A pedestrian involved in an accident with a vehicle broke her femur in an accident that was, at first, attributed to “distracted walking.” On her way to class at a nearby community college, she had her nose buried in a book while attempting to cross the street. A man driving a large truck made a left hand turn before seeing her and slammed into her leg at a speed of about eight miles an hour. It was enough to throw her to the ground and break the top portion of her right leg. In fact, the impact was even strong enough to bend a quarter that she had been carrying in her front pocket.
“The insurance company assumed it was my fault for reading while walking,” said the student. “But I was actually crossing at a crosswalk and had waited until I had the ‘Walk’ signal, so even though I was reading, I was not at fault.”
Securing an Austincaraccidentattorney who could fully investigate the scene of the accident and represent her to the insurance company would have saved her a lot of effort and energy spent clarifying the situation later. As it turned out, she walked away with a settlement of $90,000.
Recent studies, however, have shown that pedestrians who are not fully aware of their surroundings are increasingly at fault for injuries sustained in accidents caused by their own distractions. While a link between wearing headphones and suffering pedestrian injuries has not been proven, some of the conclusions of the studies suggested that wearing headphones while walking can contribute to being involved in an accident with a passing vehicle. The number of such accidents has multiplied by three in the last eight years. An Austincaraccidentattorney can still adequately defend you if you are hit by a car through no fault of your own while wearing headphones, but many people suggest trying to be more aware of your surroundings when out walking on the busy city streets of Austin.
Being struck by a car can have many terrible, if not fatal, consequences. If you have been hit by a vehicle and are a victim of injuries but find yourself being held liable by insurance companies for medical bills, consulting with an Austincaraccidentattorney is usually free. Don’t just take the word of an insurance company if your claim is denied. An Austincaraccidentattorney can fight for your rights, even the right to read or listen to music while strolling through city streets. Use caution, though, and maybe turn the volume down, especially at intersections.
The Mandelker Law Firm is located in Austin, Texas and committed to personal representation through limited caseloads, hard work, lower fees, and direct contact with your attorney. Our Austin car accident attorney is dedicated to aggressive representation, integrity, and seeking the maximum recovery allowed by law in each case we take on.
