The injuries suffered when vehicles strike pedestrians can often be catastrophic because of the lack of protection during the forceful impact. Unfortunately, the results can often be life-altering, leading to permanent disfigurement or disabilities. While pedestrian accidents continue to rise throughout the country, Florida has one of the highest rates of severe and deadly traffic events involving people on foot.
Many factors increase the risks of life-altering or fatal events, and when they happen because of driver recklessness, you must hold them responsible. For more information, schedule a meeting with a diligent lawyer to handle claims involving Inverness pedestrian accident injuries.
Different Types of Injuries
Some of the different types of injuries people sustain after a car strikes them include the following:
Head Trauma
Head trauma, from mild concussions to traumatic brain injuries, is common in pedestrian accidents. Brain damage can lead to lasting disabilities, such as cognitive, physical, and emotional impairments, requiring ongoing medical services and therapy. Skull fractures are also serious injuries and may require extensive medical treatment.
Face and Dental Damage
Striking their face on the car’s hood is relatively common, leading to severe facial and dental trauma. That may include deep lacerations and cuts, contusions, broken jaws, and chipped or broken teeth. The forceful impact may knock teeth out of the socket, requiring expensive tooth implants.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
They may also sustain back and spinal cord injuries, leading to permanent nerve damage and permanent disability, such as paralysis affecting parts of the body. Symptoms may include decreased coordination or sensation, numbness, tingling, and limited movement abilities.
Musculoskeletal and Soft Tissue Injuries
Musculoskeletal injuries, such as broken bones and fractures in the arms, legs, ribs, and pelvis, commonly occur. Recovery may include surgical procedures, casting, and rehabilitation. Soft tissue injuries may include strains, contusions, and sprains to the victim’s ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
Internal Organ Trauma from Impact
Internal organs, such as the intestines, spleen, kidneys, and liver, may occur, also putting them at risk of internal bleeding. Seeking medical care immediately is crucial as they can be life-threatening or fatal. An Inverness lawyer skilled in handling cases involving pedestrian accident injuries could investigate to collect the essential evidence to review and determine liability.
Safety Facts and Risk Factors
Thousands of accidents involving pedestrians are fatal. Some of the most significant hazards and risk factors include the vehicle’s speed, size, and the location where the event occurs. Sadly, many suffer the severe consequences of driver negligence, and the fatal accidents were entirely preventable.
Information from the federal government agency, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted numerous studies nationwide and found more than half of fatal events occur on urban roads, with higher speed limits and defective road designs also contributing factors. Further, the roadways with the highest rates of fatalities were adjacent to commercial retail space.
Other contributing factors include alcohol and vulnerable individuals, such as adults over 65. An attorney could answer questions about pedestrian accident injuries in Inverness and help obtain a fair settlement.
Claim for Damages
After a driver’s carelessness, victims have legal rights to file a claim and pursue payment from the responsible party. The suit must show that the defendant’s actions caused the crash and the reckless actions relate to the damages and losses they sustained.
While there is no standard amount, the settlement can be substantial when the cause of action is severe or deadly. Tort laws seek to cover the plaintiff’s losses and return them to their financial position before the accident.
Speak to an Attorney Today About Pedestrian Accident Injuries in Inverness
Not only are pedestrian and vehicle-related accidents severe, but they are often deadly. By adhering to the traffic safety guidelines and understanding the cause and potential outcome, you can help keep yourself safe.
However, even after taking every precaution, you are still at risk of suffering severe harm and losses because of a motorist’s negligence. Contact a hard-working lawyer who is seasoned in claims involving Inverness pedestrian accident injuries if you need help with a case.
