300+ Google Reviews
Although most motor vehicle crashes involve individuals who are driving or riding in vehicles, accidents can also result in severe injuries to pedestrians. Whether pedestrians are crossing streets or walking near roadways, they are more vulnerable than motorists in the event of an accident. If you sustained injuries after being struck by a car, a Beaufort pedestrian accident lawyer may be able to assist you.
As you are likely to incur substantial medical bills and lose income due to time off work, obtaining compensation can be crucial to your family’s continued financial security. An experienced Beaufort personal injury attorney could provide you with valuable legal advice and guidance at every step of the litigation process.
Injury Statistics
According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 6,000 pedestrians died in motor vehicle crashes in 2016, which was a slight decrease over the number of deaths in the previous year. This figure represents about 16 percent of all traffic fatalities. Most pedestrian incidents involved only a single motor vehicle, and alcohol played a part in almost half of the crashes.
Furthermore, 75 percent of fatal pedestrian accidents occurred at night, and 72 percent of the collisions occurred at locations other than intersections. These crashes were far more likely to happen in urban rather than rural settings. The most common age groups to suffer fatal injuries in these accidents were individuals under the age of 14 and those over the age of 65.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Incidents
Pedestrian accidents occur for many of the same reasons as other motor vehicle collisions. Impairment due to alcohol or drugs is a common factor, whether the impairment is on the part of the pedestrian, the driver, or both. Other common reasons include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding or other forms of reckless driving
- Driving while fatigued or drowsy
- Illegal traffic maneuvers, such as improper passing or making illegal turns
All these types of accidents can result in catastrophic injuries to pedestrians. Individuals on foot often have little or no opportunity to avoid cars that are suddenly traveling toward them and no way to protect themselves from an impact. For those injured in this type of crash, contacting a pedestrian accident lawyer in Beaufort may be highly beneficial.
Apportioning Fault
Just as drivers must follow traffic laws, pedestrians have legal responsibilities under state laws and municipal ordinances. For example, pedestrians must obey traffic lights and use crosswalks whenever they are available. While drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, pedestrians crossing roads outside of crosswalks must yield to drivers.
These rules and responsibilities are essential because of the legal principle of comparative negligence, which applies in personal injury actions in the state of South Carolina. Pedestrians who are partially at fault for the accident that caused their injuries may still be able to recover compensation from negligent drivers, so long as they are less than 50 percent responsible. Nonetheless, as a Beaufort pedestrian accident attorney may advise, injury victims who bear some fault for an accident may have the value of their damages reduced in proportion to their percentage of fault.
Contact a Beaufort Pedestrian Accident Attorney for Advice
Obtaining formal legal representation may put you in the most advantageous position for recovering the optimum amount of damages in your case. When you are facing significant medical bills, lost wages, and other losses, compensation may be an essential part of your overall recovery.
A Beaufort pedestrian accident lawyer could investigate the circumstances of your case, assess the value of your injury claim, and pursue compensation from all responsible parties. Contact Schiller & Hamilton today to schedule a consultation with an experienced attorney.