Columbia Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Your Local Law Firm after a Pedestrian Crash

Pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere, but crosswalks and parking lots are the two most common locations. Innocent people are suddenly struck or even run over by negligent motorists who do not care about their safety. After a collision, you need immediate medical care and the type of steady legal guidance that only an established law firm can provide.

At Call & Gentry Law Group, LLC, we are committed to helping accident victims recover from devastating injuries caused in pedestrian accidents. Those who walk to work, school, or the store confront many hazards, including poorly designed crosswalks and dangerous drivers. We can hold people accountable when their lack of care sends you to the hospital with crippling injuries. Call us today to speak with a Columbia pedestrian accident lawyer about your case and whether you can obtain financial compensation.

Pedestrian Accidents Are Common and Deadly

Here are 2020 pedestrian accident statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• 6,516 pedestrians killed in the United States, which works out to 1 fatality every 81 minutes.
• 54,768 pedestrians were injured across the country, which is equal to 1 injured pedestrian every 10 minutes.
• 82% of all pedestrian fatalities occurred in urban areas.
• 47% of fatal pedestrian accidents involved alcohol.

Pedestrian accidents in Columbia, MO injure children, parents, the elderly, as well as University of Missouri students. No one is completely safe when walking.

What Causes Pedestrian Accidents in Columbia?

Most pedestrians are injured by dangerous drivers. These motorists fail to follow all safety rules, or they are distracted by something, possibly a phone. The most common causes include:

• Refusal to yield. If you are lawfully in a crosswalk, a driver must stop, even if they are in a hurry to get to their destination. Unfortunately, many drivers either blow through the red light or they try to scoot around a pedestrian, only to clip them.
• Impaired coordination or vision. Many different things can impair a driver, causing them to not hit the brakes in time. For example, poor visibility makes it harder for motorists to see pedestrians, especially at night. But drugs or alcohol can also impair visibility and delay reflexes.
• Distraction. Too many motorists are distracted by cell phones. Some distraction is cognitive, meaning the motorist is distracted even after they finish reading a message. They might “see” a pedestrian but not really register that someone is crossing in front of them.
• Speeding. The law of physics teaches us that the faster a car is going, the more space it needs to come to a full stop. Speeding motorists hit many pedestrians, causing some of the most horrific injuries.
• Illegal turns. A driver making a U-turn or left-on-red might not see a pedestrian in the crosswalk. There’s a reason these turns are illegal.

Injuries Suffered in Pedestrian Accidents

The tremendous force generated by these accidents can easily injure a pedestrian. Some pedestrians are even tossed into the air, and they suffer additional injuries when they hit the ground.

Our clients have struggled with:

• Skin abrasions and road rash
• Leg fractures
• Broken or dislocated hip bones
• Internal organ damage
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
• Brain hemorrhage
• Neck injuries
• Facial injuries
• Herniated discs
• Spinal cord injury, including paralysis

Immediate medical treatment can provide relief from pain and improve your ability to recover. However, serious injuries often require extensive medical treatment, as well as physical therapy and surgery.

How We Seek Compensation

Accident victims have options for seeking compensation following a crash:

• Make an insurance claim. If a motorist clipped you, we can typically submit a claim on their liability insurance, which Missouri requires.
• Sue the driver. We might also need to sue, especially if we cannot negotiate a settlement. Some insurers blame pedestrians for jaywalking to reduce your compensation.
• Submit a claim to a corporation that has liability. Sometimes the accident is the result of a defect on the vehicle that hurt you, such as brakes that fail. We might sue the manufacturer or a mechanic shop for faulty repairs.
• Submit a claim to the government. Some pedestrian accidents stem from inadequate lighting or poor crosswalk design. In those instances, the government might bear liability for your accident.
• Seek money from the Tort Victims’ Compensation Fund. This is an option if the driver is uninsured or fled the scene. The fund helps cover some of the costs associated with an accident of this nature.

At Call & Gentry, we believe in seeking full compensation for our clients. We have requested money for medical bills, lost income, property damage, physical pain, and mental anguish. Contact us to discuss how much you might receive.

How We Find Evidence for Your Case

Our firm knows how to make a pedestrian accident claim in a powerful fashion. We need evidence to show what happened and how you are not at fault. Anticipate the driver blaming you for jumping in front of the car.

Our Columbia, MO pedestrian accident lawyer can:

• Listen to your memories of what happened.
• Interview witnesses who observed the collision to uncover what they know.
• Ask the driver questions under oath.
• Request copies of the driver’s cellphone records to find out if they were on the phone at the moment of the accident.
• Search for any surveillance video from nearby stores or businesses that recorded the accident.
• Review your medical records to visualize how the vehicle struck you.
• Visit the accident scene to search for skid marks or other helpful evidence.
• Inspect the vehicle that struck you for information about the speed it was traveling.

We credit our thorough investigations and attention to detail for our success. We have obtained many favorable settlements for our clients, including six and seven figure settlements or court awards.

Call a Columbia, MO Pedestrian Accident Lawyer with Questions

Pedestrian accident victims are not alone in their fight for justice. At Call & Gentry, our entire legal team is dedicated to helping you navigate the claims process. Obtaining a settlement not only protects your family’s finances, but it also promotes public safety. To schedule a meeting, please call our law firm or reach out online.