When a pedestrian accident occurs, it can cause life-changing injuries to those involved. In some cases, it can even result in death. A new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) suggests that pedestrian accident fatalities have increased, reaching a 30-year high in 2019. Victims of these accidents and loved ones of a deceased have the right to recover compensation after this happens. If your loved one died in a pedestrian accident, contact an experienced New Jersey personal injury attorney for assistance.
What are the Facts of the Report?
The GHSA report, “Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State,” provides preliminary data from the highway traffic safety offices in every state in addition to the District of Columbia. These 2019 numbers suggest that the year saw the highest level of deaths in pedestrian accidents in the United States since 1988. In addition to this, there were 6,590 pedestrians killed in 2019, a 5% increase from the year before. The majority of personal injury accidents, such as pedestrian accidents, are due to negligence. The report backs this up in stating that the results of all accidents reported in 2019 happened because of unsafe road crossings, distracted or impaired driving, and large SUVs and trucks on the road.
What Do I Do if I am Involved in a Pedestrian Accident?
When a pedestrian accident occurs, there are certain steps that should be followed in order to successfully back up a claim in the future. This includes the following:
- Call the necessary emergency services (police and an ambulance)
- Obtain contact information from any witnesses to the incident
- Take pictures and videos of the scene of the accident
- Obtain medical documentation after receiving treatment
- Retain the services of a skilled personal injury attorney to recover additional evidence for a case
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
After an injury or death occurs in a New Jersey pedestrian accident, legal action can be pursued. This can be either through a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. When dealing with these situations, a claim must be filed within a certain period of time. This is known as a statute of limitations. In New Jersey, the statute of limitations for both personal injury claims and wrongful death claims is two years from the date of the injury or death.
Contact our Firm
Our firm understands how serious criminal and personal injury cases are. We are prepared to guide you towards a favorable outcome because we believe false accusations or preventable injuries should never cause a person harm. This is why those who require experienced legal counsel in New Jersey should do themselves a favor and contact The Law Office of Andrew S. Maze today for any criminal and personal injury matters.