An average car weighs about 4,000 pounds, leaving an unprotected pedestrian vulnerable to severe or catastrophic injuries in a collision. Data from the National Safety Council (NSC) warns that 17.9% of traffic fatalities in a single recent year were pedestrians. A pedestrian accident victim may be unconscious or incapacitated after the accident, leaving them dependent on others for help; however, an injury victim or witness can take immediate steps to protect their physical well-being and strengthen their pedestrian accident case.
First, Apply First Aid and Call 911
After being hit by a car, it’s crucial to move out of the road and to a safe location if you can move safely without causing further injury. Apply basic first aid to address emergencies, including bleeding and traumatic amputations. Then, call 911 if no one else has done so, and request emergency services. If your injuries are minor, call someone to transport you directly to the hospital from the accident scene for a complete medical evaluation. Otherwise, allow the paramedics to transport you.
Use Your Phone to Preserve Evidence
While you wait for emergency services to arrive, use your phone’s camera to photograph the car that hit you, any visible injuries, and the accident scene. Be sure to include anything relevant to the accident, such as a crosswalk, traffic signs, or skid marks. As the injury victim, you have the burden of proving that the driver’s negligence caused your injuries under Missouri’s fault-based injury laws. By having the foresight to preserve evidence at the scene by taking photos, you can help streamline your claim process.
Add Crucial Information to Your Phone
Add the driver’s information to your phone’s contact list before leaving the accident scene with paramedics or the person driving you to a hospital. If you have time, it’s helpful to use your phone to record what you remember about the moments leading up to the accident and what happened. Trauma often fades these crucial details during the hours after severe trauma.
What to Do at the Hospital After Being Hit by a Car
At the hospital, the medical providers will treat your emergency injuries. Still, it’s always a good idea to ask for a complete medical evaluation to ensure that they diagnose and treat every injury, including those that often have delayed symptoms, such as some types of traumatic brain injuries, internal organ injuries, and whiplash. Ask for a detailed medical report and physician’s notes listing all of your injuries, the treatment your doctor recommends, and the prognosis for your recovery.
Save Medical Invoices and Bills, and Call a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Once you’ve had medical treatment and are safely recovering, contact an experienced St. Louis pedestrian accident attorney and direct all communication with the insurance company to your lawyer. Insurers sometimes reach out very soon after an accident with a low settlement offer intentionally made before you know the full scope of the damages you’re facing. During the weeks following your accident, save all medical invoices and bills, and receipts for injury-related expenses.
You will also need an employer’s statement and copies of your recent tax returns showing your income.
Taking the Right Steps After a Pedestrian Accident Benefits Your Physical and Financial Recovery
It can be challenging to take purposeful action when you’re seriously hurt and dealing with the shock of severe trauma; however, by taking purposeful action, you not only increase your chances of physical recovery but also make a later injury compensation claim more straightforward and maximize your chances of recovering the compensation you deserve.