Steps to Take After a Pedestrian Accident

A 78-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed in North Carolina four days ago. A vehicle collided with a pedestrian in an intersection. The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries, and an investigation is ongoing. This case is one of many pedestrian accidents in North Carolina annually. Even when pedestrians comply with all local laws and regulations, they are still at risk of being struck by negligent drivers.

Pedestrians do not have any external protection like airbags, seat belts, and the frame of motor vehicles to protect them. As a result, they are more likely to suffer serious injuries. If you are one of the many victims of pedestrian accidents in North Carolina, it is important that you understand what steps you should take next. The steps you take can help or hurt your claim for compensation for your injuries.

The steps you take immediately after the accident could help you recover compensation. It could also help you recover from your physical injuries. If you were able to do so safely, here are some of the steps you should take after the accident to ensure you remain safe and that you can recover the damages you need from the negligent driver who caused the accident.

The first thing you should do is move to a safe place if you can do so. However, if you are severely injured or unconscious, you may not be able to move to a safe place. If you can do so, move out of the path of traffic to avoid further injury or an exacerbation of your injuries.

When you are in a safe place, call 911 and report the pedestrian accident. Ask for an ambulance to come to the scene along with a police officer. Even if you are not sure how significant your injuries are and whether you require significant medical attention, you should stay at the scene of the accident until the police officer and medical team arrived. If you are not sure how severe your injuries are, do not say that you have no injuries.

If the paramedic who comes to the scene tells you to go to the hospital, follow their advice. Otherwise, you will need to see your doctor as soon as possible. Write down your symptoms, and remember that many injuries do not become fully apparent until hours or days after the accident. For example, you may not feel the pain caused by a neck or back injury until the next day.

You should exchange contact information with the at-fault driver. The driver may want to leave the scene if they think you have not been seriously injured. Do not agree with the driver saying they should leave the accident scene. Even if they provide you with contact information and insurance information, the other driver should stay until the police officer arrives at the scene. The police officer will complete a police report that can benefit your claim for compensation in the future.

If a driver refuses to stay at the scene of the accident, use your phone camera to take photos of the car, license plate, and the driver so you can provide them to the police officer. When a driver hits a pedestrian and then drives away before the police officer arrives, it is considered a hit-and-run offense, and the driver will be subject to criminal charges.

If any witnesses have seen the accident, gather their contact information. Their testimony could be important and help you prove the driver's negligence. If you can do so safely, take photos of the position of the car that hit you, your injuries, the driver, the surrounding area, and any other conditions that may have led to the accident.

Take photos if there are traffic signals or street signs nearby that the driver may have ignored. If you remember any factors leading up to the accident, write them down. It can be easy to forget details in the shock of an accident, but any details you remember about the conditions leading to the accident could help you prove negligence.

If you have been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident in Charlotte, North Carolina, the skilled attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, are here to help. We will evaluate your case and help you understand your legal options. Our attorneys have a proven track record of successfully fighting on behalf of pedestrian accident victims. Contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC, to schedule a free case evaluation.