Lexington’s tangle of highways, freeways, and bypasses can make for dangerous trips for local drivers. Yet, those drivers generally have bumpers, metal frames, airbags, and seatbelts to protect them in impacts. Pedestrians in Lexington, unfortunately, don’t share those protections and often must contend with traffic zipping by while simply trying to cross a street or parking lot.
If you or a family member has suffered a serious injury in a pedestrian accident, don’t speak to any insurance representative until you talk to a personal injury lawyer. Insurance agents seek to record you as you talk about your case. They hope to use these statements later to wiggle out of their responsibility to support you as you heal.
Contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, of Lexington to learn about some valuable tips to remember when dealing with an insurance provider for an at-fault driver. We offer a free case evaluation for victims and their families. Let us fill you in on everything you should be demanding after suffering a serious injury due to a driver’s mistake.
Pedestrian Dangers on Lexington Streets
While downtown Lexington gets decent walkability scores, the city overall receives what can be deemed as a failing grade for pedestrian safety. The website Walk Score assigns Lexington a walk score of 34, meaning that without a lot of public transportation available and established walking paths, vehicle travel is usually the only safe option.
Lexington recorded 160 accidents involving pedestrians in 2019. In 2020, when traffic levels were way down for much of the year, pedestrian collision numbers still reached 149 incidents. Sadly, across all of Kentucky, 97 pedestrians and bicyclists lost their lives in traffic accidents in 2020.
Many people forget that they become pedestrians anytime they park their vehicles and walk across a parking lot or down a sidewalk. Of all the pedestrian accidents in Lexington in 2020, 21 collisions were documented as involving victims either leaving their cars or approaching their cars. What’s more, 28 pedestrian accidents occurred when people on foot were crossing a crosswalk while correctly following the “walk” signals.
These astonishing figures only illustrate the obstacles many pedestrians must face each day. A distracted driver looking at a cellphone, or a reckless driver going too fast to react to a crossing pedestrian can strike someone at full speed. The injuries can prove devastating and even claim lives.
Devastating Injuries Treated After Lexington Pedestrian Accidents
A defenseless pedestrian can be put at extreme risk for traumatic injuries any time a strike from a vehicle is involved.
Unfortunately, victims of these collisions must take time out of their recoveries to deal with the financial burdens that result from a long, expensive hospital stay.
The injuries can require months of medical care, surgeries, and physical therapy. Emotional therapy may also prove necessary.
These are just some of the commonly treated injuries documented after pedestrian impacts:
- Head And Brain Injuries: Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are caused by a blow to the head. The symptoms can include a mild concussion, but also include amnesia, nausea, and other serious side effects. Skull fractures can be hard to diagnose on the scene, but symptoms can include bleeding from the ears and nose and head swelling. Neurosurgery may be necessary to repair the skull and stop internal bleeding.
- Spinal cord injuries: The spine is the other delicate organ (like the brain) that can suffer damage in a pedestrian collision and affect all aspects of a victim’s life. Spinal cord damage can lead to a loss of body function including paraplegia (a loss of control in the lower half of the body) and quadriplegia (a loss of control of the upper and lower half of the body).
- Pelvic Injuries: The pelvic bones can be the right height to absorb a powerful impact from the corner or front of a vehicle. A broken pelvis will make walking and sitting a painful ordeal. The pelvis also protects the bladder, intestines, and other major blood vessels.
- Other Broken Bones: Legs, ankles, and hips can be fractured. Victims may find these bones resist healing and require multiple surgeries. Wrists, hands, and arms can also break as a victim tries to arrest their fall.
- Wrongful Death: Any traumatic injury has the potential to claim the life of a pedestrian. After such a tragedy family members are permitted to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the insurance company of the victim. This civil claim can earn money to help pay for funeral expenses, any hospital bills that have built up, and replace the income the deceased can no longer provide the family.
Contact a Lexington Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Devastating outcomes are possible in any pedestrian collision involving a careless driver. Victims and families must stand firm when they request support for their hardships. Having an experienced Lexington Pedestrian Accident Attorney on your side will inform an insurance provider that they won’t be allowed to skip out on their responsibility to victims.
Talk to the attorneys at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, who will be at your side throughout your recovery and your battle with insurance agents to get what’s fair. To discuss your case, contact us today, by clicking here.
