Were you injured while walking in Westlake, Ohio? A Westlake pedestrian accident lawyer at Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers can help you pursue compensation for your injuries. Call (419) 502-5821 today for a free consultation.
Unlike motorists, pedestrians have little protection during a collision with a vehicle, so these crashes often result in life-changing injuries. If someone else’s negligence caused your injuries, you may have the right to seek damages through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Why Choose Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers for Help After a Pedestrian Accident in Westlake, OH?
After a pedestrian accident, you deserve a law firm with the experience and resources to stand up to insurance companies and fight for the compensation you need. At Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers, we understand the physical, emotional, and financial challenges accident victims face, and we are committed to helping clients throughout Westlake, OH.
When you hire our Westlake personal injury lawyers, you will benefit from:
- 181 years of combined legal experience
- Over $100 million recovered for injured clients
- Our recognition from Super Lawyers and our membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
An experienced Westlake pedestrian accident attorney can protect your rights, handle the insurance companies, and pursue the compensation you deserve after a serious accident. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation and learn how we can protect your rights.
What Is My Westlake Pedestrian Accident Case Worth?
Many factors can influence the value of your claim, including:
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether your injuries are temporary or permanent
- The cost of your current and future medical treatment
- The amount of income you have lost
- Whether your injuries affect your future earning capacity
- The strength of the evidence proving negligence
- The amount of available insurance coverage
- Whether you share any responsibility for the accident
Every pedestrian accident claim is different. While some people recover after a few weeks of treatment, others face permanent injuries that require ongoing medical care and significantly affect their quality of life.
For example, someone who suffers a traumatic brain injury and can no longer work will often have a much higher-value claim than someone who recovers completely after a broken arm. An experienced personal injury attorney in Westlake can evaluate every aspect of your losses to pursue the compensation you deserve.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available to Pedestrian Accident Victims?
Ohio law allows injured accident victims to pursue compensation for both economic and non-economic damages when another person’s negligence causes their injuries.
Economic damages can compensate you for financial losses, including:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Hospital bills
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Prescription medications
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Future medical expenses
Non-economic damages can compensate you for the personal impact of your injuries, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability
- Scarring or disfigurement
Recovering full compensation often requires carefully documenting every way the accident has affected your life, both financially and personally.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Westlake Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
Many people hesitate to contact a pedestrian accident lawyer in Westlake because they are worried about the cost. After a pedestrian accident, you may already be facing medical bills, lost income, and other unexpected expenses.
At Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers, we handle pedestrian accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay no upfront attorney fees, and you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Our contingency fee arrangement allows injured victims to pursue justice without adding to their financial stress. It also means our interests are aligned with yours—we only get paid when you do.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Pedestrian Accident in Ohio?
Determining who is legally responsible for a pedestrian accident is not always as simple as identifying the driver who struck you. Depending on the circumstances, multiple people or entities may share liability for your injuries.
Potentially liable parties include:
- A negligent driver
- The driver’s employer, if the accident occurred while the driver was working
- The owner of the vehicle, in certain situations
- A manufacturer of a defective vehicle or vehicle component
- A government entity responsible for dangerous road conditions or defective traffic signals, when permitted under Ohio law
An investigation may reveal that more than one party contributed to the accident. Identifying every responsible party is important because it may increase the insurance coverage available to compensate you for your losses.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Pedestrian Accident in Ohio?
Yes, you may still be able to recover compensation even if you are partially responsible for the accident. Ohio follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Under Ohio law, an injured person may recover damages as long as they are not more than 50% responsible for the accident.
However, any compensation awarded will generally be reduced by the person’s percentage of fault. For example, if your damages total $100,000 and you are found to be 20% responsible, your recovery would be reduced to $80,000.
Insurance companies frequently argue that pedestrians crossed outside a crosswalk, ignored traffic signals, or failed to pay attention. These arguments are often used to reduce the value of a claim. An experienced Westlake personal injury attorney can gather evidence, interview witnesses, review surveillance footage, and work to minimize any unfair allegations of fault.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries in Westlake, Ohio
Pedestrians are exposed to tremendous force when struck by a moving vehicle. Even crashes at relatively low speeds can cause serious injuries requiring months or years of treatment.
Some of the most common pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Concussions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Broken bones
- Pelvic fractures
- Internal organ damage
- Road rash and severe lacerations
- Crush injuries
- Amputations
- Permanent disability
These injuries often require extensive medical care, rehabilitation, and time away from work. In the most severe cases, victims may experience lifelong physical limitations and ongoing pain.
What Causes Most Pedestrian Accidents in Ohio?
Some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Failure to yield at crosswalks
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Drunk or drug-impaired driving
- Unsafe left-hand turns
- Backing up without checking for pedestrians
- Fatigued driving
- Poor visibility
- Failure to obey traffic signals
Many pedestrian accidents occur because drivers fail to exercise reasonable care around people walking near roadways. Although pedestrians also have responsibilities under Ohio traffic laws, driver negligence is a leading cause of these collisions.
Many of these accidents could have been prevented if drivers had remained attentive and followed the rules of the road.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Pedestrian Accident in Ohio?
Ohio law generally gives injured accident victims two years from the date of a pedestrian accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline could prevent you from recovering compensation, even if your injuries are serious.
However, some cases involve exceptions that may shorten or extend the filing deadline. Claims involving government entities, minors, or other unique circumstances may be subject to different legal requirements.
Because evidence can disappear quickly and witnesses’ memories often fade over time, it is important to begin investigating your claim as soon as possible. Speaking with an attorney early can help preserve important evidence and protect your right to pursue compensation.
How Can a Westlake Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Help Me?
Recovering from a pedestrian accident is difficult enough without having to deal with insurance companies and complicated legal issues. An experienced pedestrian accident attorney in Westlake can handle the legal process while you focus on your recovery.
Your attorney may help by:
- Investigating how the accident occurred
- Gathering evidence, including surveillance footage and witness statements
- Obtaining police reports and medical records
- Working with accident reconstruction experts when necessary
- Identifying every liable party
- Calculating the full value of your damages
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Filing a lawsuit and representing you at trial if a fair settlement cannot be reached
Having legal representation also helps level the playing field when insurance companies attempt to dispute liability or minimize your injuries. An attorney can advocate for your interests throughout the claims process and work to recover the compensation you deserve.
Contact Our Westlake Pedestrian Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
A pedestrian accident can change your life in an instant. Fortunately, you do not have to face the aftermath alone.
Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers has 181 years of combined experience and has recovered over $100 million for injured clients. Our team understands how devastating pedestrian accidents can be, and we are committed to helping victims hold negligent drivers accountable.
Contact our Westlake pedestrian accident attorneys today for a free consultation. We will review your case, answer your questions, and help you pursue the full compensation you deserve.