Pedestrians face risks whenever they walk near motor vehicle traffic. While traffic signs and crossing signals are meant to guide pedestrian traffic safely, there is always a possibility that a negligent driver will cause a serious accident. If you or a loved one has experienced such an accident, a Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer can help you ensure accountability and recover compensation for your damages.
A Norfolk personal injury lawyer is an invaluable asset if you or a family member has been injured by the actions of another party. Whether they were negligent or broke the law, if their actions resulted in harm to you or your family, you have the right to pursue compensation for these damages. However, this process can be more challenging than you may expect, even if the fault for your injury seems perfectly clear.
Even the most seemingly straightforward personal injury cases can involve complex legal issues that the average person will not be able to resolve on their own. Additionally, attempting to handle your legal affairs while recovering from serious injuries or caring for an injured loved one would be exceedingly difficult. Hiring the right attorney ensures you can handle your personal affairs with peace of mind while your legal team manages your case.
Whitlock Law, LLC, approaches every personal injury case we accept with the goal of maximizing our client’s recovery as efficiently as possible. You can rely on our team to help you gather the evidence you need to prove fault for your accident and to help you uncover all the forms of compensation you are eligible to claim from the defendant who injured you. You have a limited time to file your case, so it’s important to connect with legal counsel right away.
Many people assume that if a driver hits a pedestrian, the driver is automatically at fault for the accident. However, this is not necessarily true. It is possible for a pedestrian to contribute to causing this type of accident if they are negligent, or if they violate their duty of care to abide by crossing signals and other traffic indicators while walking. Success with a pedestrian accident claim in Norfolk will require proving the driver is entirely at fault for the accident.
Pedestrian accidents happen when drivers fail to follow posted traffic signals or when they commit moving violations, such as illegal turns, failure to stop for red lights or stop signs, or failure to yield the right-of-way when necessary. These accidents also commonly occur as a result of intoxicated driving, which will lead to criminal prosecution of the at-fault driver along with civil liability for the damages they caused to the victim.
Your Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer can help you obtain evidence to prove the exact cause of your accident. This could include footage from any nearby traffic cameras around the scene of the crash, the police report from the incident, testimony from witnesses who saw it happen, and various forms of physical and digital evidence. Once you prove liability for the accident, you can collect compensation for the damages you suffered.
Every driver in the state is required to have auto insurance that meets the state’s minimum coverage requirements. When a driver causes an accident, their insurance will pay for any resulting damages, and this can apply to a pedestrian accident as well. Your Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer can help you navigate the insurance claim filing process after a driver has hit you, and they can ensure that your claim is processed in good faith.
If you encounter any problems with the insurance claim filing process, your attorney will know how to resolve these issues on your behalf. In the event insurance will not fully cover your damages, you will need to file a personal injury suit against whoever caused the accident in order to recover your losses. Success with a personal injury claim requires proving liability and then proving the full extent of the damages the defendant inflicted with their actions.
Virginia’s personal injury statutes enable an injured plaintiff to seek full repayment of any economic damages they suffered because of the defendant’s actions. In a pedestrian accident case, these are likely to include medical expenses, future medical treatment costs for serious injuries, lost income if the victim cannot work while they recover, and lost future earning power if they are permanently disabled by their injuries and cannot return to work at all.
In addition to these economic damages, a plaintiff may also seek compensation for their non-economic damages. These include intangible losses like physical pain and psychological suffering caused by a defendant’s negligence or misconduct. State law does not cap or limit non-economic damages in most personal injury cases, and generally, the more serious the plaintiff’s injuries, the more they can recover in pain and suffering compensation.
A successful pedestrian accident claim can provide a sense of closure by holding the at-fault party accountable for the harm they have done and helping the victim and their family recover by securing compensation for their damages. When you choose Whitlock Law, LLC, to represent you in a pedestrian accident case, you will have a dedicated representative ready to answer your questions and address your concerns as they arise throughout your proceedings.
Our firm approaches every case we accept with the goal of helping our client secure as much compensation as state law allows for their damages and to do so as efficiently as possible. Whether your situation requires filing an auto insurance claim, a personal injury suit, or pursuing a combination of recovery options, you can trust our team to guide you to a positive outcome.
After you address your immediate medical concerns following your accident, it is important to consult a Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer as quickly as possible to start building your legal strategy to recover compensation for your damages. You have a limited time to file a personal injury case in the state, and the evidence you may need to prove fault may not be available to collect for very long.
A: You can prove fault for a pedestrian accident in Norfolk by leveraging any available evidence that shows the defendant directly caused the accident through negligence or illegal misconduct. Your Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer can help you gather the evidence you need to firmly establish liability for the accident, which may include testimony from witnesses, vehicle computer data, traffic camera footage, and more.
A: Yes, it is possible for a pedestrian to be at fault for this type of accident. If a pedestrian jaywalks, crosses a street illegally, or walks on a street where foot traffic is prohibited, they can face liability for the accident. Under the state’s pure contributory negligence statute, if a plaintiff is found partially liable for causing their personal injury, this will bar them from claiming compensation for their damages from any other liable party.
A: The potential value of your pedestrian accident case in Norfolk largely depends on the extent and severity of your damages. If you can prove another party is directly responsible for causing your accident, you can hold them accountable for the financial losses you suffered, such as your medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. You also have the right to claim compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced.
A: You need to hire a Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer because your case is likely to be more challenging to resolve than you initially expected. You could encounter a host of unexpected issues that you will need an attorney’s help to resolve, and you may also be unaware of the full extent of your claimable damages. Hiring trustworthy legal counsel ensures the greatest chance of success with your claim and a greater likelihood of maximizing your total compensation.
A: Attorneys’ fees for a Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer will be a percentage of your final case award if you choose Whitlock Law, LLC, to represent your case. Our firm accepts all personal injury cases in Norfolk on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will only pay a fee to our firm if and when we secure compensation on your behalf. This fee will be a percentage of the total amount recovered, ensuring your legal fees do not overshadow your case award.
An experienced Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer is the most important asset you can have on your side for this type of case. Whitlock Law, LLC, can provide responsive and results-driven legal counsel through all stages of your case, from proving fault for the accident to uncovering all forms of compensation you are eligible to claim. If you’re ready to learn what a Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyer can do for you, contact us today and schedule a free consultation.
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