If you were hit by a car on Long Island, seek medical care, then hire a pedestrian accident lawyer to seek fair compensation for your accident-related damages, including the cost of your medical care.
Being in a pedestrian accident takes a physical, psychological, emotional, and financial toll. If you hire a Long Island pedestrian accident lawyer, they will enable you to focus on recovery while they work to ensure you don’t pay out of pocket for the cost of the accident.
Steps to Take Immediately After a Pedestrian Accident ion Long Island
The time after an accident can be confusing, and you may have conflicting thoughts about how to move forward. You may even consider simply “toughing it out” after the collision, perhaps because you don’t think you’re severely injured.
You must consider your health and your case’s potential financial cost. With these in mind, you should:
Allow a Qualified Doctor to Examine You
Injuries from pedestrian accidents do not always show symptoms right away. For example, a brain injury like a concussion may not produce all of its symptoms immediately after your collision.
By seeking a doctor’s treatment as soon as possible, you:
- Will receive a diagnosis for all accident-related injuries
- Will receive treatment advice from a doctor
- May prevent the worsening of your injury symptoms
- May avoid developing additional health problems
You may also receive medical images, written diagnoses, bills, and other documentation that proves the connection between your pedestrian accident and your injuries. This can prove beneficial to your insurance claim or lawsuit.
Hire a Trustworthy Pedestrian Accident Lawyer to Seek a Financial Recovery
You may focus on financial recovery once you receive the medical attention you need. Hiring a lawyer is how many pedestrian accident victims choose to pursue compensation for accident-related damages.
Do I Have to Hire a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
Every accident victim must decide when to hire a lawyer, and it is always advisable to do so.
Seek a lawyer’s assistance because:
- Most people have little to no experience handling contentious insurance claims. Unfamiliar circumstances can cause stress and mistakes are all too easy to make when you are uncertain how to handle a claim. When you need money to cover accident-related damages, your lack of familiarity with the insurance process can be harmful to your case.
- You want a lawyer’s guidance and advice. Unlike you, a seasoned pedestrian accident lawyer will have experience with the process that unfolds after a pedestrian accident. More specifically, your lawyer will have experience with insurance claims, lawsuits, and any other action that can produce compensation for you.
- A law firm can cover the cost of your case. Your law firm may also be a source of financial relief. Most pedestrian accident attorneys use a contingency fee structure, which means the firm only receives compensation if their client does. The firm pays for the case, and they only get rewarded if they succeed for their client.
- You want to focus on recovery, not the legal process. You may not be facing just a physical recovery but also psychological and emotional hearing. Your health is always the top priority, and you may need to dedicate most of your time and attention to recovery.
Pedestrian accidents and their aftermath are unfamiliar territory for most victims. Hiring a lawyer may be the surest way to avoid stress and promote recovery after your accident. Your decision to hire a lawyer may also produce the financial results you seek.
What Qualities Should I Seek in a New York Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
As you determine which pedestrian accident lawyer in Long Island should lead your case on Long Island, you may consider the following:
The Law Firm’s Reputation
Reputations matter in the legal industry, as law firms can vary greatly in their service quality.
Seek independent reviews of the law firm (perhaps from Google Reviews) and evaluate:
- Whether the law firm has largely positive reviews
- Whether the law firm has primarily negative reviews
- Common trends among different reviewers (whether these trends are positive or negative)
If you know anyone who has used a law firm you are considering using, ask about their experience. A particularly stellar reputation (or the opposite) may influence your decision of which firm to hire.
The Law Firm’s Fee Structure
Most pedestrian accident lawyers on Long Island use a contingency fee structure. This structure means the law firm only receives a fee if it handles the case successfully.
Rather than you having to pay an upfront or out-of-pocket fee to your lawyer, this fee structure means:
- The law firm usually frontspays the entire cost of completing the insurance claim or lawsuit
- The client agrees to pay the law firm a percentage of any financial recovery they secure for the client (typically between 30 and 40 percent of the settlement or verdict)
- The law firm completes the case, and they collect their fee if they are successful
Attorneys must cover their expenses and efforts. The law firm will seek compensation that covers the client’s accident-related damages while also typically covering the firm’s costs.
The Firm’s Results in Other Pedestrian Accident Cases
You should seek relevant experience when hiring a lawyer on Long Island.
More specifically, you may seek a firm that:
- Lists pedestrian accidents as a prominent case type
- Has handled many pedestrian accident cases
- Has a lengthy record of securing financial recoveries for pedestrian accident victims
Many law firms post their case results online. During your free consultation, you can also ask the firm’s representatives about relevant case results.
The Firm’s Size
While a law firm of any size can be successful in a car accident case, you may seek a law firm with ample resources.
During your consultation, you may ask the firm’s representatives:
- Which attorney will be leading your case
- Whether you can expect personalized attention from your lawyer
- Whether the law firm is willing to hire experts and take other elective measures to build your case
You must determine what you value most in a car accident lawyer. Attentiveness, willingness to fund your case without constraint, and active communication are qualities that may attract you to a specific firm.
The Impression You Get During Your Free Consultation
Law firms typically offer free consultations to prospective clients.
A consultation is a no-cost conversation, and you can use this discussion to:
- Ask the law firm why it is qualified to lead your case
- Ask the law firm about its fee structure
- Learn about the firm’s culture
- Hear the firm’s vision for your case
- Determine which law firm is most qualified to represent you
You deserve a car accident lawyer who will prioritize your case and your needs as a client. Do not hesitate to ask any questions you believe are relevant, as a free consultation is one of the best ways to identify the firm for you.
What Will an Attorney Do to Secure My Financial Recovery?
Car accident lawyers customize their approach to each specific case. However, you can expect your attorney to handle many common responsibilities that include:
Securing Evidence Related to the Pedestrian Accident on Long Island
Your attorney will collect any evidence that can benefit your case, including:
- Video footage showing how the accident happened
- Eyewitness accounts, which may be abundant if the motorist hit you in a crowded area
- A law enforcement officer’s account of the pedestrian accident
- An expert’s reconstruction of the accident, which may utilize witness accounts and other evidence
- Photographs of the accident scene
Attorneys investigate pedestrian accidents with an open mind, knowing that no two accidents produce the exact same evidence profile.
Documenting Your Damages
The cost of traffic accidents that cause injury can reach seven figures, but a lawyer must prove the cost of these damages if they hope to secure fair compensation.
Your lawyer may prove the nature and financial cost of your damages with:
- Bills for all accident-related medical care
- Testimony from doctors, mental health experts, and any other professionals with insight into your accident
- Past income statements that help prove the income you have lost because of your accident
Each lawyer has their own approach to documenting damages. By speaking with you, consulting with your doctors, and investigating your damages on their own, your lawyer will create a comprehensive record of your damages.
Calculating the Exact Financial Cost of Your Damages
Attorneys must have a specific settlement target before entering settlement negotiations. Your lawyer will not begin negotiating until they calculate your economic, non-economic, and future damages.
Seeking a Settlement
Most pedestrian accident cases result in a settlement, as all parties often have motivations to avoid trial. As the victim facing financial losses, you may want to secure compensation as soon as possible—settling is the quickest path to a financial recovery.
A competent lawyer will fight for the best possible settlement offer and only advise you to accept if that offer is fair.
Going to Trial, if Your Case Warrants
Some pedestrian accident cases warrant a trial. If your case heads to court, your lawyer will:
- Seek a settlement agreement before the trial starts
- Complete discovery
- Handle oral arguments
- Present evidence and expert testimony
- Question and cross-examine witnesses
- Represent you in all other aspects of the trial
Juries can often award injured pedestrians substantial financial recoveries. A trial can be an effective way to secure the compensation you deserve, and you may want an experienced lawyer leading your case.
Managing the Administrative Aspects of Your Case
Pedestrian accident cases involve many important details, including:
- Communications with insurance companies and representatives for the at-fault motorist
- Completing, fact-checking, and submitting all case-related paperwork
- Arranging all case-related appearances
- Providing you with frequent case updates
- Helping you provide statements to insurers
Many elements of pedestrian accident cases are unpredictable. By allowing a lawyer and their team to lead your case, you can have peace of mind knowing your attorney is dealing with every detail.
Hiring a lawyer can significantly benefit your recovery, spare you sleepless nights, and lead to the strongest possible case.
Pedestrian Collisions Pose a High Risk of Serious (and Expensive) Injuries
When a motor vehicle strikes another motor vehicle, all parties have the protection that their vehicle provides. When a motor vehicle strikes a pedestrian, the pedestrian has virtually no protection from serious injury.
For this reason, you may:
- Have severe physical injuries
- Face significant psychological and emotional trauma from the collision
- Face an unusually high cost for your accident-related damages
You may even have disabling injuries that will cause lifelong expenses and hardship. You must receive money covering your damages to protect your financial future, and a pedestrian accident lawyer will work to ensure that you do whenever possible.
Who Is Financially Responsible for a Pedestrian Accident?
Your attorney will establish who is financially responsible for your accident and may trace liability to:
- The motorist who hit you
- An employer whose employee hit you while on the job
- A vehicle manufacturer whose defective product contributed to your accident
- A city that allowed dangerous road conditions that led to your accident
- Any other party whose failures or position relative to the accident make them legally responsible for your damages
Once your attorney has identified liable pirates, they will start securing compensation from those parties.
An Attorney Will Seek Complete Financial Coverage of Your Accident-Related Damages
Your Long Island pedestrian accident lawyer will create a detailed account of your damages, which may include:
- Medical bills, which may result from emergency care, hospitalization, follow-up medical appointments, and all other accident-related care
- Lost income
- Diminished earning power
- Pain and suffering
- Treatment for pain and suffering
- Property costs, which may include replacing clothing, your cell phone, and other damaged property
This account of your damages and their associated values will determine how much compensation your lawyer seeks for you.
Find a Capable Pedestrian Accident Lawyer on Long Island Today
An attorney can represent you whether you’ve suffered injuries or lost a loved one. Don’t wait to find the right pedestrian accident lawyer, as they face a non-negotiable filing deadline. Call now.
