According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, hundreds of pedestrians lose their lives each year in Missouri. Even if you managed to avoid this fate in your accident, the road ahead may seem daunting. Life-altering injuries rob survivors of their income, physical health, and psychological well-being.
If a pedestrian accident has harmed you or someone you love, you may be wondering how to move on. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Missouri can help you approach this challenging situation with confidence, efficiently guiding you toward justice, closure, and compensation.
While a pedestrian accident can change your life forever, a lawsuit can help you maintain financial security through uncertain times. Contact Tom Wilmowski, Injury Attorney today – and start pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrian accidents can cause numerous injuries. Each collision is slightly different, and various factors determine the type and extent of these injuries. For example, children may be more prone to head injuries due to their small stature.
On the other hand, elderly individuals may be more likely to suffer fractures due to their brittle bone structure. Injuries may also depend on vehicle velocity and angle of approach.
Head Injuries
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, child pedestrians are most likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) after accidents. This is also a common injury among adults, and it often proves fatal.
That being said, vehicles strike children and adults in different ways. When a vehicle strikes an adult, the initial point of impact is usually at the knee. This impact slams the pedestrian onto the hood or windshield within milliseconds, causing upper body and head injuries. At high speeds, the adult pedestrian continues to somersault over the vehicle – often falling onto the road with secondary cranial impacts.
At this point, other vehicles may strike the pedestrian again – causing a range of additional injuries. In contrast, children are more likely to suffer direct cranial impacts from car bumpers.
Survivors of these brain injuries often struggle with numerous long-term consequences. Brain damage may leave pedestrians with cognitive decline, motor control issues, speech impediments, personality changes, memory loss, and a range of additional injuries.
A particularly serious TBI may cause a patient to slip into a coma or vegetative state. Often, the severity of brain injuries proves difficult to determine – highlighting the need for immediate medical attention. Also known as “brain bleeds,” hemorrhages can put increasing pressure on the brains of unwitting pedestrians – often leading to sudden death.
Plaintiffs and their families should seek compensation for these long-term disabilities alongside their lawyers. A pedestrian accident lawyer in Missouri can help plaintiffs cover the total loss of income caused by TBI. Families can also receive compensation for rehabilitative treatment as their loved ones attempt to re-learn various tasks – including speech, walking, writing, and memory.
Knee Injuries
Medical data shows that knee injuries are very common among injured pedestrians. The knee represents the most common point of initial impact among adults, and a high-speed vehicle can deliver incredible force to this relatively fragile joint.
Although modern vehicles feature crumple zones and more flexible bumper materials, they may still cause a range of serious knee injuries. Tibial plateau fractures and ligamentous injuries are particularly common.
Musculoskeletal injuries are more common than any other injury among adult pedestrians – and most musculoskeletal damage affects the knees and legs. These leg injuries may not carry the same risk of death as TBIs, but they can easily cause long-term disabilities. After suffering a particularly high-speed impact to the side of the knee, a pedestrian may never walk in the same way again.
They may lose the ability to play sports, and they may need to walk with a cane. These injuries may prevent elderly patients from walking altogether – confining them to nursing homes or wheelchairs for the rest of their days.
Fractures
Even a relatively slow-speed collision can cause various fractures. Pedestrians may suffer fractures even in the absence of direct collisions, as they may break their bones after diving out of harm’s way. Aside from the knee area, pedestrians are more likely to fracture their pelvis than any other body part.
Elderly individuals are especially vulnerable to hip impacts, as seniors generally struggle with brittle bone structure. Pelvic fractures may occur after vehicles hit pedestrians, or when pedestrians fall off vehicles and onto roads.
These injuries may put seniors in nursing homes or confine them to wheelchairs. Pelvic fractures also frequently become infected, and this complication can easily prove fatal.
Spinal Cord Injuries
A 2008 study found that about 8% of pedestrians experience spinal cord injuries after accidents. Of these, most affected the cervical (neck area) and lumbar regions (lower back). These spinal cord injuries range from moderate to life-altering.
A common example of a moderate spinal injury is whiplash, which is caused by a sudden jolting of the neck. This musculoskeletal injury affects not only the spine, but also the surrounding soft tissue.
Although whiplash might not be as life-altering as permanent spinal damage, it can still lead to serious discomfort, months of missed wages, and expensive treatments. Whiplash patients may be forced to visit medical specialists such as chiropractors or physiotherapists, and these appointments may not be covered by their health insurance policies.
Quadriplegia and paraplegia are two examples of more serious spinal cord injuries that result in almost total and partial paralysis, respectively. These injuries can dramatically alter a patient’s life – leading to economic losses, medical expenses, and mental health concerns. Paralysis can easily lead to permanent disability and total loss of income.
It may also prevent them from engaging in enjoyable activities, like dog walking or sports. Medical treatments for spinal paralysis are ongoing and expensive – highlighting the need to pursue compensation.
Amputations
A serious pedestrian accident may lead to amputated limbs. Although this is less common than other injuries, it can easily occur after a pedestrian’s arms or legs slip underneath passing wheels.
This may be particularly common if an impact from one vehicle leaves a pedestrian lying on the road, as following vehicles may then run over their limbs. These accidents can completely crush limbs to the point where they are no longer salvageable.
To prevent infection and other complications, doctors may decide that amputation is the only viable option. These injuries are both disfiguring and disabling, and they can drastically alter virtually every aspect of a pedestrian’s life.
Crushing Injuries
Although crushed limbs represent serious injuries, a pedestrian faces even greater hazards if the vehicle runs over their torso. In this life-threatening situation, crushed organs may lead to massive internal bleeding.
If the affected area includes vital organs, it may be very difficult for first responders to save the pedestrian.
Death
Numerous pedestrian accidents prove fatal. Children and elderly individuals are more likely to die from pedestrian accidents than others – and for completely different reasons. Despite being relatively quick and agile, children are more likely to engage in risky behavior – and their smaller stature makes direct head trauma more likely.
On the other hand, seniors are careful to avoid risky crossings. However, they struggle with slow reflexes and poor vision – and they are less likely to recover from trauma in hospitals.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Car Accidents
The term “pedestrian car accident” is misleading, as these collisions may not be accidental at all. Instead, they are frequently caused by negligent drivers who engage in various forms of reckless misconduct.
Intoxication
Depending on the substance, intoxication can increase the chances of pedestrian accidents in various ways. Alcohol affects a driver’s reflexes, judgment, alertness, and motor control. In addition, drunk drivers often struggle with blurred or double vision – making it very difficult for them to spot pedestrians.
Often, drunk drivers misjudge the distance of closeby pedestrians and assume that they are much further away.
Aside from alcohol, a range of other drugs and substances can increase the likelihood of pedestrian accidents. These include marijuana, cocaine, bath salts, and various legal prescription drugs.
Intoxicated drivers often engage in reckless stunts, and drug use is common among street racers. Even commercial drivers abuse drugs behind the wheel to combat the boredom of their professions.
Speeding
Excessive speed is often a contributing factor in pedestrian accidents. Drivers may approach intersections at high speeds, leaving them unable to slow down for crossing pedestrians. For example, a driver might screech around a corner too fast to avoid pedestrians on a crosswalk.
Drivers are also more likely to lose control at high speeds – perhaps veering off roads and onto sidewalks.
Distraction
A distracted driver may struggle to detect pedestrians, and this can have tragic consequences. For example, a driver might be texting while approaching an intersection, and they may be too preoccupied to notice a pedestrian in their path.
Aside from smartphones, a range of other distractions can cause pedestrian accidents – including food, makeup, and passengers.
Failure to Yield the Right of Way
Drivers often fail to yield to pedestrians. A classic example involves a left-hand turn at an intersection. Drivers attempting these left-hand turns must watch not only for oncoming vehicles, but also crossing pedestrians. Pedestrians have the right of way in this situation.
Running Red Lights
Drivers often step on the gas when approaching yellow lights at intersections, arriving too late and hitting pedestrians who have already started crossing. Other drivers run red lights due to distraction or intoxication.
Illegal U-Turns
Some drivers attempt illegal U-turns at intersections, and this can easily cause pedestrian accidents. These drivers may be more concerned about avoiding other vehicles than watching for pedestrians.
Confusing Signage
Sometimes, city municipalities and traffic authorities contribute to pedestrian accidents by putting up confusing signage. A pedestrian might see a construction sign warning them of a closed sidewalk, but there may be no clear alternative route.
The confused pedestrian may then wander onto the road in an attempt to find a safe walking area – only to be struck and injured by a passing vehicle. In situations like these, the authority responsible for the signage may be held liable.
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Damages You Might Recover After a Pedestrian Car Accident
Injured pedestrians can claim a range of damages after a car accident. Damages represent the various losses you have suffered due to your accident, and they determine your total compensation.
Financial losses are called “economic damages,” while emotional/psychological losses are called “non-economic damages.” You can claim both when you file a lawsuit alongside a pedestrian accident lawyer.
Medical Expenses
Pedestrians may incur all kinds of medical bills after their accidents. These costs begin to accumulate at the scene of the accident with treatment from first responders, and they continue as you pay for transport to the nearest hospital.
A single ambulance trip can cost well over $1,000. If you were transported from a rural area via air ambulance, your helicopter trip may cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Depending on your injuries, you may need surgeries, X-rays, wound sterilization, MRIs, and many other treatments after you arrive at the hospital. As your condition stabilizes, you may need to follow up with various specialists.
Rehabilitation can take months or even years, and you may need ongoing treatments for the rest of your life. A personal injury lawsuit allows you to pursue compensation for all of these medical expenses.
Missed Wages
Your pedestrian accident may prevent you from earning income. Even a moderate case of whiplash could force you to miss weeks of work, and this may represent thousands of dollars in missed earnings.
Debilitating injuries may prevent you from ever working again. With an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer, you can pursue compensation for every cent of missed income – both in the future and the past.
Funeral Expenses
If you have lost a loved one to a fatal pedestrian accident, you can pursue legal action on their behalf. You may receive compensation for not only their unpaid medical expenses and missed wages, but also their funeral costs.
Emotional Distress
Emotional distress is an example of a non-economic damage. This represents the pain, humiliation, and discomfort of your injuries.
Disfigurement
If you have suffered permanent disfigurement due to your pedestrian accident, you may receive additional compensation for your psychological consequences. Amputation is one example of disfigurement.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
If you are unable to enjoy certain activities after your pedestrian accident, you can pursue compensation for “loss of enjoyment of life.” For example, a tibial plateau fracture might force you to give up skiing at Snow Creek or another Missouri resort.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Even after your physical wounds heal, you may struggle with permanent psychological scars. With help from a pedestrian accident lawyer, you can pursue compensation for PTSD and any other psychological issues you might have developed.
Contact a Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Missouri Today
Many pedestrians feel uncertain about the road ahead after a serious accident – and this is completely understandable. You may be struggling with a head injury that has caused memory loss, cognitive decline, and serious pain.
You might still be receiving treatment in a Missouri hospital – and perhaps you haven’t had a moment to think about the future. Legal complexities can seem overwhelming when you’re preoccupied with surgeries, X-rays, and rehabilitation. However, there is one thing you should remember during these uncertain times: You are not alone. Contact a pedestrian accident lawyer in Missouri, and you can approach compensation with confidence.
Remember, legal action can provide you with everything you need to cover medical expenses, missed wages, emotional distress, and anything else you were forced to endure. Book your free consultation with Tom Wilmowski, Injury Attorney to get started today.
Pedestrian Accident FAQs
What is a pedestrian accident?
A pedestrian accident occurs when a vehicle injures someone walking in public. This vehicle might be a car, truck, van, motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle.
What are some common places where pedestrian accidents occur?
Many pedestrians attempt to navigate across streets outside of crosswalks, and this frequently leads to crashes. Numerous pedestrian accidents also occur in parking lots. Generally speaking, these accidents are more common in urban areas.
What are common injuries from pedestrian crashes?
Head and knee injuries are most common after pedestrian crashes. After the initial knee impact, pedestrians tend to strike their heads on the front portion of the vehicle – including the windshield and hood. These injuries can easily turn into fatalities, and survivors may struggle with life-altering, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
Why is it so important for an injured party to seek immediate medical care?
Immediate medical care is important after a pedestrian crash from a purely logical perspective. Medical assistance ensures the best possible health outcomes, while delays can worsen injuries. Some injuries prove fatal if not treated by doctors, including undetectable brain bleeds. Medical care is also important from a legal perspective, as it may be difficult to prove the existence and extent of injuries without sufficient medical records.
How does the pedestrian injury compensation process work?
The pedestrian injury compensation process mostly revolves around the insurance company. In an at-fault state like Missouri, an injured pedestrian may sue the driver who caused the accident. Most of these lawsuits are settled out of court, and your pedestrian accident lawyer in Missouri can represent you during these negotiations.
Your settlement amount should reflect your total damages – including missed wages, medical expenses, and emotional distress.
Can you go to jail for accidentally hitting a pedestrian?
Accidentally hitting a pedestrian could be a criminal offense, especially if the pedestrian loses their life. These situations may lead to vehicular manslaughter charges. However, you should not face criminal charges if you did not break any traffic regulations prior to the accident. In other words, you cannot go to jail if the accident was caused by the pedestrian.
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