Hagerstown pedestrian accident lawyer Roger Gelb has been leading our firm for over 30 years. Since taking over the firm in the early 1990s, he has handled thousands of cases in D.C. and Maryland. If you are in a pedestrian accident, Roger Gelb has you covered.
Pedestrian accidents have the potential to be the most deadly accidents we handle. A pedestrian against a car, truck, or even motorcycle is defenseless. In general, there is nothing you can do other than rely on drivers to be diligent. However, with the rise of texting over the last couple decades, pedestrians are in more trouble than ever. Accordingly, we have a lot of work to do to keep pedestrians and even other drivers safe.
The best way to avoid a pedestrian accident is to not behave contributorily negligent. What does this mean? In the context of a pedestrian accident, it means walking in designated pedestrian areas. Generally, this includes sidewalks, crosswalks when a walk light is on, walking paths. There are also lesser known areas where pedestrians may legally walk. One example is known as a statutory crosswalk. This is any intersection of two or more roadways is a legal crosswalk, whether marked or not. Pedestrians have the same rights in marked crosswalks as in unmarked crosswalks. Drivers must stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk; that is the law in Hagerstown and all of Maryland.
Unfortunately, due to the rise of distracted, driving this is not always enough to prevent a pedestrian accident. Doing all of the things above and otherwise behaving as a reasonably prudent person will entitle you to a viable claim for negligence. However, to altogether prevent an accident, it may be wise to ensure other drivers see you before stepping out into a crosswalk. Even when you have the legal right-of-way, drivers are not always paying attention.
While a Hagerstown pedestrian accident lawyer can take that negligent behavior and win you just compensation, we would like to see you avoid the injury altogether. So, try to make eye contact with a driver before stepping onto the street to ensure he or she sees you. You may also choose to stay off your own cellphone. This is not required by law, but it may be helpful to avoid an accident. Moreover, if you have headphones in, make sure they are in transparency mode, or turned down so you can be aware of your surroundings.
After an accident, the first thing to do is be aware of your surroundings. If the motor vehicle that hits you is on fire or presents a danger to you, get to safety immediately. Step two is to check for injuries. If you have bad injuries following an accident, they may require immediate medical attention. Step three is to call 911. This can be important to call an ambulance for you or anyone else who is injured. You should also call for police to come to the scene. They do not always come if it is a minor accident. However, if it a pedestrian accident, chances are that it is not minor due to the lack of safety technology available for a pedestrian.
Police can also prepare a police report. Parts or all of this report may not be admissible in court, but it can provide valuable information for your attorney when pursuing a claim. Next, take pictures of the scene and get contact information from witnesses. This can be invaluable in court if they are able to provide testimony to determine fault in court. Then, call your Hagerstown pedestrian accident lawyer. Your lawyer will aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve for your injuries. The legal process can be slow. But your medical bills will likely be expensive. If you are in a pedestrian accident, you should not be stuck with expensive bills for an accident you did not cause.
Roger Gelb and his legal team can assist you in making a claim against an adverse driver. Even if you are not sure whether you have a good case, our attorneys can help you decide. Our consultations are always free. Call us at (202) 331-7227 today.