More so than any driver or passenger inside a motor vehicle, pedestrians have an exceptionally high risk of suffering catastrophic harm from accidents involving motor vehicles. To make matters worse, proving someone else legally at fault for an incident of this nature can be a time-consuming and procedurally complex endeavor, particularly if you proceed with a claim without first seeking help from a knowledgeable legal professional.
Hiring a Shelton pedestrian accident lawyer should be the first step you take after seeking prompt medical attention following a crash. Beyond just helping you build a strong case against the person or people responsible for your injuries, your capable personal injury attorney could work diligently to ensure you receive restitution for your losses.
The basic legal principle that forms the foundation for most personal injury cases in Shelton is negligence. To hold someone else liable for a pedestrian accident based on negligence, an injured individual must demonstrate that the four key elements of legal negligence were all present during the incident:
In practice, breaches of duty that led to pedestrian accidents generally take the form of either overt violations of traffic law or momentary careless acts like looking at a passenger instead of the road ahead. As a knowledgeable attorney could further explain, pedestrian accident victims in Shelton often must also prove that they bear no fault for causing or worsening their own injuries. This is because Connecticut General Statutes §52-572h allows courts to reduce the value of civil damage awards by whatever percentage of fault a plaintiff holds for their own losses. An attorney could help ensure that the injured person does not face imbalanced accusations of blame in their injury case and work to get them the full compensation amount they need.
A pedestrian injured in an accident caused by someone else’s misconduct can demand financial recovery for every type of harm their accident-related injuries directly result in. A comprehensive claim can factor in both economic and non-economic losses stemming from an incident like this, including medical expenses, lost work income, personal property damage, physical and emotional pain, and lost quality of life.
It is worth noting, though, that filing deadlines apply to all personal injury claims, including those resulting in injuries that have lifelong disabling consequences. Because of that, it is generally best to contact a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer in Shelton as soon as possible following such an incident.
Pedestrian accidents result in numerous preventable injuries in Shelton each year, many of which have permanent repercussions for impacted individuals. In the aftermath of accidents like this, having qualified legal counsel by your side can be vital not only to maximizing your financial recovery through ensuing civil litigation, but potentially to getting any compensation at all.
A conversation with a Shelton pedestrian accident lawyer could provide answers to important questions and guidance about your next steps. Call today to schedule a free consultation with a dedicated member of the Berkowitz Hanna legal team.
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