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What Should Injured Pedestrians Do After a Michigan Car Accident?

 Posted on April 02, 2021 in Personal Injury

Grand Rapids MI personal injury attorneyOut of everyone who shares the roadways in Michigan, pedestrians have one of the highest risks of suffering severe injuries in a car accident. According to the state’s most recent crash statistics, almost 8 percent of pedestrian injuries are fatal, compared to a less than 1 percent fatality rate for injured vehicle occupants. Pedestrians who survive a collision are often left with catastrophic injuries that affect the rest of their lives. As such, it is important for victims and their families to understand how they can recover compensation for their expenses and losses.

Compensation Options for Injured Pedestrians

In all cases, the first thing you should do if you are injured in a pedestrian accident is to seek medical care. Prompt treatment can give you a better chance of making a full or substantial recovery, and demonstrating that you have received care will also be important for any means of recovering compensation for your injuries.

In Michigan, injury victims in car accidents, including pedestrians, can often look to compensation through no-fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. If you are injured as a pedestrian and you have a vehicle and car insurance policy of your own, you can file a claim with your provider for coverage of medical bills, lost wages, and household upkeep expenses resulting from your injuries. The same may be true if you are covered under the insurance policy of another member of your household. If you do not have your own PIP coverage, however, you may need to file a claim with the insurance provider of the driver involved in the accident, or with the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.

If your injuries were caused by a driver’s negligence, you can also work with an attorney to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. In this case, you will need evidence that the driver breached their duty of care to you. Common examples of driver negligence in pedestrian accidents include speeding, failing to yield the right of way, distracted driving, and drunk driving, and evidence can come from camera footage, police reports, and witnesses, among other sources.

In a personal injury lawsuit, additional compensation may be available beyond the limits of PIP coverage, including for pain and suffering, extraordinary medical expenses, and long-term wage loss due to disability. When a pedestrian is killed in an accident by a negligent driver, surviving family members are also able to pursue compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.

Contact a Grand Rapids Personal Injury Attorney

Attorney John D. Tallman knows how important it is for car accident victims of all kinds to recover fair compensation for their injuries, and he can provide you with the legal advice you need to pursue the best course of action and the representation to help you reach a fair settlement or achieve a trial verdict in your favor. Call 616-361-8850 for a free consultation with a Grand Rapids car accident lawyer today.

 

Source:

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/msp/2018_Year-End_for_Web_653222_7.pdf

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