People living in cities have the opportunity to travel to places on foot. Instead of getting in their cars, they can walk to certain locations, such as a grocery store. By walking, they may find it is quicker in their congested area rather than using a form of public transportation. When these people are crossing roads, they should be aware of the where the crosswalk is and when they are able to cross safely. Although these pedestrians may not expect it, they are still subject to accidents. If drivers are not operating their vehicle and maintaining awareness of their surroundings, they may not drive safely. If a driver is distracted for some reason, they can be unaware of the pedestrian, resulting in the walker being struck by the car. This can lead to grave injuries. The pedestrian has no form of protection from this heavy, fast-moving vehicle that can cause life-threatening injuries to them.
When these situations occur, pedestrians have the opportunity to press charges against the responsible party that was driving the car. If the driver was operating the vehicle in a reckless manner or was not aware of their surroundings, the pedestrian may be able to prove negligence on behalf of the driver. By proving negligence in these cases, it may entitle the pedestrian to receive compensation for their accident.
Why do I have to prove negligence?
Negligence needs to be proven in order for the pedestrian that was harmed to receive damages from the lawsuit. This negligence can show that the driver was not driving to the best of their ability and was partaking in unsafe driving manners. They may have been distracted by their phone or bad weather could have played a factor. Their vision could have been clouded, causing them to miss the sight of an oncoming pedestrian. Sometimes a third party may be involved in the situation. This third party can be a municipality. When these cases are pursued, the injured individual has the opportunity to gain damages. These damages can be in the form of non-economic or economic damages. Non-economic damages cover the emotional turmoil that you have suffered from as a result of your accident. Economic damages can cover the cost of medical bills that have piled up, along with lost wages from your job and lost future wages if you are unable to return quickly.
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