If you were in a pedestrian accident, you could be saddled with serious injuries that prevent you from working and enjoying life. To recover fully from your injuries, you may need to get compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. But what determines how much you can receive? Learn in this article about the factors that can influence what you receive in your claim, then talk to our Portland crosswalk accident lawyer for more information.
First, how extensive your pedestrian accident injuries are will have a significant impact on how much you get in a settlement. Many pedestrians suffer severe injuries when a car slams into them in a crosswalk. For example, if the car hits your legs and you fly up into the windshield, you could have broken legs, joint injuries, cuts and scrapes, broken arms, hands, and wrists, head injuries, and possibly other broken bones and internal injuries. Needless to say, you will likely get more money with these types of serious crosswalk accident injuries than if you just sprained your wrist.
Second, your settlement will be affected by the cost of the medical treatments you receive. If you have severe injuries such as the ones noted above, you could require weeks or months in the hospital, surgeries, and possibly rehabilitation. These types of large medical bills could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Additionally, you could require more medical care in the future, so that will be considered as part of your pedestrian accident settlement.
Third, how much time you lose from work is a significant factor in your settlement. When you lose weeks or months of work time, you could be entitled to tens or hundreds of thousands in lost earnings. Plus, you may need to receive money for lost future income as you continue your recovery.
Fourth, when you have suffered severe pedestrian accident injuries, there is a good chance you will have considerable pain and suffering. When you have broken bones and internal injuries, you could face months of terrible pain. This physical and mental pain and suffering could be worth a considerable amount of money, so it is a significant factor in a settlement. Your Portland crosswalk accident lawyer will negotiate aggressively with the insurance company to obtain more for your pain and suffering.
Another factor in the money you receive in a settlement is who was at fault for the accident. Many crosswalk accidents are entirely the driver’s fault, but not always. For example, if you crossed in the crosswalk when the car had right of way, you could be found partially at fault, and this would affect your compensation in Oregon. Being partially at fault for the accident will reduce your compensation by your percentage of fault. For example, if you have $50,000 in medical bills and lost wages, and were 10% at fault, your settlement may be reduced by $5,000 in Oregon. However, your Portland crosswalk accident lawyer will argue your case that you were not responsible for what happened, if that is what the evidence shows.
All of these factors will influence what you receive in your settlement. Also, hiring a Portland crosswalk accident attorney early in the process is also important. Your attorney can be your legal representative before the insurance company and negotiate on your behalf. You should not attempt to obtain compensation from the insurance company on your own. It is always best to have an experienced auto accident attorney negotiate for you. So, talk to a Portland crosswalk accident attorney today for help.
