Pedestrian accidents can cause devastating injuries because people on foot have little protection from the force of a moving vehicle. A collision can occur in a marked crosswalk, at an intersection, in a parking lot, or along a roadway where drivers and pedestrians share limited space.
After being struck by a vehicle, an injured pedestrian may face emergency treatment, lost income, rehabilitation, and uncertainty about who will pay for the resulting expenses.
Understanding what to do after a pedestrian accident can help protect your health and preserve information that may be important when determining whether you have a personal injury claim.
Seek Medical Attention Immediately
Your first priority after being struck by a vehicle should be your safety and medical care.
Pedestrian accidents can cause traumatic brain injuries, fractures, spinal cord injuries, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage. Some serious injuries may not be immediately apparent, particularly when adrenaline temporarily masks pain.
Call 911 when appropriate, especially if the collision caused significant injuries or the scene remains dangerous. Follow the instructions of emergency responders and seek medical evaluation.
Even if you believe your injuries are minor, consult a healthcare professional. Follow-up treatment may be necessary if symptoms develop or worsen.
Keep copies of medical records, prescriptions, treatment recommendations, and bills. These documents may help establish the injuries you sustained and the treatment required.
Do not delay medical care while trying to collect evidence or negotiate with an insurance company.
Report the Accident and Identify the Driver
If a vehicle strikes you, report the collision to law enforcement as appropriate. An official report may document the location, involved parties, witness information, road conditions, and initial observations about what happened.
If you are physically able, obtain the driver’s name, contact information, vehicle details, and insurance information. If you cannot do this yourself, a companion or responding officer may be able to help.
Try to identify witnesses who saw the collision or the events immediately beforehand. Their observations may help clarify whether the driver was speeding, distracted, turning without yielding, or failing to observe traffic signals.
Do not assume that a police report will resolve every question about fault. Additional evidence may be needed, particularly when the driver disputes the account or the collision occurred in a complex intersection.
Preserve Photographs and Video Evidence
Evidence from the scene can help reconstruct the accident and establish the conditions that existed at the time.
If it is safe and practical, photographs may include:
- The vehicle involved and its damage.
- The location where the collision occurred.
- Crosswalk markings, traffic signals, and signs.
- Skid marks, debris, or damaged property.
- Nearby visibility obstructions.
- Visible injuries and damaged personal belongings.
Record the exact location, direction of travel, approximate time, and any details about the driver’s actions that you personally observed.
Video footage may also be valuable. Traffic cameras, nearby businesses, apartment complexes, or residential security systems may have recorded part of the incident.
Footage may not exist, and available recordings may be overwritten. Identifying potential sources early can help preserve relevant evidence.
What If the Driver Leaves the Scene?
A pedestrian accident can become even more stressful when the driver flees without providing information.
If you are involved in a hit-and-run, contact law enforcement and report everything you remember. Useful details may include the vehicle’s color, make, model, direction of travel, license plate characters, and any distinguishing features.
Do not pursue the vehicle or put yourself in danger trying to identify the driver.
Ask whether nearby surveillance footage or witnesses may help identify the vehicle. Preserve any information you receive from people who saw the collision.
If the driver cannot be located, insurance options may still warrant investigation. Depending on the circumstances and policy terms, an injured pedestrian may have access to certain benefits under an applicable auto insurance policy, including potentially relevant uninsured motorist coverage.
Coverage is not automatic, and eligibility depends on the specific facts and policy language. A lawyer can help identify which insurance policies may need to be reviewed.
Understand How Fault May Affect a Pedestrian Injury Claim
A driver may be responsible for a pedestrian accident when negligent conduct causes the collision. Examples may include failing to yield when required, disregarding a traffic signal, driving while distracted, or failing to exercise reasonable care around pedestrians.
However, determining fault requires consideration of the entire incident. Investigators may examine traffic laws, witness accounts, vehicle movements, visibility, road conditions, and available video footage.
Alabama follows a contributory negligence doctrine that can create significant barriers to recovery if an injured person is found to have contributed to the accident. Pedestrians should therefore avoid assuming either that the driver is automatically responsible or that they have no claim because the driver disputes what happened.
A careful investigation can help distinguish allegations from evidence.
Document the Financial Impact of Your Injuries
A pedestrian accident can affect far more than your immediate medical expenses.
Depending on the facts and applicable law, a claim may involve medical bills, future treatment needs, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other legally recoverable damages.
Keep records of medical appointments, missed work, rehabilitation, transportation expenses, and other costs associated with the injury. If your injuries affect walking, sleeping, household tasks, or other everyday activities, document those limitations accurately.
Do not accept a settlement simply because an insurer offers to pay your initial medical bills. Before agreeing to a final resolution, consider whether the full extent of your injuries and future treatment needs are understood. A signed release may limit your ability to pursue additional compensation later.
Speak With an Alabama Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Pedestrian accident claims can involve disputed fault, serious injuries, multiple insurance policies, or drivers who cannot be identified.
Shaun Capps Injury Law provides information about its personal injury practice areas, including representation for pedestrian accidents. If you need guidance about a specific collision, you can also contact the firm to ask about a free case evaluation.
An attorney can review the available evidence, explain how Alabama law may apply, and help you understand potential next steps.