Car accidents happen and they are never pleasant. Even the bump kisses require you to stop, estimate the damage, call the police and pay fines if necessary. After that you need to fix the car bumper and all of that is losing time.
Even worse are pedestrian accidents. The most important thing in any kind of accidents, especially the ones that involve pedestrians is to make sure everyone’s doing ok. In case someone ends up hurt, you need to call an ambulance so that they can receive proper care, instantly.
Pedestrian accidents with fatal outcomes aren’t common, fortunately. But what happens if you are involved in a pedestrian accident, whether as a driver, pedestrian or passer-by. What do you do?
Here are the crucial steps in the process.
1. Stay Calm and Estimate The Injuries
The first thing you should do is try to stay calm, which can be difficult. You’ve just been hit by a vehicle but calming yourself is a must, at least initially. Take a good look if you have any injuries and see if everything is ok.
If you are lucky, there should be people nearby who will help you get up and move you from the street to help you. Once you see that there aren’t major injuries, the next step is to try to move. Move your arms, legs and try to walk. If there are any injuries that prevent you from moving, you will notice it right away. If you can move, it is important to walk off the road, but if you cannot do that, someone needs to call 911 right away for you to receive medical aid.
2. Calling the Police
Right after the accident and the moment you’ve checked yourself, you or someone else should call the police. There is a high chance that someone has already called the cops, but you must make sure by asking people around or the driver. Regardless of the severity of the injury, it is important for the police to show up to file an official report on the accident.
With the police, the emergency services will be called as well if somebody didn’t call them already. They might arrive together to make sure that there aren’t any injuries.
Even though you checked by yourself, you may be in a state of shock and not notice certain bumps and bruises. That is why it is important for an ambulance to arrive and see that everything is indeed fine. Often, due to shock or the rush of adrenaline, you may not notice the injury.
3. Don’t let the driver leave
Some drivers may panic after the hit and they may try to leave the site of an accident. If you are calling the police, make sure the driver stays there. In case you ask them to share their personal information with you, they might refuse to do it, but if they are willing to stay and wait for the police, then you don’t have to worry about it.
If you notice that the driver will leave or wants to leave, ask them politely if they can wait here with you. However, do not blame the driver about the fault, even though this may be a logical thing to do. Also, don’t apologize because how you act on the site can determine what happens later on if the case goes to court. You might say something like: “This is partially my fault, I wasn’t looking” and this can be used against you during the case.
4. Take pictures
What you are allowed to do, once it is established that you are ok is to take pictures of the site, where the driver hit you, the speed signs and take note of the license plates, especially if the driver wants to go away and refuses to stay. You can share the license plate number with the police for them to track him down later on.
Don’t be afraid to take names and contact information of any witnesses as well. They can be called later on to testify on the accident provided the case ends up in court. Some people might refuse to do that, but it is enough to collect 2-3 names and number and when you explain what you need it for, we are sure that they will help you out.
You never know who the person behind the wheel is and whether he is willing to take the responsibility for the fault or not. You never know whether you will need a pedestrian accident attorney, but in case you do, it is useful to have all this stuff.
5. Medical Insurance
There is a chance that you will get insurance coverage in any situation such as this one. However, this is another segment where you need to be careful. It is best to consult with your pedestrian accident attorney before you answer any questions, discuss fault, make any statements or agree for any settlements. This can also be used later in any potential case.
6. Find a Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Last but not least, you need to find an attorney who specializes in pedestrian accident because they can guide you through the entire process. They can determine whether you should file the case and defend your rights in court and whether it is worth it to do so.
We suggest that you find several attorneys and check their prices and services before you make a decision. If you need a Kansas City pedestrian accident lawyer, you can find more information on https://www.royceinjurylawyers.com/pedestrian-accident-lawyer-kansas-city-mo/
Conclusion
Participating in a pedestrian accident is not pleasant, but we have helped you go through it the best way possible. At the end of the day, it is important that everyone is alright and even if you escape with the minor injuries, you should be thankful that you are ok. However, you need to know what your rights are and consulting with an attorney after an accident is crucial to determine future steps.
