5 Considerations if You’re a Pedestrian and a Vehicle Hits You
We all live our lives in a certain way. Most of us follow a routine that’s probably going to include things like eating our meals, going to work, exercising, spending time with the family, recreation, etc. We know where we’ll be and what will occupy us based on what day and time it is.
However, car accidents can change your lifestyle in many meaningful ways. That’s true if you’re in a car that gets hit by another vehicle, or if you’re out walking around. In this article, we’ll concentrate on that second scenario.
Here are five things you’ll have to deal with if you’re a pedestrian and a car hits you.
You’ll Have to Figure Out Who Covers the Medical Expenses
It’s sometimes not immediately clear who has to pay the medical expenses if a car hits a pedestrian. Part of what will determine that can be:
- Whether you were in a crosswalk when the driver hit you
- Whether you were trying to cross the street against the light
- Whether something distracted the driver
If distracted driving caused the accident, you should get the driver’s insurance to pay for your medical bills with no problems. If your medical bills come to more than the maximum insurance amount, you might have to bring a civil case against the driver.
One thing is certain: you can’t go on with your life until you figure out how to pay for what could be very costly medical bills.
If You’re Injured, You Might Not Be Able to Work
A car accident injury can sometimes be quite dangerous. For instance, you might have to deal with:
- Broken bones
- A concussion
- A spinal injury
How hard the car hit you will determine a lot. A little nudge probably won’t be all that bad, but if the driver struck you while going at a decent speed, you might have severe injuries.
Depending on what you do for a living, you might not be able to return to work for quite some time afterward. The recovery time could be weeks or months. You might need physical therapy or surgery.
You may have the option to work from home, depending on what it is that you do. The driver or their insurance might have to pay for that lost income if you’re entirely unable to work for a while.
You Might Not Be Able to Do Physical Activities
Some people who get hit by cars are athletic types. For instance, maybe you like to go to the gym regularly, ride your bike, or do more adventurous activities like hang gliding, skiing, surfing, or snowboarding.
A severe car accident injury means those things will not be possible. You might eventually recover enough that you can do some or all of them again, but it also might turn out that you can never do some of the things you once enjoyed.
You may find that to be cause enough to sue the driver. Loss of life enjoyment is something for which you deserve financial compensation.
You Might Not Be Able to Drive
You also might find that if a driver hits you and injures you, you can no longer operate a vehicle yourself. Maybe you liked driving very much, or at the very least, you relied on your car to run errands.
Now, you’ll find it hard to get to the grocery store, doctor’s appointments, or to visit family or friends. Where once you took driving for granted, you might have to pursue other options until you recover sufficiently to do it again.
You may have to rely on public transportation like trains or buses for a while. You might also use Uber, Lyft, or other ride share services. Perhaps you might even need family members to drive you around. Hopefully, in time, you can drive again.
You Might Deal with Depression
Your demeanor might change after a car hits you. Maybe before, you were a very cheerful person, but now, you’re sad because of these necessary lifestyle changes.
You might have to seek therapy, so you can talk about what’s troubling you. If you suffered any permanent injuries, then it’s hard to stay positive sometimes.
You’ll have to draw on your inner strength to get through this tough time in your life. Your friends and family should help you, as well.
In the best scenario, you’ll recover fully or partially from your injuries, and in time, you’ll return to your old routine.
Great advice. This seems to happen a lot in this area.