Being involved in a car accident can be traumatic, and what’s scarier is that these events occur every day. In fact, 2014 alone saw almost 90 deaths every day as a result of motor vehicle accidents.
Can you imagine how scary it would be to hit a pedestrian?
While pedestrian accidents aren’t quite as common as auto accidents, they’re just as terrifying. In many cases, even more so than an ordinary car accident. But if you’re ever involved in such an event, you need to know what to do. Here’s a quick guide with all of the steps you should be taking immediately following a pedestrian accident.
Safety First
The first thing you should do after a pedestrian accident is not call a pedestrian accident attorney. Rather, you should immediately contact emergency medical services. In addition, you should exit your vehicle and check for any injuries, both on your passengers and the pedestrian(s) involved in the accident. And be careful! Many car accident-induced injuries are internal and may not be visible to the untrained eye. you should stay put until emergency services arrive.
Contact Law Enforcement
It can be tough to contact law enforcement before calling a pedestrian accident attorney, especially if you were the one driving. But it’s crucial that a police report be filed, no matter who is ultimately at fault. These reports are important legal documents that are used both by pedestrian collision attorneys and insurance agencies.
Talk to Your Lawyer
Once everything has settled and you’ve had a chance to take a breath, you should call your lawyer. The sooner you call your auto attorney or pedestrian attorney, the better. Before you call your lawyer, it’s important that you speak to the other party as little as possible, for risk of unintentionally admitting fault. You should answer only those questions asked by law enforcement and medical services.
Pedestrian accidents are terrifying, but there’s no need to panic. Your lawyer, the police, and emergency medical services will all be there to help handle the situation and attain an accurate account of what happened. If you follow these important steps after a collision, you’ll be on the right track.