Fatalities Wrongful Death
Pedestrian Fatalities Lawsuits, Lawyers and Litigation
The human body, though resilient, is no match for the speed, power, and mass of a car, truck, or even a motorcycle. That is why when these vehicles crash into a pedestrian, the pedestrian may suffer fatal injuries. Those with preexisting medical conditions, the very young, and the elderly – individuals who are already vulnerable and susceptible to injury – are at an even greater risk of being killed. The sudden loss of a loved one in a pedestrian accident is tragic enough, but the drivers responsible for killing the pedestrian may feel free to flee the scene of the crash. This makes it exponentially more difficult for the pedestrian’s surviving family members to pursue a claim for compensation against the responsible party. Even under these terrible circumstances, though, the skill and guidance of an experienced pedestrian fatality accident lawyer may be of assistance.
Pedestrian Fatality Statistics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) maintains a wealth of data on pedestrian crashes and collisions. Each, year, NHTSA releases a “Traffic Safety Facts” document containing important statistics from the previous year. The 2014 Traffic Safety Facts sheet indicates:
- In 2014, 4,884 pedestrians were killed in collisions and accidents;
- This number is virtually the same as it was in 2001, when 4,901 pedestrians were killed;
- Although the number of pedestrian fatalities had been declining for approximately 20 years, the number of fatalities jumped back up to about 4,800 in 2012 and this number has remained fairly constant since.
There are a number of reasons why the number of pedestrian fatalities is so high: There are an increasing number of pedestrians present on and near roadways as the population continues to grow and more and more people (by choice or by circumstance) decide to abandon the car as their primary means of transportation. These and other factors mean that pedestrians continue to face the threat of suffering a fatal accident despite advances in road construction and design as well as public awareness campaigns designed to alert drivers of the presence of pedestrians.
Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Fatality Accidents
Surely one of the most tragic and heart-wrenching situations a family can face is when their loved one is killed in a pedestrian accident and the responsible driver does not stop at the scene of the crash or identify him- or herself to police but instead flees the scene of the crash (often referred to as a hit-and-run collision). The surviving family members must handle the final arrangements for their loved one, find time to grieve, and come up with a way to pay the expenses associated with their loved one’s death all at the same time.
Hiring a pedestrian fatality accident attorney means the surviving family member know has access to the resources and knowledge of a skilled lawyer who is familiar with these situations and knows how to uncover crucial evidence. For example, a pedestrian fatality accident lawyer may be able to:
- Identify and locate eyewitnesses who saw the crash and who may be able to provide a description of the car and/or driver;
- Locate and preserve footage from security cameras or traffic cameras positioned near the scene of the crash;
- Analyze the injuries sustained by the pedestrian in order to create a “profile” of what kind of damage might have been sustained by the car. For example, there may be paint chips or smears on the body or clothing of the pedestrian that can provide a clue as to the color of the car. Moreover, a pedestrian that is “run over” will likely cause certain, specific damage to a car that a pedestrian who is thrown forward by a car will not.
Important evidence can be quickly lost and witnesses can swiftly disappear, meaning that surviving family members must take action quickly in order to have the best chance at identifying and locating the driver responsible for their loved one’s death and holding him or her accountable for his or her actions.
Call a Pedestrian Fatality Crash Attorney Today
The surviving family members of a pedestrian killed in an accident may be able to obtain financial compensation that can alleviate the financial strain caused by a pedestrian fatality. This can include compensation to cover the pedestrian’s final medical expenses, funeral expenses, lost past and future wages, as well as the pain, suffering, and mental anguish the event has caused for the surviving family members themselves.
Stern Law, PLLC is a devoted, compassionate law firm dedicated to helping the victims of tragedies like pedestrian fatality collisions recover the compensation they need to begin putting their lives back together. Attorney Ken Stern is a powerful advocate who advances his clients’ rights while helping his clients understand the recovery process. Call Ken Stern and the pedestrian fatality legal team at Stern Law, PLLC right away at (844) 808-7529 if your loved one has perished in a pedestrian collision.
