According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), a pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident approximately every two hours, and a pedestrian is injured in a traffic-related event accident about once every eight minutes. Pedestrian accidents can be especially dangerous because pedestrians do not have the protections that drivers and passengers in a vehicle have.
Since pedestrians are usually out in the open with very little to no protection against large moving vehicles, retaining a personal injury attorney to help you recover for any ensuing damages could be critical to your future well-being. If you were a pedestrian involved in a traffic crash, get in touch with a St. Louis pedestrian accident lawyer for help seeking compensation for your injuries.
Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
While every pedestrian accident is different, several commonalities are noted between them. According to the NHTSA, pedestrian accidents are most likely to occur:
- Between the hours of 9 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.
- In urban areas
- In non-intersection areas like sidewalks, bike paths, and shoulders of the road
- In the dark
There are many different contributing factors that can lead to a pedestrian accident, with alcohol consumption for the driver or pedestrian occurring in 49 percent of the accidents which involved the death of a pedestrian. Unfortunately, about one-fifth of all pedestrian accidents involve a hit-and-run.
Other contributing factors include distracted driving such as eating or texting, medical emergencies of the driver, and road conditions. A St. Louis pedestrian accident attorney could likely argue that these behaviors represent evidence of negligence on the part of the driver who hit you, which in turn could make that driver liable for your damages.
Statute of Limitations Applicable to St. Louis
If you intend to file a lawsuit for their injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident, a pedestrian accident lawyer in St. Louis can provide information on the requirements to do so. One of these requirements is following the five-year statute of limitations for pedestrian accident cases as noted in Missouri Revised Statutes §516.120. Specifically, you have five years from the date of the accident in which to file a lawsuit against the parties who caused or contributed to your damages.
One scenario that may extend the statute of limitations is your age at the time of the accident. Missouri Revised Statutes §516.170 provides that if the injured person is less than 21 years of age at the time of the accident, they would be given a full five years once they reach the age of 21.
It is extremely important to not only have a carefully built pedestrian accident case but to also file it within the deadline set by the state. A lawsuit filed after the five-year limit would likely be dismissed by the courts after the defendant files a motion to have it dismissed based on an expired time limit.
Get Help Today from a St. Louis Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Victims of pedestrian accidents need to know that they are not alone. While you may have suffered some debilitating injuries and devastating medical debt due to the carelessness of a negligent driver, a St. Louis pedestrian accident lawyer could stand by your side from start to finish of your case.
If it is important that you are represented by skilled trial lawyers who have experience developing cases so that they can be settled for maximum compensation. You also need to know, however, that your lawyer is willing to take the case to trial and ask a jury to provide a favorable verdict to compensate you for your injuries.