Winston-Salem Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
A pedestrian accident occurs when a driver-controlled vehicle collides with a person that is standing, walking, or running.
A pedestrian-vehicle accident can be a damaging experience for all parties involved and can result in extensive medical bills, lost income, permanent injury, or otherwise create a dramatic change to someone’s quality of life and future. There may be legal recourse available for you if you are a pedestrian who has been injured in an accident with a vehicle. If you have been injured, contact an experienced Winston Salem pedestrian accident lawyer who can focus on your legal options, while you focus on getting well.
Liability in a Pedestrian-Vehicle Accident
Vehicle drivers are usually found to be at fault in pedestrian-vehicle accidents, but that does not necessarily result in all motorists being found at fault in every accident that involves a pedestrian. Both drivers and pedestrians are required to exercise reasonable care and obey traffic laws to avoid being involved in a collision.
In North Carolina, pedestrians are required to yield to vehicles when crossing a street if there is not a marked crosswalk or the pedestrian is not at an intersection.
Pedestrians are also required to use sidewalks whenever one exists and walk to the extreme left of traffic, or facing traffic if there is no sidewalk. Failing to obey traffic laws or exercise due care could impact your ability to be awarded compensation for your injury in North Carolina.
Contributory Negligence
North Carolina is one of only a few states that follow a pure contributory negligence standard. Under pure contributory negligence, if you are a pedestrian and had any fault in causing the accident, you lose the right to be compensated, regardless of the amount of fault that can be attributed to you.
Some issues that may raise the questions of contributory negligence include whether a pedestrian crossed the street before reaching the intersection, which is jaywalking, or walked on the road where there was a sidewalk available.
However, these issues of liability can be complex and are largely based on years of case law. An experienced Winston-Salem pedestrian accident lawyer, can help you understand your rights.
How a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you have been injured in a pedestrian-vehicle accident, make sure to contact an experienced Winston-Salem pedestrian accident attorney first. These types of accidents often wind up being more complicated than originally expected, so it is imperative to get an attorney in your corner who can determine the complexities of your case, begin fighting for you, prepare the strongest case possible, and get you the best result possible.
Our goal is to learn about your accident and injuries, help you get the medical treatment our clients need. If our clients are not already receiving proper medical treatment, we communicate with the insurance company for them, and if necessary, we have an experienced group of litigators that can pursue the case in court.
We make sure that our clients’ rights are protected while we work to get the best possible outcome so that they can move on with your life.
