Do I Need a Lawyer if I Was Involved in a Pedestrian Accident?
Have you ever heard the phrase, it’s an open and shut case? This is rarely true, especially when it comes to pedestrian accidents. Keep that fact in mind when deciding whether or not to seek a team of New York City personal injury lawyers to help with your case. Otherwise, you may cheat yourself out of the compensation you deserve. Here are three reasons why.
Reason #1: Sometimes liability is hard to pin down
Imagine you’re taking a stroll one evening when you decide to cross the street. As you do, a car slams into you, landing you in the hospital with bruises and broken bones. Who’s to blame for your injuries? It’s easy to say the driver is 100% at fault. This may or may not be true, and here’s why:
- Vehicle defects might have contributed to the accident: You may remember the notorious 2014 case involving Toyota Motor Corporation. Faulty accelerators caused drivers to lose control of their automobiles. This is only one example of how safety defects can play a role in causing accidents.
- The road may have lacked proper signage: You’ve probably seen road signs advising drivers of an approaching crosswalk. If one of these signs goes missing, then liability for the resulting accident may lie with the local municipality or highway department.
- Streetlights may have been absent or non-functioning: Unlit streets make it difficult for drivers to spot pedestrians. This is another case in which local governments or transit authorities may be at fault.
Sometimes multiple parties are liable for an accident victim’s injuries. It takes a professional personal injury attorney to say for sure.
Reason #2: Accident victims face stiff opposition
Insurance adjusters and accident investigators are supposed to act fairly and objectively when evaluating claims. All too often, however, they worry more about their company’s bottom line than about doing what’s right.
In some cases, insurance companies may even try to bully accident victims into signing away their rights in exchange for a minimal settlement. This rarely works out in the injured party’s favor.
The best way to guard yourself against this kind of strong-arm intimidation is to trust your case to a qualified New York car accident attorney. Otherwise, you may find yourself facing an uncertain future.
Reason #3: Lawyers do more than argue cases
TV would have us believe that attorneys spend all their time arguing cases in an emotion-packed courtroom. But, while this kind of drama makes for good television, it fails to show the actual work that lawyers do 99% of the time.
The bulk of their day is spent doing research. That’s because evidence, not rhetorical skill, decides the outcome of most cases. But uncovering the truth behind a pedestrian injury takes the kind of investigative ability that comes with being a skilled legal professional.
Besides conducting investigations, an attorney can help you in other ways as well. For example, they can connect you with capable doctors, or go to bat for you against aggressive bill collectors. A little knowledge and peace of mind will go a long way to helping you recover from your accident.
Contact Douglas & London today
Pedestrian accident cases are rarely as simple as they first appear. Sorting out the tangled web of clues and contingencies takes the kind of help that only a skilled attorney can provide. The clock is always ticking when it comes to a personal injury case. So, get in touch with the qualified New York City car accident lawyers from Douglas & London today. You’ll look back on the decision as one of the best you’ve ever made.
