployment until they are physically capable of returning to work. Filing for unemployment can have a detrimental impact on their case and they should discuss the possibility of filing for unemployment with their lawyer.
The primary economic compensation in pedestrian accidents is medical bills. These expenses are incurred as the result of injuries sustained and how they are treated. If the accident is the fault of the motorist, the insurance company for the driver is responsible for compensating them for any medical bills incurred. Even if the patient has health insurance or some other method to pay their medical bills, the insurance company for the at-fault driver is legally liable for these costs.
Because injuries to pedestrians in Cicero who are struck by a motor vehicle tend to be more serious, they can have a lasting impact on their life, since some injuries might not completely heal, like paralysis. If there is a permanent injury involved, that long-term care should be included in the claim for damages.
One element of damages which is recoverable by pedestrians is their pain and suffering. These are two distinct concepts. It covers physical pain from injuries that someone feels, but it also encompasses mental suffering, which accompanies many injuries. The mental impact that an accident can have on an individual can be even more painful than any physical injury sustained.
Personal injury lawyers do not charge an upfront attorney fee; they are instead paid a percentage of the recovery, which is why they will attempt to secure the best possible recovery. Call us to discuss injuries in Cicero pedestrian accidents and how you might be able to recover the costs of treating them. You should hold the liable party accountable for your losses.