Labrum Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers is a dedicated team of Brentwood, Tennessee personal injury lawyers with decades of combined experience. Pedestrian accidents are some of the most disturbing car accident cases that we ever see. The consequences are so frequently catastrophic that justice absolutely demands a response.
The problem is that greedy insurance companies and evasive defendants will do everything they can to avoid providing you with fair compensation. We won’t stand for it.
The Brentwood pedestrian accident lawyers at Labrum Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers pride ourselves on steadfast determination to relentlessly pursue justice on behalf of our clients. And that means you, if you want it to. Your twin adversaries are likely to be the insurance company and the intricacies of the Brentwood,TN legal system. We know how to handle both of them, because we have done so many times before.
Contact our Brentwood pedestrian accident attorney at (615) 455-3384 to set up a free consultation now.
How Labrum Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Win Your Brentwood Pedestrian Accident Claim
We’re more than legal professionals. We are respected Brentwood pedestrian accident attorneys, renowned for our exceptional work. More importantly, we fully comprehend the challenges our clients face in Brentwood, TN pedestrian accident cases. Every claim we handle is a stark reminder of the hardships faced by our clients.
We assure you, you’re not facing this tough time alone. With Labrum Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, your pursuit of justice and recovery is a journey that we undertake together.
Our Brentwood personal injury lawyers can help you in the following ways and more:
- Holding a free initial consultation where we can learn about your case and discuss your options.
- Conducting a preliminary investigation of the accident, where we can put together the sequence of events and start collecting vital evidence.
- Interviewing eyewitnesses to generate supporting testimony.
- Collecting data from the event data recorder of the vehicle that hit you.
- Assessing the full extent of your injuries, including any long-term disabilities.
- Calculating the amount of your lost earnings, including any future income loss.
- Demanding compensation for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages arising from your injuries.
- Examining traffic and surveillance cameras footage to establish fault.
- Handling all legal paperwork, document drafting, filings, and correspondence related to your case.
- Preparing and sending a comprehensive demand package to the at-fault party or their insurance company.
- Negotiating with the insurance company or the defendant to ensure that you receive just compensation for your injuries.
- Representing you in court if necessary.
The reality is that no two cases are exactly alike. Consequently, the services that we provide our clients vary somewhat from case to case.
The Prevalence of Pedestrian Accidents
The human body is no match for a vehicle made of steel. As a consequence of this disparity, pedestrian accidents are frequently catastrophic or fatal. Distressingly, Tennessee pedestrian accident deaths more than doubled between 2009 and 2019. As recently as 2021, 177 pedestrians died on Tennessee roads, and many more suffered serious injuries.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Brentwood, Tennessee
Below is a list of some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents:
- Unmarked crosswalks
- Left turns
- Distracted driving, especially texting while driving
- Pedestrian distractions, such as texting while walking
- Bad weather, especially freezing rain
- Dark clothing, which makes a pedestrian difficult to see at night
- Jaywalking
- Intoxication, including legal prescription drugs
- Multilane highways
- Poor visibility
- Speeding (which increases stopping distances)
- Ignoring traffic signals, especially running red lights
- “Road rage”
- Crowded parking lots
- Poor road design
There are many potential causes of pedestrian accidents in Brentwood that can lead to severe injuries.
Tips to Avoid Pedestrian Accidents in Brentwood
Reducing the number of pedestrian accidents is likely to require increased attention to safety on the part of both motorists and pedestrians.
Follow these safety tips to minimize your chances of involvement in a pedestrian accident as a motorist:
- Be on the lookout for pedestrians all the time. Be particularly careful in school zones, near college campuses, and after major events such as basketball or football games.
- Exercise extra caution, such as driving more slowly, when visibility is poor.
- Exercise extra alertness in the vicinity of crosswalks or unmarked intersections.
- Never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk.
- Never drive while intoxicated.
- Obey the speed limit.
- Yield the right of way to pedestrians.
- Pay special attention while backing up, especially out of a driveway.
Failure to look out for pedestrians is the number one cause of pedestrian accidents.
Just about every motorist is sometimes a pedestrian, and most pedestrians are also motorists at some point or another.
As a pedestrian, observe the following principles:
- Obey all traffic rules, especially while crossing the street.
- Never cross the street outside of a crosswalk unless you absolutely have to. If you do, look both ways before crossing.
- Walk on sidewalks whenever you can.
- Don’t answer the phone or read or write text messages while crossing the street.
- Don’t listen to music on headphones while crossing the street.
- Watch for cars existing driveways. These drivers often do not look out for pedestrians.
- Avoid walking around while intoxicated.
As a pedestrian, you are more at risk than a motorist. Accordingly, take responsibility for your safety, regardless of fault.
Determining Fault in Pedestrian Accidents
To determine fault after an accident, it is important to answer the following questions:
- Was the motorist driving legally at the time of the accident? Were they on a public road?
- Was the motorist driving at a safe speed?
- Was the motorist paying attention to the road?
- Did the pedestrian have the right of way during the accident?
- Was the pedestrian breaking any laws at the time of the accident? Were they jaywalking, for example?
Sometimes, jaywalking pedestrians cause one car to swerve into another car to avoid hitting the pedestrian. In this case, the accident is probably the pedestrian’s fault, even though they were not directly involved.
Claim Resolution Strategies in Brentwood, TN
There are three ways to resolve your pedestrian claim—private settlement, trial, and the hybrid strategy.
You can negotiate a private settlement without ever going to court. You must prepare a written settlement agreement and comply with the statute of limitations deadline.
Going to trial is the hard way to resolve a personal injury claim. The right jury, however, might award you far more than a defendant would ever agree to.
Under the hybrid strategy, you start off seeking settlement. If the defendant balks, you file a lawsuit. This will get you access to the powerful pretrial discovery evidence-gathering process. FInally, you agree to drop your lawsuit in exchange for a generous settlement.
There are other ways to resolve your claim as well–mediation and arbitration, for example.
Documenting Injuries and Damages
The following are some examples of evidence you might need to prove your claim:
- Accident site diagrams
- Alcohol/drug test results
- Cell phone records (to prove distracted driving)
- Doctor’s notes
- Expert testimony
- The vehicle’s event data recorder
- Insurance correspondence
- Legal documents
- Medical bills
- Medical records
- You personal diary
- Photographs
- Physical therapy records
- Police report
- Proof of lost wages
- Psychological records
- Road maintenance records
- Surveillance footage
- Traffic light data
- Vehicle damage reports
- Vehicle inspection reports
- Weather reports
- Witness statements
The stronger your evidence, the more likely you are to recover the full extent of your damages.
Damages Available After a Pedestrian Accident
Your Brentwood pedestrian accident claim might be worth a lot more than you think it is. Tennessee law entitles you to compensation for your losses, whether they are tangible or intangible.
You are likely to qualify for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost earnings, whether you are an employee or self-employed
- Out-of-pocket expenses you incurred as a result of your injury
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Estimated future medical expenses
- Estimated future lost earnings
Courts sometimes award punitive damages on top of all this if the defendant’s conduct was particularly outrageous (a deliberate “road rage” accident, for example).
Catastrophic Injury and Future Lost Earnings
Many pedestrians suffer lifelong disability because of a pedestrian accident. A disability can force an early retirement when the pedestrian is no longer able to perform their previous duties. If this has happened to you, you deserve compensation for every dollar of future earnings that you lost as a consequence of your disability.
You will likely need to retain an expert to help you calculate the amount of your claim for future lost earnings.
Wrongful Death
Death is such a common consequence of a pedestrian accident. A wrongful death claim arises when the victim of a pedestrian accident dies from their injuries (immediately or sometime later). Family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Act Quickly to Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Brentwood Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Here at Labrum Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, we will not allow anybody to take advantage of our clients. If you are seeking compensation from the at-fault party in a Brentwood pedestrian accident, we stand ready to fight relentlessly until you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact our Brentwood pedestrian accident attorney at (615) 455-3384 to set up a free consultation now.
