Due to the severity of their injuries, pedestrians who are injured often face high medical costs. Securing compensation from the liable party can be critical for getting back on your feet. Fortunately, an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer in Hartford can help with your case to ensure you get the money you deserve.
At Claggett, Sykes & Garza, our experienced team will devote the full extent of our resources to ensuring you recover the money you need. We understand the challenges you face and will do everything we can to lighten your load. Contact us today to set up a free case consultation with one of our experienced Hartford personal injury lawyers.
An Experienced Pedestrian Accident Attorney in Hartford Can Help Ensure That You Meet All Deadlines
When attempting to recover compensation following a pedestrian accident, it is critical that you pay attention to the Connecticut personal injury statute of limitations. Should you fail to file before the statute of limitations deadline, your options for recovering compensation may run out. You also must realize that exceptions exist that can alter the amount of time you have to file.
The best way to ensure you meet all applicable deadlines is by hiring an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer serving Hartford as soon as possible after your accident. Your attorney can identify if there are any special circumstances in your case that affect your filing deadline and complete and file all of the required paperwork on time.
Hiring an attorney early has the added benefit of putting them in the best possible position to secure a favorable outcome for your case. Delays can result in evidence becoming lost or corrupted. Furthermore, witness testimony you rely upon will become less reliable over time.
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Proving Negligence in a Pedestrian Accident Case
When pursuing compensation in a pedestrian accident case, you will likely need to prove that the liable party behaved in a negligent manner. To prove negligence, you will need to establish the presence of four factors:
- Duty of care
- Breached duty of care
- Damages
- Causation
Duty of Care
The first thing you will need to demonstrate to prove negligence so you can recover compensatory damages is that the liable party owed you a duty of care. What this means is that the at-fault party had a duty to act reasonably to help ensure your safety.
Proving the existence of a duty of care in your pedestrian accident case is typically pretty straightforward. For example, if you are pursuing compensation from the driver of the vehicle that struck you, all drivers owe a duty of care to everyone nearby to take reasonable safety precautions when operating their vehicle.
Breached Duty of Care
The next step in establishing negligence is proving that the at-fault party violated their duty of care. Once again, using the driver of the vehicle that hit you as an example, you can show that they breached their duty of care by proving that they were speeding, intoxicated, texting while driving, or engaging in any other form of unsafe driving behavior.
Damages
After you have established a breached duty of care, you will need to show that you suffered damages. Your relevant medical records and related hospital bills will work to prove that you incurred damages related to the accident.
Causation
The last thing you will need to do is show how everything ties together. An experienced Hartford pedestrian accident attorney can help demonstrate to the court how the at-fault party breaching the duty of care that they owed to you was the direct cause of your injuries.
Proving negligence is critical for securing damages in most pedestrian accident cases. If you lost a loved one as a result of a pedestrian accident, an experienced Hartford wrongful death lawyer can help you file a wrongful death claim to secure compensation from the liable party.
Most Pedestrian Accident Cases End With Out-of-Court Settlements
When pursuing compensation after a pedestrian accident, you need to be aware of the fact that most of these cases are resolved through out-of-court settlements. Settling is common because it is usually in the best interest of both parties. You can recover money more quickly, and the at-fault party can avoid unwanted media attention that may come with a trial.
Furthermore, neither party will have to worry about an unpredictable jury. However, the likelihood of a settlement does not mean you should hurry into accepting a deal without having a lawyer review the offer. It is critical to understand all aspects of a settlement offer before signing to make sure you are getting a fair deal.
While a settlement is likely, you still need to prepare your case as though it is going to court. There is always the possibility that you will be unable to come to terms with the at-fault party, necessitating a trial. Furthermore, demonstrating a willingness to take your case to court will put pressure on the opposing party to accept more favorable terms for a settlement.
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Get Help From an Experienced Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Serving Hartford Today
After a pedestrian accident in which you suffered a serious injury, recovering damages from the responsible party can be a critical step in getting your life back on track. By securing the services of an experienced pedestrian accident attorney serving Hartford, you will substantially improve your chances of getting the money you need compared to representing yourself.
At Claggett, Sykes & Garza, our experienced team will never shy away from taking a case to trial to ensure the best outcome for our clients. Contact us by giving us a call, using our chat tool, or completing our online contact form today to set up your free initial case review.
