What you’ll learn from this article:
- Motorists cause most pedestrian accidents and pedestrians sometimes contribute to the causes of these accidents.
- Injured pedestrians can seek compensation from motorists who hurt them.
- After a pedestrian-vehicle accident, choose your next steps wisely and seek insight from a Kentucky pedestrian accident attorney.
A pedestrian is no match for a vehicle during a Kentucky pedestrian accident. When a motorist strikes a pedestrian, there is an extremely high risk of severe injury and death.
In Kentucky, pedestrian accidents account for more than 90 fatalities and 600 severe injuries every year. What would you do if you were hit by a car and suffered serious injuries? You could be facing a long road to recovery.
As an injured pedestrian, you could secure significant accident compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, emotional trauma, and more. This article examines what to do after pedestrian accidents.
What Causes Pedestrian Accidents?
Kentucky ranks 19th in the nation for pedestrian fatalities. Motorists are usually liable for most pedestrian-involved collisions, but pedestrians are sometimes partially responsible for the circumstances that lead to accidents.
According to research from the Kentucky Department of Transportation, the majority of pedestrian-vehicle collisions occur in normal conditions when the motorist is traveling straight and doesn’t see a person walking in or near the roadway. Below are the most common scenarios where motorists strike pedestrians in Kentucky.
Most Common Vehicle Actions in Pedestrian Collisions
In descending order of frequency
- Traveling straight
- Making a left turn
- Making a right turn
- Parking
- Backing up
- Slowing down
- Starting in traffic
Pedestrians contribute to accidents when they make it difficult for motorists to see them or predict their movements. It remains a motorist’s duty to be alert and expect that pedestrians might be around them.
Below are the most common pedestrian factors in Kentucky road accidents. As you can see, some of these factors are legal and some are illegal, and some are wise or unwise, depending on the situation.
Most Common Pedestrian Factors in Road Accidents
In descending order of frequency
- Walking in the roadway
- Dark clothing/not visible
- Darting into the roadway
- In the crosswalk
- Not at an intersection
- Not in the roadway
- Crossing at a signal
- At an intersection
- Approaching/leaving a vehicle
- Crossing against a signal
What Should You Do After a Pedestrian Injury?
During the first moments after a pedestrian accident, you may be severely injured and struggling to understand what just happened. Focus on getting emergency medical assistance by calling 911 or asking a bystander to do so.
Gather evidence such as photos and videos from the scene of the accident, if you’re able to. This might be your only chance to capture vital information like witness contact information, road conditions, and debris from the crash.
Don’t argue with the driver who hit you and avoid admitting fault or making any definitive statements about the accident. Answer basic questions from the police and first responders, but keep the focus on acquiring urgent medical care without engaging in too much back-and-forth discussion about the details of what happened.
Seek medical treatment immediately. Never assume you’re uninjured because some injuries take time to become obvious. Share any pain, cuts, bruises, or symptoms with a doctor and allow them to determine the extent of your injuries.
Pedestrian accidents tend to be severe and you may have a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a neck or back injury, or deep internal injuries from being struck by a car. Save all of your medical bills and paperwork, including receipts for over-the-counter treatments and supplies.
You have a right to seek compensation from the person who caused so much pain and chaos in your life. Contact an experienced Kentucky pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible.
Most pedestrian accident cases are based on medical bills and evidence from the scene of the accident, including the police report. Your extensive suffering and emotional damage could also factor into calculating your total case value.
Kentucky assigns fault in traffic accidents by comparing various levels of responsibility under the pure comparative negligence rule. Even if you are partially at fault for the pedestrian-vehicle accident, you still have a chance at securing high-value compensation.
Pedestrian Accidents in Central Kentucky: Turn to McCoy & Sparks
Please reach out to the dedicated team at McCoy & Sparks to discuss your pedestrian accident case. We have extensive experience helping injured pedestrians as one of Central Kentucky’s best and most experienced law firms for more than a decade.
We always focus on providing premium service and delivering superior results for our injured clients. We’ll start by getting to know you. Then we’ll explain all of your options, giving you the pros and cons of each choice so that you will feel empowered to make informed decisions.
Call 1-844-4KY-WINS and request a risk-free consultation. We’re here to help you with no obligation. You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for your pedestrian accident.