Pedestrian and Passenger Injuries
Pedestrians and passengers injured in car accidents can hold negligent car drivers who injure them liable for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. At the personal injury law office of Carter & Fulton, P.S., our lawyers work with accident investigators and experts as needed in order to expose fault on the part of car and truck drivers that injure our clients.
Since Washington is a pure comparative negligence state, a judge or jury will determine the fault of the parties involved and reduce the award involved by the percentage of fault shared. As a result, insurance companies are eager to investigate accidents in order to shift as much blame as possible away from their policyholder and onto you, the injury victim—whether justified or not. That’s why we carefully gather and review information after a pedestrian knockdown or passenger injury car accident.
Before you talk to an insurance claims adjuster about your injuries, contact pedestrian accident attorneys at Carter & Fulton, P.S., today to schedule a free consultation to learn how we can help you.
Pedestrian Accidents and Passenger-Related Injuries
The personal injury law office of Carter & Fulton, P.S. recovers compensation for pedestrians and car passengers suffering from the following kinds of injuries sustained in an auto accident:
- Head trauma
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Amputations
- Crushed vertebrae and herniated discs
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
Determining Fault—What an Accident Scene Can Tell Us
In pedestrian knockdowns, it’s important to measure skid marks, look at the placement of the setting and rising of the sun, review the signals and signs present at the location of the incident, talk to eyewitnesses, and consider the placement of any broken glass or other debris.
In many cases, we can determine if a motorist was speeding, if sunlight was an issue, if there was a problem with the crosswalk signal or the intersection, or if the driver failed to stop at an intersection.
Similar considerations are important in passenger injury accidents. Did an accident involve a rear-end collision or a side-impact crash? Here, whether the driver who hit you or the driver you were with ran a stop sign or was distracted by something like a cellphone is important for assigning fault.
Additionally, in the state of Washington, an injured passenger (or pedestrian) can recover damages from any party at fault in an accident. For example, if you were a passenger in a car that was hit by another motorist, you can recover damages from both drivers if both were at fault—regardless of who was more at fault.
Contact an Attorney before Talking to an Insurance Claims Adjuster
Insurance companies use a number of different techniques for reducing the amount they pay out in injury claims. Typically, a claims adjuster will contact an injury victim shortly after an accident in the hopes of getting him or her to say anything that can be used against him or her later in court.
First, a claims agent will call sounding sympathetic and concerned about your injuries. After gaining your trust, they may ask questions like whether you were wearing reflecting clothing, walking on the shoulder of the road, wearing a seat belt, or walking against a light. These are largely fishing expeditions, geared toward getting you to say something that can be twisted in court to shift blame on to you.
At Carter & Fulton, P.S., once you hire us to represent you, insurers have to talk to us. That means we can protect your rights and your interests and ensure you aren’t taken advantage of. To schedule a free consultation to discuss your case, contact pedestrian accident attorneys at Carter & Fulton, P.S., today.