Being hit by a car is a frightening experience. Pedestrians can suffer severe injuries even when a vehicle is traveling at a relatively low speed. After the collision, protecting your health and preserving evidence should be priorities.
Seek Medical Treatment
The first priority is medical attention.
Some serious injuries are not immediately obvious. A traumatic brain injury, internal injury, or spinal injury may not produce dramatic symptoms at the scene.
Medical documentation can also help establish the connection between the accident and the injuries that follow.
Report the Accident
A pedestrian crash should generally be reported to law enforcement.
The police report may document the location, vehicles involved, statements, witnesses, road conditions, and other information.
However, an accident report is only one piece of evidence. A thorough investigation may reveal additional facts.
Photograph the Scene
If you are physically able to do so, photographs can preserve important evidence.
Images may show:
- The intersection
- Crosswalk markings
- Traffic lights
- Vehicle damage
- Road conditions
- Lighting
- Nearby signs
- Debris
- Clothing damage
If you cannot take photographs yourself, someone else may be able to preserve this evidence.
Identify Witnesses
Witnesses can be especially important in pedestrian cases.
A witness may have seen the vehicle approach, observed the traffic signal, or noticed whether the driver was distracted.
Obtain contact information when possible.
Look for Surveillance Video
Many pedestrian accidents occur near businesses, intersections, parking lots, apartments, or other properties with surveillance cameras.
Video may capture the collision or events immediately beforehand.
Because surveillance systems may automatically overwrite older recordings, identifying potentially relevant video quickly can be important.
Do Not Assume Your Injuries Are Minor
Pain and other symptoms may develop after the initial adrenaline from the accident wears off.
Headaches, neck pain, back pain, dizziness, numbness, confusion, and other symptoms should not be ignored.
Understand the Potential Long-Term Impact
A serious pedestrian injury can affect employment, mobility, independence, and family responsibilities.
Ponton Law’s practice focuses on serious and catastrophic personal injury claims, including cases involving severe injuries that can have lasting consequences.
If another party caused the crash, determining what happened and documenting the full extent of the injuries can be essential to protecting the claim.