Mississippi Pedestrian Accidents Lawyers
Pedestrian Injury Lawyers Serving Mississippi
There is nothing more terrifying than walking and suddenly being struck by a motor vehicle. Not only is a pedestrian accident shocking and horrifying, but these accidents often lead to long-term injuries, permanent disabilities, or loss of life. In the United States, pedestrian injuries are the fifth-leading cause of injury-related death for children. In Mississippi, there were dozens of pedestrian deaths recorded in a single year alone, as reported by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS).
Because Oxford is near the University of Mississippi, pedestrian accidents involving students are frighteningly common. While not all pedestrian accidents are fatal, they often leave pedestrians facing life with the challenges of permanent disabilities. At the law office of Tannehill Carmean, our experienced pedestrian accident injury lawyers can help you navigate the claims process if you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian crash.
What Are the Most Common Injuries Suffered in a Pedestrian Accident?
When a pedestrian accident occurs, the pedestrian can rarely walk away unscathed. They typically sustain serious injuries or lose their lives. Some of the most common injuries in a pedestrian accident include:
- Traumatic brain injuries. A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is one of the most devastating—and common—injuries. A TBI occurs when the head is hit with force or when the head is punctured by an object. A traumatic brain injury can lead to long-term complications in cognition, emotion, memory, reason, logic, sensation, language, and communication.
- Internal injuries. Internal injuries can be fatal when a pedestrian crash occurs and occur when the body is punctured with an object or struck with force—such as the force of a car slamming into a body, and internal organs can be badly damaged.
- Spinal cord injuries. One of the most tragic types of injuries that results from a pedestrian accident is a spinal cord injury. A spinal cord injury happens when the spinal cord, which runs the length of the spine and is responsible for communication between the brain and the rest of the body, is injured. A spinal cord injury can lead to permanent paralysis from the site of the injury downwards.
- Bone fractures. A bone fracture is very common and can happen even if other injuries are not serious. If a pedestrian is struck and falls, bone fractures to the skull, elbow, wrist, clavicle, and hips are common. Fortunately, most, although not all, bone fractures will heal with time and proper medical care.
- Scarring and disfigurement. Pedestrian accidents and injuries can cause disabling injuries, but they can also leave permanent physical scars. Scarring and disfigurement can be painful, emotional, and disabling in some cases.
- Soft tissue injuries. In addition to the types of other serious injuries a person can suffer, they may also suffer soft tissue injuries from falling or twisting. Soft tissue injuries refer to strains and sprains to the body’s muscles and ligaments.
- Crush injuries. If a pedestrian is not only struck by a car but also run over by a motor vehicle, they could suffer crush injuries. Crush injuries may require the amputation of a limb.
- Psychological injuries. Physical injuries are not the only types of injuries that someone involved in a pedestrian accident may suffer. Psychological injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, are all common.
- Pedestrian Fatalities: In the most tragic cases, the victim cannot survive their injuries and passes away far too soon.
Who’s at Fault in Pedestrian Accidents?
When a pedestrian accident occurs, determining fault is critical. Unfortunately, proving fault in a pedestrian accident is often much more complex than it should be. When you work with our Mississippi pedestrian accident lawyer, we’ll work hard to investigate your case and gather evidence to prove that you were not to blame for your injuries.
There is a misconception that drivers are always to blame for pedestrian accidents. But there are some situations when this is not the case. Pedestrians are required to yield to drivers in many situations and have a duty to walk responsibly—this means walking while sober and distraction-free. Pedestrians cannot legally walk into a vehicle’s pathway or cross when they do not have the right of way. These arguments could be made against you following a pedestrian crash, aiming to reduce the liability of the responsible driver and place blame on your shoulders.
You can recover damages when it is proven that the driver who hit you was responsible for the accident. Mississippi recognizes the rule of comparative fault, which holds that a plaintiff’s recoverable damages amount can be reduced in proportion to their degree of fault. For example, if you are found to be 10 percent to blame for the accident, you can only hold the driver liable for 90 percent of your total damages. Our Mississippi pedestrian accident lawyers can review the facts of your case and advise you how to proceed.
What Damages Are Paid in a Pedestrian Accident Claim in Oxford, MS?
By bringing a pedestrian accident claim, you can seek damages for the full value of harm you’ve suffered. Types of damages recoverable in a pedestrian accident claim include damages for medical expenses, lost wages related to the accident, any property damage losses you’ve suffered, and non-economic damages in the form of pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
What Can a Mississippi Pedestrian Accident Attorney Do for Me?
The role of our Oxford pedestrian accident attorneys is to maximize your recoverable settlement amount and improve your chances of achieving the largest settlement possible. At the office of Tannehill Carmean, we offer a range of vital services to assist injured pedestrians, including the following:
- Investigate the Accident: Our team can gather all relevant evidence, including interviewing eyewitnesses, reviewing police reports, and any video images that may be available. It will be necessary to prove who was at fault.
- Call on Respected Experts: We may call on various experts, such as accident reconstruction experts, medical experts, and financial experts, to help determine the value of a claim or lawsuit.
- Calculate the Value of the Case: We will calculate the value of a claim to determine how much damages should be pursued on your behalf.
- Negotiate the Terms of a Settlement: Our Oxford, MS, pedestrian accident lawyers bring exceptional negotiating skills to every case. We will fight to ensure the settlement reflects the true extent of your injuries.
- File a Lawsuit: When the insurance company fails to make a fair settlement offer, we are more than willing to take the case to civil court for resolution. Filing a lawsuit can lead to a fair settlement being offered before the case goes to court. Should it go to court, we are well-prepared and professional.
Why Choose Us in Pedestrian Accidents in Oxford, MS?
Tannehill Carmean is not just another law firm—we are honored to be considered the leading law firm in Oxford, MS. Our legal team can represent injured pedestrians throughout Mississippi. We offer our clients more, including the following:
- Experience: We have been serving the Oxford, MS, area for over 20 years, and our legal team has earned a reputation for legal excellence in personal injury claims, including pedestrian accidents.
- Dedication: Our pedestrian accident lawyers are deeply committed to serving clients with superior legal care and are focused on seeking fair compensation, personalized care, and attention.
- Legal Talent: We are proud of the outstanding skills of our team of attorneys and their achievements in personal injury law. All practicing attorneys are certified, but our team brings true talent to every case—it shows in the compensation we have recovered for our clients.
- Superior Personal Service: You need an attorney who genuinely cares about you and your future health and well-being. Our pedestrian accident lawyers in Oxford, MS, are responsive and empathetic and always keep our clients informed as the case progresses.
- Supporting Students of Ole Miss: The legal team at our firm is often engaged in filing claims for students at Ole Miss who have been injured while walking on campus or in town. We are honored to be considered the leading law firm for young people and their families in Oxford.
- Driven to Perform: Our legal team is not only talented—we are focused on winning fair and full compensation for our clients injured after being hit by a moving vehicle. We take our responsibility to our clients very seriously—and we fight to win.
To learn more about how our experienced Oxford, Mississippi, pedestrian accident lawyers can help you, please call us at 662-236-9996, visit our law firm, or message us online. We offer free consultations in pedestrian accident injury cases.