Pedestrian Hit By A Car? Here Is What You Need To Do Right Away In Rhode Island!

While we all love underdog stories, when a David-like pedestrian goes up against a vehicular Goliath, the results are never biblical. Pedestrians will almost always suffer severe injuries and deserve full personal injury compensation to cover them. If you have been hurt on the road or sidewalk by a car, this article will tell you what to do to have the best chance of recovering maximum compensation, including:

• What you must do immediately after being struck by a car as a pedestrian in Rhode Island.
• What your claim could be worth, and how it will be affected by any blame you have for the accident.
• How long you have to file your personal injury claim, and how to pick the best attorney to help.

What Steps Should I Take Immediately After Being Struck By A Vehicle As A Pedestrian In Rhode Island?

Whenever you are hit by a vehicle, your first and most immediate concern should be medical attention. Once you have gotten any immediate injuries tended to and help is on the way, then it is time to gather as much information as you can.

If you can do so, gathering evidence at the scene can be essential when trying to prove your personal injury case later. If you cannot do so directly, try to convince or ask someone else at the scene to do so.

What Evidence Should I Gather At The Scene Of My Rhode Island Pedestrian Accident?

After being hit by a car, it is important, as a pedestrian, to acquire as much evidence of what happened and why as you can. This includes identifying witnesses and obtaining their contact information, taking photographs of the scene, vehicle, injuries, and conditions.

Often, as a pedestrian hit by a car, you will not be capable of gathering all that evidence due to the severe nature of your injuries. Do your best, but do not jeopardize your health or safety; ask someone else at the scene to do so instead.

Consider calling an attorney to send someone to help or advise you on what evidence you might need. Especially because that evidence will be essential to building a personal claim worth a substantial amount of money.

How Much Is My Pedestrian Accident Personal Injury Case Worth?

Any time you are hurt due to the negligence or recklessness of someone else, they are legally responsible for covering the harm and damages caused to you. This compensation can be obtained through a personal injury claim against them (or rather against their insurance company).

You can claim and obtain compensation for your injuries, medical bills, treatment expenses, time lost from work, pain and suffering, and more. All these factors quickly add up to substantial sums. And while the money will do nothing to undo the harm, it is the least you deserve after such a harrowing experience.

Best of all, even if you hold some or most of the blame for the accident that caused your injury, your lawyer can still help you claim personal injury compensation in Rhode Island.

Can I File A Personal Injury Claim Even If I Was Partially At Fault For The Accident?

In Rhode Island, personal injury law operates under the pure comparative negligence statute. This statute means that you can file a personal injury claim even if you are partially at fault, even if you are more than 50% at fault.

You will not, however, receive the same amount of compensation as you would if you had none of the blame. But still, you will receive damages proportionate to the degree of fault established. If you are 60% at fault, you will receive 40% of your maximum damages.

As a result, you will always be able to collect some damages and compensation in Rhode Island, assuming you file on time.

How Long Do I Have To File A Personal Injury Claim After A Pedestrian Accident In Rhode Island?

By law, you have three years to file a personal injury claim after an accident in Rhode Island. If you miss the deadline, you will not be allowed to file the claim or recover any compensation. However, that deadline is more flexible than it may at first appear.

Sometimes, you might only realize you have a claim later if the injuries are not immediately obvious. So, the full answer is closer to having three years after your injury is discovered to file.

That said, the deadline can pass by all too quickly even then, and building an ironclad claim takes time. You should immediately contact an experienced personal injury attorney after your pedestrian accident.

How Can I Find The Right Attorney To Represent My Personal Injury Claim?

When you are considering which attorney to hire to represent you in a personal injury claim, you want someone who has considerable experience. It is crucial to find an attorney who can evaluate your claim and has successfully obtained results for other pedestrians in similar circumstances.

Additionally, while it is often preferable to settle with the insurance company of the driver responsible, you might have to go to court if they are uncooperative. Therefore, you also want someone who will not be afraid to bring the case to court if needed.

Having someone ready and willing to fight out your claim in court will establish with the insurance company that your attorney can and will go as far as necessary to ensure you are properly compensated. This might make them think twice about denying or diminishing your claim.

For vigorous and court-ready personal injury representation for a Rhode Island Pedestrian Accident Injury Claim, call (401) 831-0555 as soon as possible after your accident.