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Wisconsin Pedestrian Injuries and Accident Facts
As the weather gets warmer, more people seek to travel on foot. However, it is important to keep in mind that pedestrians, especially children, face risks as they walk.
In fact, in the United States, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident every 113 minutes and hurt every eight minutes. Pedestrian accidents can leave victims severely injured, while car occupants may remain unharmed. Following pedestrian safety recommendations will help to reduce your risk; however, accidents still happen.
Common Types of Injuries Pedestrians Sustain
Pedestrians involved in accidents with a car are typically injured in the lower half of the body, which is where a car would first make impact. However, pedestrians can also sustain injuries to their head and upper body as they often fall into the vehicle that strikes them.
Children, because of their shorter stature, often sustain head trauma. Head trauma in children and adults is serious and requires a substantial amount of medical assistance simply to diagnosis the extent of the brain injury. Treatment and rehabilitation are typically required, and a full recovery is not guaranteed.
What to Do if You Get Into a Pedestrian Accident
If you are hit by a car as a pedestrian, you should take the following steps:
- Do not rush to stand up. If you have any injuries, call for emergency medical services. Often, injuries get worse in the minutes and hours following an accident. Therefore, if there is any indication of an injury, you should seek immediate medical attention.
- If you are able, exchange contact information with the driver of the vehicle that hit you. Also, write down insurance policy details and well as the license plate number and make and model of the car.
- If anyone who may have witnessed the accident stops at the scene, exchange contact information. Witnesses are crucial in pedestrian accidents as victims are not typically able to recall the incident.
- Take photos and videos of the scene. Be sure to capture the car, roadway conditions, and your own injuries.
- Follow all directions you receive from doctors. Keep going to appointments until the doctor clears you, even if you think you are fully recovered.
Contact a Milwaukee, WI, Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Another step you should take is to call a personal injury attorney. These attorneys are familiar with traffic laws, medical conditions, and recovery for injuries.
An attorney can also explain to you how much your case is worth based on the extent of your injuries, the fault of the parties, and recent cases with similar facts. To get in touch with the Milwaukee pedestrian accident attorneys at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP call 414-271-1440.
Sources:
http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/education/pedestrian/default.aspx
https://www.cdc.gov/features/pedestriansafety/
http://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/safety/education/crash-data/bikeped-crash-2011-2013-exec.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2859736/
