If you were hit by a motor vehicle while you were walking, you should seek help from a local pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible. A skilled lawyer could take the lead in your case and help you seek compensation for damages. There are many steps involved in investigating a pedestrian accident, including collecting evidence, speaking to witnesses, and reviewing police reports. It is best to speak to an attorney in your community to learn the nuances of pedestrian accident investigations in Pascagoula.
Even though it is helpful to reach out to an attorney following a pedestrian accident, it is not necessary to have a lawyer when speaking to law enforcement at the scene. If you have been struck by a vehicle and able to speak with authorities, then do so. But most victims are not able to speak with authorities right away. Witness statements will have to substitute for the victim until the victim is able to speak.
The lawyer will usually get a drafted police report before assisting the claimant. It usually takes a week or two for the final report to be drafted. Once that draft is received by the office, they can request any amendments that need to be made to the report, if necessary. Officers rarely amend reports, so it’s imperative to get it right the first time.
When one or both parties are transported to the hospital, investigators or officers will be required to get statements from parties later if available.
Police investigation reports are extremely important. Insurance adjusters heavily rely upon them and will scrutinize the reports to favor their insured.
Attorneys and clients are under no obligation to provide the insurance companies with information, but an attorney will want to provide the information that is helpful to the case.
If the insurance company is doing their own investigation, they probably will find that information out eventually. However, it is important to wrap up a case as quickly as possible, and not bog down the other side’s investigation with a bunch of useless games.
The most important evidence used in a pedestrian accident case is going to be firsthand accounts of the victim and person driving the vehicle and from the witnesses. Secondly, physical evidence, the type of injuries that were sustained, and reports are important evidence that will be gathered.
An attorney will review the medical records and determine the type of injuries that were sustained. Insurance and accident histories of the driver are extremely important as well.
Pictures are extremely important for accidents. Victims, witnesses, and authorities will take pictures that will be used. We hire accident reconstructionists (experts who recreate accidents to determine fault), who will use pictures and videos of the scene to recreate the accident.
Statements from victims, witnesses, drivers, physicians, nurses, other treating personnel, ambulance drivers, and police officers can be crucial to the ultimate determination of the case.
In death cases, there will be at least one witness to the accident who cannot testify. Therefore, we have to rely on other witnesses to the accident.
Unfortunately, drivers flee the scene in pedestrian accident cases often. The pedestrian who was struck, if they are able, should be talking with witnesses to get a vehicle description and report that to police immediately so that the vehicle can be tracked down.
Certainly, tag numbers and any other identifying markers would be very important, but that is not always possible in these situations.
As a pedestrian, they are in a better position to potentially identify the driver. Driver identification would be important to relay to the authorities. However, ultimately, if they were not able to identify the vehicle and the driver, witnesses would be their most important resource.
After being involved in an accident with a motor vehicle driver, injured pedestrians should retain the services of an experienced attorney. A lawyer could investigate your incident and help you hold the negligent party accountable for your damages. While the injured person is usually in the best position to gather some evidence, injury attorneys know how to access information and know the right forms to file to get information. A skilled lawyer could hire accident investigators to go to the scene and talk to witnesses and recreate the accident so it can be determined who is actually at fault.
Call today to learn more about pedestrian accident investigations in Pascagoula.