When a motorist drives in a careless or reckless way and hits a pedestrian, the injuries they suffer are often catastrophic. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a Gahanna, Ohio, pedestrian-versus-car accident, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation to cover your damages. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Gahanna can help.
Under Ohio law, you can hold a negligent motorist liable for the injuries and other damages they caused. This is especially important if the injuries are serious. The financial costs of catastrophic accident injuries add up quickly.
At Bressman Law, we can help you understand your legal options to recover the compensation you deserve. We can identify the liable party, file a claim or a personal injury lawsuit, and fight for the full value of your case. Call us today at (614) 538-1116 for a free case evaluation.
Common Evidence in a Gahanna Pedestrian Accident Case
The value of a pedestrian accident claim varies from case to case, but your compensation generally includes all of your economic and noneconomic losses. These damages reflect the financial and emotional expenses and losses you suffered because of the accident and your injuries.
We cannot guarantee you that we can recover any particular damages in your case. However, some of the most common types of damages we recover for our clients include:
- Medical bills;
- Future and ongoing care costs, if required;
- Lost wages;
- Future lost income if you cannot return to work;
- Related out-of-pocket expenses;
- Property damage costs, such as if your glasses broke or the crash smashed your phone;
- Pain and suffering; and
- Wrongful death, if a family member died in the accident.
Pain and suffering and other noneconomic damages often make up the bulk of the money we recover for our clients in these cases. Depending on the severity of your injuries and your permanent impairments, your noneconomic damages could be several times as much as your economic expenses.
For a free legal consultation with a pedestrian accident attorney in Gahanna, call (614) 538-1116
The Role of Negligence in a Gahanna Pedestrian Accident Case
To recover compensation in a pedestrian accident case, we need to show the driver caused the crash and your resulting injuries. A Gahanna pedestrian accident lawyer can do this by proving they acted negligently. Proving negligence requires us to provide evidence of four key points:
- The driver had an obligation to drive in a safe and reasonable manner;
- The driver was negligent by driving in a careless or reckless manner;
- The driver’s negligence led to your accident and injuries; and
- You suffered damages.
Gahanna Pedestrian Accident Attorney (614) 538-1116
Common Evidence in a Pedestrian Accident Case
We will investigate your accident, and collect all possible evidence to prove fault and support our claim. This is the best way to prove negligence and liability, as well as support our case for full compensation.
The Police Report
The police who respond to your crash must file a report about what they observed at the scene. This can become an important piece of evidence, since it often describes what happened and why, assigns fault, and may even describe laws the motorist broke.
Eyewitness Accounts of the Accident
Eyewitnesses who saw the accident occur or who arrived on scene quickly can also be indispensable when trying to understand what happened. They are especially important in cases where the official police report fails to assign blame or differs from your memory of what happened. We can identify and interview all witnesses in your case.
Accident Reconstruction
Sometimes, we enlist the help of accident reconstruction specialists to help us prove how and why your accident occurred. These specialists will reconstruct the accident using the exact details and data from your crash. We can submit their report to the insurance company, or they can testify to what they found in court.
Medical Records
Your medical records play an important role in demonstrating the serious nature of your accident and supporting our request for pain and suffering damages. Medical evidence can also serve as proof you suffered injuries and damages in the accident.
Documentation of Expenses
To recover the full value of your damages, we need to collect all possible documentation of your expenses. We recommend you keep all medical bills, receipts, estimates, and other financial documents related to your accident and injuries in one place. This makes it easier for us to prove your full range of losses.
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Getting Compensation for Pedestrian Accident Injuries
In most cases, we can settle pedestrian accident claims out of court. When Ohio drivers cause an accident, their liability insurance policy should pay the victims who suffer injuries and losses. This means we can often get our clients the compensation they deserve by filing an auto liability insurance claim.
We begin this process by sending a demand letter to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. In this letter, we outline our case and demand a full payout on behalf of our client. Usually, the insurance company counters with another offer. This offer is typically far below a fair settlement value based on your actual losses, but this means the insurer is willing to negotiate.
While it may take several weeks or longer, we can normally reach a fair settlement agreement with the insurance company. We will discuss any offers with you, and you get the final say. However, we generally will not accept an agreement that we do not feel is fair.
If the insurance company refuses a fair settlement, we still have the option of filing a lawsuit. If this is necessary, we will represent you to the court and present a strong case for full compensation on your behalf.
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How Can I Talk to a Gahanna Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
At Bressman Law, we treat each client as a member of our family. We are a small, boutique firm that fights aggressively for the best possible outcome for each person we help. If you suffered injuries in a Central Ohio pedestrian accident and want to discuss your options for compensation with a lawyer, we can help.
Call us today at (614) 538-1116 for a free case review and consultation.
Call or text (614) 538-1116 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form