Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Columbia, MO

You should not have to fear that you will suffer a serious injury while walking through a parking lot at the mall or crossing the street in the center of town. Unfortunately, cars and trucks hit pedestrians with alarming frequency. Sadly, there are many common causes of pedestrian accidents in Columbia, MO.

If a car struck you while you were walking, you might face a challenging recuperation. The attorneys at A.W. Smith Law Firm, P.C. understand what you are facing. We could help you get through this difficult time by guiding you through a pedestrian accident lawsuit for financial compensation.

Reasons Why Pedestrian Accidents Happen

Most pedestrian accidents in Columbia happen because of driver error. Motorists are supposed to pay full attention to their surroundings and have a duty of care to look out for everyone else on the roads. However, even if they check for other cars before turning, motorists do not usually look around for people on foot. The fact that people are harder to see than cars is no excuse for negligence.

Some of the reasons why cars strike pedestrians include:

Drivers looking at their cell phones, checking for directions on their GPS, or turning to talk to their passengers in the backseat might not notice someone who is about to cross the street.
Motorists who drive too fast might lose control of their car or be unable to brake in time to avoid hitting a pedestrian.
Intoxicated motorists do not have the mental capacity to react to emergency situations. Drinking can also impair a driver’s gross motor skills, which could cause them to unintentionally swerve onto the sidewalk.
Reckless driving, such as illegal lane changes, drag racing, or unsafe passing
Not yielding the right of way

Our dedicated legal team could use our experience and skills to carefully investigate the accident. We could review the police accident report, eyewitness accounts, crash scene pictures, security or traffic camera video footage, and all other relevant evidence to determine what happened and identify who is to blame. Our lawyers could also review an injured pedestrian’s medical records to see what kind of injuries the accident caused in order to pursue a settlement that could make a difference in their recovery.

Types of Damages that Might be Available to an Injured Pedestrian

An injured pedestrian could sue the negligent motorist who hit them and seek compensation for all their losses, including the following:

Medical bills for current and future anticipated expenses to care for and treat their injuries
Rehabilitation and therapy expenses
Remodeling expenses to a home or motor vehicle to make them handicapped accessible
Lost wages and benefits for the time a pedestrian needs to take off from work and future lost earning capacity if they are unable to return to their job because they can no longer perform their job duties due to their injuries
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Mental anguish
Decreased quality of life
Loss of enjoyment of life
Physical or cognitive impairment
Disfigurement

Our trusted attorneys in Columbia are committed to fighting for the rights of hurt pedestrians after another causes an accident. Working together with medical experts, we could carefully assess what kind of future medical and care needs an injured pedestrian might have so we pursue a settlement or damages award that offers fair compensation for a person’s immediate and future needs.

Meet with Our Columbia Attorneys to Discuss Why Pedestrian Accidents Occur

While many people think pedestrian accidents only happen in crowded crosswalks at night, there are many common causes of pedestrian accidents in Columbia. These types of accidents frequently have long-lasting or even permanent consequences. If your injuries from the crash force you to take time away from your job, your family might experience serious financial hardships.

With our assistance, you might be able to recover enough compensation to alleviate your financial worries and allow you to focus all your attention and efforts on getting better. Meet with our trusted team of attorneys from AW Smith today to learn how we can help. Our lawyers work with many clients on a contingency basis, so there is no upfront cost to you.