If a driver struck you while walking, you may have the grounds to seek compensation for your injuries and losses. Our Tuskegee pedestrian accident attorney can step in and manage your personal injury claim while you seek the medical care you need to recover from your injuries.
The Tuskegee personal injury lawyer from the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown understands what you and your family are facing. You don’t have to carry the burden of medical bills, lost income, and your pain and suffering on your own. We have recovered over $100 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients in the past 30 years. We can help you rebuild your life after this tragic event. Call us today and receive a free case consultation.
How Our Tuskegee Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Help
The legal team with the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown all share the same goal: to do what is best for our clients. Attorney Dwayne Brown believes in managing a small number of cases at any single time so that we can provide each client with a personalized strategy. Plus, if your needs change, we can adapt to them.
When we take on your pedestrian accident case, you can count on us to do the following:
- Investigate the accident scene
- Collect evidence and relevant information
- Interview eyewitnesses
- Consult with experts
- File claims and lawsuits on time
- Speak on your behalf during negotiations or at trial
- Provide legal support and guidance
We will be with you through the entire legal process. If you have any questions, we can provide you with prompt answers and keep you updated on your case.
We seek to develop a personal relationship with our clients so that you and your lawyer work as a team. You can tell us how the accident has impacted your life, and we will check in on your progress, even suggesting doctors for second opinions if you want. Our pedestrian accident attorney in Tuskegee, AL, is here to help you and your family.
You Will Owe Us Nothing Unless We Win
Our law firm provides legal services to our personal injury clients on a contingency fee basis. Under this agreement, you pay nothing up front. Instead, we receive a preapproved portion of your settlement or court award. If you do not win, we don’t get paid.
To learn more about us, read some of our testimonials and then call to speak to a member of our team.
Drivers Have a Legal Obligation Toward Your Safety as a Pedestrian
As your personal injury law firm, it will be our responsibility to prove how the at-fault driver or party was negligent in your pedestrian accident. The first of four steps in negligence is the duty of care, the obligation the other party has toward your safety.
All drivers have a duty of care towards other operators and pedestrians on the road. First and foremost, all drivers must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, per AL Code § 32-5A-211. If a sidewalk is not available, pedestrians must walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic. Pedestrians do have their legal obligation to yield to cars when crossing outside a crosswalk, but both parties must obey traffic signs and signals. Ultimately, drivers are legally obligated to watch for and avoid hitting pedestrians under AL Code § 32-5A-213.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
The next step in negligence is the breach of duty. This is the at-fault party’s decision to violate their legal responsibility for a pedestrian’s safety.
In pedestrian accidents, typical common causes may include the following:
- Distracted driving
- Impaired driving
- Fatigued driving
- Speeding and aggressive driving
- Failure to yield to pedestrians or obey signs
Though most of those behaviors can be attributed to driver errors, your accident could also be the result of poor road maintenance or design. If your pedestrian accident was due to a lack of sidewalks or poor visibility, you may have grounds to file a notice of claim against the municipality having jurisdiction over the road.
Contact the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown for a free legal consultation. We can review your case with you and explain your legal options.
Pedestrian Accidents Reported Across the State
When drivers fail to watch for pedestrians, the results are often devastating. According to the 2022 Alabama Traffic Crash Facts Booklet, there were 814 pedestrian accidents that year. Of those accidents, 633 pedestrians were injured and 112 were killed.
Victims in these accidents often suffer severe to catastrophic injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Dislocation
- Scarring and disfigurement
Victims can receive medical attention at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery, a level-two trauma center, but the costs will be high.
Our Tuskegee Pedestrian Accident Attorney Will Seek Maximum Compensation
Once we connect the at-fault party’s actions or inaction to the accident, we then must demonstrate your losses. Legally referred to as damages, your losses may include a wide range of financial hardships, physical injuries, and emotional trauma.
Economic damages reflect direct financial losses. Non-economic damages represent losses in your quality of life. Your damages may include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Disability and disfigurement
- Property damage
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Your case may also include punitive damages. If the defendant’s actions were excessive and devoid of any concern for public safety, a judge or jury could award these damages. However, they are rare.
It is also important to note that the compensation you seek should reflect your current losses as well as any future issues you may have. If you accept a settlement before knowing the full extent of your injuries, you will not be able to go back to ask for more.
Our Tuskegee pedestrian accident lawyer can protect you from making this error by compiling a full list of damages in your case and negotiating on your behalf with the insurance companies.
Proving How the Liable Party Was Negligent in Your Tuskegee Accident
Our pedestrian accident attorney in Tuskegee will collect evidence to prove the four stages of negligence. The evidence we will seek generally includes the following:
- Police reports
- Medical records
- Accident scene photographs
- Video footage from traffic cameras
- Physical evidence
- Statements from witnesses
- Expert testimony
You could aid in the collection of evidence after the accident by keeping a record of what you remember, a file with all correspondence you received from the insurers, photos of your injuries, and a journal of your recovery. Plus, follow through on your doctor’s orders.
Alabama Has a Two-Year Statute of Limitations for Pedestrian Accidents
Per AL Code § 6-2-38, you typically have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit with the Macon County courthouse. If you miss this deadline, the courts will bar your case. This consequence will then directly impact your ability to effectively negotiate a fair settlement from the insurance companies.
However, if you contact us as soon as you can, we can get to work building your case and protecting your rights. Additionally, it will give us time to preserve evidence before it may be lost, destroyed, or forgotten.
A Tuskegee Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Fight for Your Recovery
As a pedestrian accident victim, you have enough to deal with. Our Tuskegee pedestrian accident lawyer can take the legal burden of pursuing fair compensation for your injuries and losses off your shoulders, allowing you the time and peace you need to recover.
Call the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown today for a free case consultation.
