No matter where or how it occurs, a collision between a moving motor vehicle and an unprotected pedestrian is almost guaranteed to cause serious physical trauma to the pedestrian while barely harming the vehicle’s occupants at all. That being said, being struck by a negligent driver while walking does not automatically give you the right to sue that driver.
Instead, your grounds for civil litigation are based on whether you sustained an injury serious enough to require some kind of professional medical care as a direct result of another person’s misconduct. With that in mind, here are some examples of Tempe pedestrian accident injuries which are often serious enough to warrant legal action, and which our team here at Phillips Law Group can help you build a strong civil claim over.
Lacerations and Abrasions
In many situations, the most severe injuries caused by pedestrian accidents in Tempe come not from the initial impact of the vehicle against the unprotected pedestrian, but instead from the pedestrian landing on the street or other hard surface. If a pedestrian ends up sliding on the ground for several feet, they may sustain road rash over much of their body, and rolling over the hood of a speeding car can lead to deep cuts and other injuries if the car’s windshield breaks during the crash.
Soft-Tissue Injuries
Many of the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues that allow for a full range of motion can suffer debilitating and long-lasting trauma in a pedestrian collision. Dislocations in the shoulders and tears of the ligaments in the knees are especially common outcomes of accidents like this, as are tendon sprains in the wrists and problems around the hips.
Bone Fractures
Of course, a motor vehicle weighing several thousand pounds can generate more than enough force to break bones in any pedestrian that vehicle ends up striking, even when the accident happens at relatively low speeds. Depending on the height of a vehicle’s front bumper, the primary area of concern for bone fractures in Tempe pedestrian accidents may be either the upper legs and pelvis or around the arms and upper torso, and either way, the resulting injuries may involve fractures in multiple places which may require surgical intervention to correct.
Catastrophic Injuries From Pedestrian Collisions
Unfortunately, some pedestrian collisions cause irreversible damage to the pedestrian involved, most commonly through traumatic damage to either the brain or the spinal cord, resulting in a permanent loss of bodily function. In some situations, impacts from motor vehicles can also or alternatively cause damage to internal organs that may reduce their functionality for years to come, and even comparatively less severe impacts can cause scarring and other forms of physical disfigurement.
Let a Tempe Attorney Help Recover for Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrians in Arizona are expected to pay attention to their surroundings and watch out for oncoming traffic before entering crosswalks or crossing roadways anywhere else. Still, drivers have an even more substantial duty of care, requiring them to watch for passengers and do everything they can to avoid hitting them. Because of that, someone who sustains serious physical trauma from being struck by a motor vehicle driver will very often have grounds to demand civil compensation from that driver for every negative effect that incident has on them.
If you need help getting the most money possible for your Tempe pedestrian accident injuries, you should reach out to a lawyer from Phillips Law Group sooner rather than later. Call today to set up a consultation.
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