If you or someone you love were injured while walking on foot, because the driver of a vehicle hit you, you could be owed money from the driver of the car. This money may help you cover medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
Our Waukegan pedestrian accident lawyer wants to help you during this challenging time. We want you to know your rights and all we can do to help you get the compensation you deserve. Our trusted personal injury attorneys can also speak Spanish, for your convenience.
Many things may cause accidents between vehicles and pedestrians, though most stem from one person failing to pay attention. Therefore, the most common causes include:
However, other contributing factors often exist, such as a lack of safe places to walk, poor weather, or walking at nighttime or in areas without many lights. Each aspect of the surrounding accident scene could be important and will be noted in a police report by the law enforcement who arrive on the scene.
Knowing what to do after an accident is never easy, and it becomes even more complicated if it involves an injured pedestrian. The first and most important thing to do is seek medical attention. If not seriously injured, you should try to gather witness information and file a police report. The paper trail is the most valuable piece of evidence a person can have.
When seeking medical assistance, pedestrians should tell the attending physician precisely what happened, and they can document what they notice. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Waukegan can use all of this evidence to paint a picture of how the accident occurred and what losses need to be compensated by the defendant.
If the driver of a vehicle was at fault for injuries to a pedestrian, several things must be done in order to prove fault. Your lawyer must establish that the at-fault driver:
From a legal point of view, there are times when others are involved in an accident, even if they are not driving. For instance, a driver’s employer, a bar that lets them drink and drive, friends who provided alcohol, and even a vehicle manufacturer may hold some liability for pedestrian injuries in Waukegan.
Illinois law says that bodily injury claims must be filed within two years from the date of the accident, or two years from the date of the 18th birthday if someone was under 18 when the accident occurred. If there is a death because of the accident, the family has only two years to begin filing a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver.
The critical thing to know after suffering a severe injury is that you are not alone. Our legal team can help you and your family get the compensation needed to move forward. We can consult with accident reconstruction teams, lifecare planning, and others to establish the actual cost to you.
Our Waukegan pedestrian accident lawyer is at your side no matter what difficulties you experience, and our goal is to get you the money you need to bring your life back to normal. Contact Schlack & Bassmaji today for a free case evaluation.