When a pedestrian accident happens, it can not only cause significant injuries but sometimes death as well. In fact, a recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) suggests that pedestrian fatalities in the United States have reached its highest levels in over 30 years last year. It is important for loved ones after these accidents to recover the rightful compensation on behalf of the deceased. In doing so, contact an experienced Pennsylvania personal injury attorney for assistance.
What Does the Report Say?
The GHSA report, titled “Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State,” provides preliminary data from the highway traffic safety offices in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. This data showed that there was an increase in pedestrian deaths over the years, reaching its highest level in 2019 since the year 1988. It also shows a 5% increase in deaths from 2018, with 6,590 pedestrian accident deaths in the following year. Similar to other personal injury accidents, the cause of pedestrian accidents is often the negligence of other parties. Backed up by this report, it states that the accidents in 2019 were due to unsafe road crossings, distracted or impaired driving, and large SUVs and trucks on the road.
What Do I Do if I am Involved in a Pedestrian Accident?
After a pedestrian accident takes place, it is critical that the following steps are taken care of in order to secure a successful future claim towards recovering compensation:
- Call the necessary emergency services (police and an ambulance)
- Obtain contact information from any witnesses to the incident
- Take pictures and videos of the scene of the accident
- Obtain medical documentation after receiving treatment
- Retain the services of a skilled personal injury attorney to recover additional evidence for a case
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
When a person is either injured or dies in a pedestrian accident, legal action can be taken in order to recover compensation. However, it is important to know that victims or their loved ones should not wait too long to do so. This is because there is a statute of limitations in place. This is as a deadline that the injured party or their loved ones are required to meet to file a claim. In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for both a personal injury and wrongful death case is two years from the date of the injury or death.
Contact our Firm
Attorney Newman has represented clients in Pennsylvania for over 45 years. If you need an experienced attorney to help guide you through the personal injury claims process or with any criminal defense matters, Attorney Newman is ready to help. Contact The Law Office of Neal E. Newman today to schedule a consultation.