Pedestrian accidents in Tuscaloosa can cause serious injuries when cars hit people walking. A Tuscaloosa pedestrian accident lawyer can help you understand your rights after being hit. These accidents often happen at crosswalks, intersections, or parking lots.
The injuries from pedestrian accidents are usually more severe than other traffic accidents. Medical bills can pile up fast when you get hurt. Recovery might take weeks, months, or even years.
At Krebs Personal Injury Lawyers, we help pedestrian accident victims get the money they deserve. We know the laws that protect people walking in Alabama. Keep reading to learn more about pedestrian accident claims in Tuscaloosa.
A pedestrian accident claim happens when a person walking is hit by a car, truck, or motorcycle. In Alabama, these claims follow the contributory negligence rule. This rule means if you were even 1% at fault for the accident, you might not get any money for your injuries.
Pedestrian accident claims are different from car accident claims in important ways. The injuries are often worse because people walking have no protection against vehicles. Medical costs are usually higher, and the recovery time is longer. These cases need special attention because the stakes are higher for the person who got hurt.
Pedestrians face several common accident scenarios on Tuscaloosa roads and parking areas.
Drivers at intersections sometimes fail to yield to people walking or run through red lights when in a hurry. These crashes often happen when cars make turns without checking for people in crosswalks. The high speeds at intersections combine with blind turns to cause very serious injuries when a vehicle strikes someone on foot.
Parking lots are dangerous places for pedestrians due to poor visibility between parked cars and distracted drivers looking for spaces. Drivers may back up without checking their surroundings or drive too fast through narrow lanes. Many motorists focus on finding parking spots rather than watching for people walking through the lot.
Some drivers leave the accident scene after hitting a pedestrian because they fear getting in trouble with the law or facing higher insurance rates. The driver might panic, especially if they were texting, speeding, or drinking alcohol before the crash. Even when the driver flees, pedestrians can still seek money for their injuries through uninsured motorist coverage or by working with a Tuscaloosa personal injury lawyer to identify the responsible party.
Distracted driving tops the list of why pedestrians get hurt on Tuscaloosa roads. Drivers looking at phones, adjusting radios, or talking to passengers often miss seeing people walking nearby. Speeding makes these accidents worse because fast-moving cars need more time to stop when they finally notice a pedestrian. Failure to yield at crosswalks happens when drivers rush through intersections without checking for people walking.
Many drivers ignore traffic signals or don't pay attention at marked crosswalks where pedestrians have the right of way. Some accidents happen when drivers make turns without looking for people already crossing the street. Poor visibility during night hours or bad weather also plays a big role in these dangerous situations, especially on poorly lit Tuscaloosa streets.
To win a pedestrian accident case, you must show the driver did something wrong that caused your injuries. Alabama follows the contributory negligence rule, which means if you had any fault in the accident, you might not get any money. This makes proving the driver was completely at fault very important in your case.
Your lawyer will collect evidence to show the driver broke traffic laws or acted carelessly. This evidence helps fight against claims that you were partly at fault for the accident. The following methods help build a strong case against the driver who hit you.
Police reports contain important details about what the driver did wrong, like running a red light or texting while driving. These official documents include the officer's observations, statements from people involved, and sometimes tickets given to the driver for breaking traffic laws.
People who saw the accident can tell if the driver was speeding, looking at their phone, or not paying attention to the road. Witness statements from bystanders, store owners, or other drivers carry weight because they have no reason to favor either side in the case.
Special experts can use science to show exactly how the accident happened and prove the driver was at fault. They examine skid marks, vehicle damage, and road conditions to create diagrams or computer models that explain the crash to a judge or jury.
When you're hit by a car while walking, you can ask for money to cover your losses. These losses fall into two main types: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include the money you pay for hospital bills, doctor visits, physical therapy, and medicines. They also cover lost wages if you miss work while healing, future income you can't earn if you can't return to your job, and repair or replacement of personal items damaged in the accident.
Non-economic damages pay you for things that don't have clear price tags but still affect your life. These include physical pain from your injuries and the suffering you experience during recovery. They also cover emotional distress like anxiety or fear of walking near roads again. Some victims receive compensation for loss of enjoyment of life when injuries prevent them from doing activities they once loved.
Alabama uses a strict rule called "contributory negligence" that can seriously impact your pedestrian accident case. This rule means if you had any fault at all in causing the accident - even just 1% - you might not get any money for your injuries. It's an "all-or-nothing" approach that makes pedestrian cases in Alabama much harder than in most other states.
Even small actions like looking at your phone while crossing, stepping slightly outside a crosswalk, or wearing dark clothing at night could be used against you. Insurance companies know about this strict rule and use it to avoid paying valid claims.
Partial fault can bar recovery - Unlike most states, Alabama gives you zero compensation if you were even slightly at fault, no matter how badly you were hurt.
Insurance companies might allege shared fault - Adjusters often claim pedestrians weren't paying attention or didn't follow traffic rules to avoid paying claims.
Robust evidence reduces contributory claims - Photos, videos, witness statements, and expert testimony help fight back against accusations that you were partly responsible.
Taking the right actions after being hit by a vehicle can make a big difference in your recovery and legal case.
Getting medical help right away is the first priority when someone is hurt in a pedestrian accident. When you call 911, the dispatcher will send both medical personnel and police officers to the scene. The police will create an official accident report that documents what happened.
Taking photos of your injuries, the vehicle that hit you, and the surrounding area provides valuable evidence for your case. Pictures of skid marks, traffic signals, crosswalk markings, and weather conditions help show what happened. This documentation becomes very important if the driver later claims they weren't at fault or that you stepped into traffic.
Even injuries that seem minor at first can develop into serious problems days after the accident. A doctor can find hidden injuries like internal bleeding, concussions, or soft tissue damage that aren't immediately obvious. The medical records from your visits create an official timeline of your injuries that helps connect them directly to the accident.
Speaking with an attorney early helps you avoid mistakes that could hurt your case under Alabama's strict liability rules. A lawyer can guide you on what to say to insurance companies and how to document your recovery. Krebs Personal Injury Lawyers offers free consultations to discuss your pedestrian accident case and explain your legal options.
Alabama law gives you two years from the date of your pedestrian accident to file a lawsuit. This time limit is strict and starts counting from the day you were hit by the vehicle. If you wait until after these two years pass, the court will likely dismiss your case no matter how badly you were hurt.
Waiting too long to start your case can make it harder to gather good evidence. Witnesses might forget what they saw, or their contact information might change. Physical evidence like skid marks on the road disappear over time, and security camera footage might be deleted. Starting your case early gives your lawyer more time to build a strong claim and talk with the insurance company before the deadline approaches.
Here are answers to common questions people ask after being hit by a vehicle while walking in Tuscaloosa.
In Alabama, not using a crosswalk can make winning your case harder because of the contributory negligence rule. A lawyer can help by gathering evidence that shows the driver had plenty of time to see you, was speeding, or broke other traffic laws that were the real cause of the accident.
Pedestrian accident claims in Tuscaloosa can take anywhere from a few months to over a year to settle, depending on several factors. The timeline depends on how complicated your injuries are, how willing the insurance company is to offer a fair amount, and whether your case needs to go to court or can be settled through negotiations.
When a driver flees after hitting you, police can use traffic cameras, witness descriptions, and sometimes paint or parts left at the scene to find them. If the hit-and-run driver can't be found, you may still recover money through your own uninsured motorist coverage on your auto insurance policy, even though you were walking rather than driving when hit.
At Krebs Personal Injury Lawyers, we fight for fair payment after pedestrian accidents in Tuscaloosa. Our team knows how to handle the tough Alabama laws that make winning these cases hard. We work to show the driver was completely at fault so you can get money for your medical bills and missed work.
You can talk to our lawyers for free about your case. During this meeting, we listen to what happened and explain how we can help you. Call us at Krebs Personal Injury Lawyers or fill out our online form to set up your free talk.
We understand how a pedestrian accident changes your life in many ways. Our team lives and works in Tuscaloosa, so we know the local streets, intersections, and traffic patterns where accidents happen. We care about making our community safer by holding careless drivers responsible when they hurt people walking on our streets.
J.R. is dedicated to providing personalized representation, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. He tailors his strategy to the unique challenges and needs of each client and case, ensuring focused and individualized attention.
His practice mainly covers Plaintiff’s Personal Injury, including car and 18-wheeler accidents, slips and falls, dog bites, defective products, and wrongful death. He also handles commercial disputes on contingency, with experience in contracts, construction, and probate. For any dispute headed toward litigation, J.R. develops an aggressive strategy to maximize your recovery through negotiation, arbitration, or trial.
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