A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on I-85 in west Charlotte. According to reports, police and medics responded to a serious accident in which a pedestrian was hit on I-85. The accident happened at about 6 pm. The accident shut down I-85 near Billy Graham Parkway for hours while police conducted an investigation. The victim was transported to Atrium Health CMC with life-threatening injuries.
Pedestrian Accidents are Common
Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents occur quite often. When they happen, the results are likely fatal. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) tracks all pedestrian accidents. They issued a preliminary report that shows the number of pedestrian fatalities across the country last year was 7,318. While there were slightly fewer deaths than the previous year, it is still higher than it was prior to the pandemic.
Pedestrian Accidents May Cause Severe Injuries
When a vehicle hits a pedestrian, the results can be devastating. Injuries can be severe, even when the vehicle is traveling at a slow speed. Injuries often include neck or back trauma, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, contusions and lacerations, internal injuries, and more. Many times, as in this accident, injuries are life-threatening. A victim may require multiple surgeries and lengthy rehab and recovery times. Physical and emotional treatment may be extensive. The negligent party should be held responsible for the costs the victim incurred because of the accident.
Who is to Blame for Pedestrian Accidents?
In most instances, a negligent vehicle driver is responsible for injuries to a pedestrian in a pedestrian accident. While in many cases, the vehicle driver is responsible for pedestrian accidents, there are times when a pedestrian may be to blame. A pedestrian may be negligent, for example, if they cross the street outside of a crosswalk. Pedestrians are generally not allowed on highways except in cases of an emergency. In this case, we do not have details to determine whether the driver was negligent.
Accident Investigation
In this case, the police conducted an initial accident investigation immediately following the accident. The purpose of an investigation in any accident is to determine how the accident occurred and which party or parties were negligent. In North Carolina, a person may not get compensation when they were even partly negligent in the accident. In many cases, further investigation is needed. Accident reconstruction is sometimes utilized, which may include reviewing video surveillance, witness statements, evaluating the vehicle, and more.
Personal Injury Claims
An experienced personal injury attorney can help victims and their families seek justice for their injuries and damages. It is often helpful to seek legal guidance as soon after an accident as possible. Your lawyer will gather evidence, talk to witnesses, review video evidence, look at police reports, and seek help from an accident reconstruction expert. The victim may be entitled to compensation from the negligent party. If you or a family member were hurt in a pedestrian accident, we can help. Contact us at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 to schedule a free initial consultation.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.ghsa.org/resources/Pedestrians24
https://www.yahoo.com/news/85-closed-person-struck-vehicle-223134302.html
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/push-button-to-walk-1445119
See Our Related Video from our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ArnoldSmithPLLC/videos
See Our Related Blog Posts:
Charlotte Pedestrians are Likely to Die Along This Highway, NCDOT Warns