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Even when they happen at relatively low speeds, collisions between multi-ton motor vehicles and unprotected pedestrians tend to cause severe and sometimes life-threatening injuries to the pedestrians involved. While it is often possible to seek civil compensation for the effects of these types of injuries, getting paid fairly after a pedestrian crash requires a thorough understanding not just of Pennsylvania law but also of medical science and how your injuries will affect you physically, financially, and psychologically moving forward.
When maximizing civil restitution for Bala Cynwyd pedestrian accident injuries, there is no substitute for the assistance of an experienced pedestrian injury attorney from Lowenthal & Abrams with a track record of getting good results from similar past cases. With that said, here is a brief primer on what kinds of injuries your attorney can help you seek compensation for and what kinds of injury-related losses can be incorporated into your lawsuit or settlement demand.
What Injuries Commonly Occur in Pedestrian Crashes?
There are numerous factors that can play into where and how severely a pedestrian sustains physical harm as a result of being hit by a negligent driver, but the two most impactful ones are generally the type of vehicle involved and the speed at which that vehicle was traveling. Cars like pickup trucks and SUVs may cause injuries to the upper body more than the lower body since the front bumper is situated higher off the ground. In contrast, sedans and other lower-seated vehicles are more likely to directly impact the legs and lower torso. As for speed, the faster a car moves, the more force it can generate in an impact and the more damage anyone upon whom that force is exerted may sustain.
Common injuries from these sorts of wrecks include but are not strictly limited to:
- Road rash
- Spinal cord damage
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Lacerations from broken glass or jagged metal
- Ligament tears, particularly in the knees and shoulders
- Bone fractures, particularly in the upper legs, pelvis, and hands
A skilled pedestrian wreck attorney in Bala Cynwyd can help build a comprehensive civil claim for these and other injuries caused by a driver’s negligence while behind the wheel.
How Injury Severity Affects Civil Claim Value
Civil courts in Pennsylvania technically have the authority to impose punitive damages against defendants in personal injury claims, specifically in response to how they caused the person’s injuries. However, this rarely happens outside of extreme situations. Generally, the only thing determining the value of a pedestrian accident claim in Bala Cynwyd is how the person’s injuries will negatively affect their life.
Someone who sustains an relatively minor injury such as a broken arm generally will not have an exceptionally valuable civil claim because their injury-related losses are finite and will only last as long as their temporary injury takes to heal fully. Conversely, someone who is permanently paralyzed through spinal cord trauma after being hit by a negligent driver will have a much more valuable claim since they will need much more compensation to account for long-term forms of harm like lost working capacity, future medical bills, and various types of physical and psychological suffering.
Learn More About Recovering from Pedestrian Accident Injuries from a Bala Cynwyd Attorney Today
Any injury severe enough to need professional medical care can be the basis for a civil lawsuit if it stems directly from someone else’s negligence. Compared to injuries in other types of auto accidents, Bala Cynwyd pedestrian accident injuries tend to be especially severe and, because of that, uniquely challenging to take effective legal action over.
Fortunately, you have help from knowledgeable legal professionals who know how to help people like you proactively enforce their rights. Call the attorneys at Lowenthal & Abrams today to schedule an initial consultation.
