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Thousands of pedestrians are killed in traffic accidents every year, and another tens of thousands are injured. Children and the elderly are especially likely to be the victims of a pedestrian accident. When walkers have run ins with motor vehicles it can cause serious injuries, and even death.
No Fault Claims
The good news for the victims of pedestrian accidents is that their medical expenses will probably be covered. If a pedestrian owns no fault insurance on a vehicle, their policy will cover any injury resulting from a motor vehicle accident. That’s true even if the vehicle itself is not involved in the crash. Children and other non-drivers can also be covered by the policies of family members living in the same house. If the pedestrian or his or her family doesn’t have any insurance, he or she will still be covered by the insurance policy of the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident or the state’s Assigned Claims Facility.
No Fault Benefits
Once the right insurance provider is identified, victims of pedestrian accidents are entitled to several no fault benefits:
- All medical expenses related to the accident
- Lost wages equal to up to 85% of the victim’s salary for three years
- Attendant care and accessibility modification expenses resulting from the accident
- $20 per day for medically necessary replacement services for household help while you recuperate for up to three years
Pedestrians will have to file an accident claim with the proper insurance company to get these expenses covered. That is why it is so important to keep careful records of all medical expenses after a crash. Anything from major surgery, to therapeutic massage, to the mileage it takes to get there could be recovered, but only if you can provide proof of the expense and its relationship to the injury.
Driver Negligence
When a car hits a pedestrian, there is a good chance the injuries will be severe, even sometimes fatal. In serious injury cases resulting in death, disability, or a serious impairment of bodily function, the victims of these accidents can seek additional damages from the at-fault driver based on his or her negligence.
These additional damages include pain and suffering and other non-economic losses. Your Michigan pedestrian accident lawyer will help you identify your losses and put a money value on your injury.
But these damages may be reduced if the pedestrian was negligent as well, like if he or she was distracted, wearing headphones, or jaywalking. Alcohol use, by either the driver or the pedestrian, can affect the outcome of these kinds of cases.
Pedestrian accidents can create serious injuries and complicated legal battles. If you or someone you know has been hit by a car you need a law firm with experience negotiating the complex legal landscape and the guts to take on the insurance companies. The Michigan pedestrian accident lawyers at Christensen Law have been representing pedestrian accident victims for over 30 years. They can help you or your loved ones get the benefits you need to recover from your injuries.
