Having an accident which impacts on your life is stressful. When you are trying to cover medical costs and need to take time off work to recover, it is important that you know what your financial options are. Personal injury attorneys help people who have been through an accident and now seek recourse from the other person who caused it. Before you meet with a personal injury attorney, there are details you need to gather so the attorney can help you with your case. These posts are all about what accident and personal injury attorneys do, what they need from you, and the different situations where using one is beneficial to your lifestyle.
You may be out walking your dog without a care in the world and a car appears out of nowhere and strikes you. If you have suffered injuries as a result, you will usually be entitled to compensation for those injuries. However, while seeking compensation from an insurance provider, you might discover that they are trying to blame you for the accident you have suffered. Under these circumstances, you will need help from a personal injury attorney to make your case for why you deserve compensation.
Where You Were Walking Matters
The defense might use where you were walking as a way to argue that you were at fault for the accident. Areas that will affect your case include:
Even if you are walking in a location that could be considered dangerous, you can counter by pointing out that the other party was speeding, driving unsafely through the construction zone, or had plenty of time to react to you and slow down.
Walking and Using a Mobile Device
If you were using a mobile device, the defense may argue that you were distracted and therefore partially at fault. Distractions would include texting and walking as well as any activity you might engage in with your device. For example, you might enjoy listening to music as you walk. However, if the defendant is not able to prove that you were using a mobile device, they cannot use this as an excuse to reduce your settlement.
Taking a Long Time to Cross the Street
If you have a hard time getting across the street quickly, you might be accused of contributing to your accident. However, if you are a senior or disabled, the driver is expected to be patient when a senior is crossing the street.
Daydreaming
Many pedestrians use their walks as an opportunity to think about other activities that they will engage in on that day. However, if you are injured, the defense might claim that you were distracted and not paying attention and that you should have been focused on what you were doing. However, an attorney might cast doubt on this claim.
If you are able to challenge the ways that you may be blamed for the accident, you might be able to maximize the compensation that you will receive because your settlement will not be reduced through comparative negligence. To learn more, contact a personal injury lawyer today.
Share17 March 2021
