When motor vehicles and pedestrians collide, the people on foot – not those in the multi-ton vehicle – bear the brunt of the damage. Victims are often left with debilitating injuries that require expensive medical care to treat. They’re often out of work while they recover and may face long-term impairment affecting their ability to continue their career and take part in the activities they love. If a driver hit you in Watertown, SD, you could be owed substantial compensation for the effects the pedestrian accident has had on your life. Let a Watertown pedestrian accident lawyer from Turbak Law Office, P.C. pursue it on your behalf.
Our firm is committed to helping people in positions like yours stand up to at-fault parties and deep-pocketed insurance companies. Don’t make the mistake of attempting to pursue your negligence case alone. Without legal representation, you might not know the fair value of your case and could get pressured into accepting far less than you deserve. Instead, let experienced personal injury attorneys handle the heavy legal lifting, giving you the time and space you need to recover. Contact us today for a first free legal consultation and case evaluation and discuss your case together. A Watertown personal injury lawyer can assist victims in securing financial recovery for both physical and emotional damages caused by such incidents.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Watertown, SD
Many pedestrian and car accidents occur because of careless or reckless behavior on the part of motorists, causing individuals to suffer injuries. For instance, common causes of accidents can include:
- Distracted Driving – Drivers using their phones, adjusting the radio, or being distracted by passengers often fail to notice pedestrians, especially at crosswalks and intersections.
- Speeding – Excessive speed impairs a driver’s reaction time and decreases the likelihood of stopping in time to avoid hitting a pedestrian.
- Failing to Yield the Right-of-Way – Drivers have a duty to yield to pedestrians at intersections, parking lot entrances, and marked crosswalks. Failure to do so could make the at-fault party liable for a collision.
- Impaired Driving – Alcohol or drug use impairs a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely, affecting their judgment, reaction times, and ability to notice pedestrians.
- Turning at Intersections – Drivers who focus on oncoming traffic while turning often fail to notice pedestrians crossing the street.
- Mistakes When Backing Up – Drivers may not check their surroundings thoroughly while reversing, leading to collisions with pedestrians in parking lots or driveways.
- Ignoring School Zones and Pedestrian Lanes – Drivers who disregard reduced speed limits in school zones or do not respect pedestrian lanes put pedestrians at high risk.
Accidents are more common in conditions of poor visibility, such as at night or during heavy rain, fog, or snow, when drivers might not see pedestrians until it’s too late. However, it’s up to drivers to adjust their behaviors to suit the conditions. Bad visibility is no excuse for a collision.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrians are completely exposed in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle. They do not get the benefit of a steel frame, seatbelts, or airbags. This puts them at a higher risk of suffering severe injuries. For example, pedestrians who have suffered injuries in accidents can include the following:
- Head Injuries – These can range from relatively mild concussions to severe traumatic brain injuries, often resulting from the pedestrian’s head hitting the ground or the vehicle.
- Spinal Cord Injuries – These injuries can lead to significant nerve damage, paralysis, or other long-term disabilities, depending on the area of the spine affected.
- Broken Bones – Fractures are very common in pedestrian accidents, particularly in the legs, arms, ribs, and hips.
- Soft Tissue Injuries—These include sprains, strains, and tears in muscles, tendons, and ligaments, which can occur anywhere in the body due to sudden impact.
- Internal Injuries – These injuries are invisible but can be life-threatening. They include internal bleeding and organ damage or rupture caused by the force of the impact.
- Lacerations and Abrasions – Skin injuries are very common and can range from minor scrapes and cuts to deep wounds needing stitches or surgery.
- Pelvic Injuries – Because of the height of most car bumpers, pelvic injuries are frequent and can be severe, particularly in children and elderly victims.
- Facial Injuries – These can include dental injuries, jaw fractures, and severe cuts or bruises to the face, often resulting from hitting the vehicle or the ground.
Filing a personal injury claim is crucial to secure compensation for these injuries.
When Drivers Must Yield to Pedestrians in Watertown
South Dakota law establishes the circumstances under which pedestrians have the right of way. Unless a police officer directs otherwise, drivers must yield to pedestrians when:
- The pedestrian is crossing within a clearly marked crosswalk
- The pedestrian is crossing at a regular pedestrian crossing included in the space separating two otherwise continuous sidewalks
- The pedestrian is crossing a signal-controlled intersection on a green or go signal
If a driver hit you while you were walking in any of these scenarios, you could have grounds for a personal injury or negligence claim against them. Also, obtaining a police accident report can be crucial in establishing liability in personal injury cases. A Watertown pedestrian accident lawyer from Turbak Law Office, P.C. can help determine if you file a personal injury lawsuit claim.
Compensation for Pedestrian Accident Victims
If someone else is to blame for the pedestrian accident that injured you, they should have a responsibility to compensate you for the serious harm and suffering they’ve caused you. This personal injury accident compensation could include:
Medical Expenses
This compensation from the insurance company covers current and future medical bills related to the accident. This includes medical records such as hospital stays, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and any specialized medical care.
Personal injury lawyers play a crucial role in securing compensation for these medical expenses, ensuring that victims receive the financial support they need.
Lost Wages
You may recover reimbursement for lost income from being unable to work due to injuries. This claim can also include loss of earning capacity if you claim that you can no longer work in the same capacity as before the accident.
Pain and Suffering
This is compensation for physical pain, and emotional distress suffered as a result of the accident. This includes ongoing discomfort, fear, anxiety, and the impact of the injuries, resulting in physical limitations in daily life.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
This compensation addresses any loss of enjoyment due to disabilities or chronic pain that prevents you from engaging in hobbies and other recreational activities you once enjoyed.
Rehabilitation Costs
This covers the cost of necessary rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other forms of rehabilitation to help you regain independence.
Home and Vehicle Modifications
This is compensation for necessary modifications to a home or vehicle to accommodate a disability resulting from the accident, such as wheelchair ramps or specialized driving equipment.
Long-Term Care
You may be entitled to recover compensation for the injury or ongoing care needs, especially if the injuries result in permanent disabilities requiring long-term personal or medical care.
Emotional Distress
This compensation reimburses you for psychological impacts such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety, which are common in serious injury cases.
The company insuring the driver who hit and injured you is likely the responsible party responsible for paying for these losses. However, it’s important to remember that insurance companies are for-profit businesses, and they’ve developed tricks to get claimants to accept less than they’re truly owed. Don’t put your future well-being at risk. Instead, trust your case to an experienced lawyer with Turbak Law Office, P.C.. A Watertown personal injury attorney can handle the claims process and ensure you receive the comprehensive settlement you deserve.
Time Limits for Filing a Personal Injury Claim in South Dakota
South Dakota has a statute of limitations on personal injury claims that establishes a deadline for how long you have to file your pedestrian accident lawsuit. If you do not initiate legal action within three years of the accident, the defendant can move to have your personal injury case dismissed as untimely. If this happens, you will likely lose your right to take legal action to seek compensation and economic damages for your injuries. Don’t run this risk – get in touch with a pedestrian accident lawyer in Watertown today.
How a Watertown Pedestrian Accident Attorney from Turbak Law Office, P.C. Can Help
The aftermath of a serious pedestrian accident in Watertown can be a devastating time. You’re likely in pain and facing a stack of medical bills that might be hard to pay while you’re out of work. You deserve to focus your attention on your rest and recovery. But how can you do that while you’re badly injured and in need of financial compensation for medical costs for what you’ve suffered? Watertown personal injury lawyers can assist you in understanding your rights, navigating the legal process, and securing compensation for your injuries, all while prioritizing client satisfaction and offering personalized legal services.
The answer: turn to the team at Turbak Law Office, P.C. for help. While you treat for medical attention for your personal injuries, our pedestrian accident lawyer can get to work by:
- Investigating the accident to gather valuable evidence of the driver’s legal fault
- Consulting with accident reconstruction experts as necessary to strengthen your case
- Reviewing evidence like photo and video footage, medical bills, and employment records to calculate fair compensation
- Filing insurance claims on your behalf and negotiating with insurance companies for out-of-court settlements
- Taking your case to trial if litigation is the best path forward
Are you worried about the legal cost of engaging our services? Don’t be. We work on a contingency basis. This means we take cases without charging clients an upfront fee for the legal process. Instead, our fee is entirely dependent upon our winning the case. If our Watertown pedestrian accident attorneys don’t put money back in your pocket, you don’t put money in ours – it’s that simple.
Contact a Watertown Pedestrian Accident Lawyer at Turbak Law Office, P.C. Today
Ready to stand up and demand financial compensation both from an insurance company and the driver who hit you? Then contact a Watertown pedestrian and car accident attorney from our legal team at Turbak Law Office, P.C. today. We’ve dedicated our careers and years of experience to helping injured South Dakotans rebuild their lives after serious accidents. Our firm wants to help you during this challenging time and get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation with a Watertown pedestrian accident lawyer and find out what your case could be worth.