Intersection Accidents – Pedestrians vs Cars
Consulting an experienced attorney is critical if an inattentive or impaired motorist is to be held accountable after injuring a pedestrian. Swift action is required since recovery can often hinge upon evidence that is essentially perishable. Eyewitness memories can fade or be influenced by insurance investigators. Phone numbers and addresses from police reports can become outdated and officers may inaccurately summarize key elements of potential witness testimony. Security camera footage that may have recorded an incident from nearby businesses or residences is often not preserved for more than a few days. Complicating matters further is the extremely high fatality rate when people collide with cars, leaving the injured person without a voice to describe what happened. When pedestrians do survive these incidents, they often suffer memory loss resulting from temporary or permanent brain injuries due to impact upon hard pavement or concrete.
Experienced trial lawyers such as the Utah car accident attorneys at Howard, Lewis & Petersen recognize the importance of moving quickly and efficiently to preserve all relevant evidence when a distracted or impaired driver hurts a pedestrian. It is key to establish with certainty the visibility factors at the time and location of the incident including street lighting, traffic controls, position of the sun, clothing worn by the victim, weather conditions and any other factors possibly influencing the driver’s ability to see the injured person. In some situations, it may be prudent to obtain a toxicology sample from the pedestrian in order to prove sobriety or insist upon one from the driver for the same purposes. Cellular phone data should almost always be subpoenaed for all involved parties. Photographs and video of the scene illustrating road markings must be acquired in a timely fashion. A good personal injury lawyer may employ safety engineers to assess speed and reaction time or to examine potential claims against any other entities, such as municipalities for ignoring important safety measures or improperly maintaining the intersection or roadway.
There is no substitute for the services of an experienced legal advocate if one seeks accountability and justice after a pedestrian-involved collision. Contact Howard Lewis & Petersen, PC to talk to our Provo personal injury attorneys for legal representation.
UTAH CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY JAKE GUNTER. CALL/TXT (801) 373-6345. LET HIS 20 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE WORK FOR YOU
