Jersey City Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
In a metropolitan area such as Jersey City, pedestrian, and motor vehicle traffic unfortunately often intersect. If a driver is not careful enough or violates a roadway rule, a devastating pedestrian accident can occur. These crashes can inflict life-threatening injuries on a victim.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Jersey City pedestrian accident, the lawyers at the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Hasson, P.C. can help you seek justice and maximum financial compensation for your losses. We are a team of highly committed and compassionate personal injury lawyers ready to help you move forward.
Why Choose Our Jersey City Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
- Our attorneys have over 90 years of legal experience in personal injury law. We know how to handle even the most complicated pedestrian accident cases in Jersey City.
- We are dedicated to pursuing the best possible results for every case and client. Our attorneys have collected millions of dollars on behalf of injured victims in New Jersey.
- At the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Hasson, P.C., we operate on a contingency fee basis. This means you won’t pay us anything in attorney’s fees unless we win your case.
How a Jersey City Pedestrian Accident Attorney Can Help You
Hiring a pedestrian accident lawyer in Jersey City can give you insights into your recovery options and how the legal process works. While you focus on healing and rebuilding your life as much as possible after a pedestrian accident, your lawyer will take care of legal matters for you.
An experienced personal injury lawyer in New Jersey can offer services such as:
- Free initial legal consultation to determine the viability of a claim and give you legal advice.
- Pedestrian accident investigation and the gathering of evidence.
- Identification of the at-fault party or parties.
- Hiring experts to help reconstruct the pedestrian accident and prove liability.
- Negotiations with insurance companies and their claims adjusters.
- Litigation during a pedestrian accident trial if a settlement cannot be reached.
A pedestrian accident attorney in Jersey City can guide you through complicated legal processes and advocate for maximum compensation on your behalf when speaking to an insurance adjuster. Most importantly, a Jersey City pedestrian accident attorney can provide emotional support during this difficult time and make sure you and your family have everything you need.
Why Do Pedestrian Accidents in Jersey City Occur?
Pedestrian accidents are often traced back to negligence and human error. Negligence is the failure to act with reasonable care, resulting in harm to others. If a motor vehicle driver makes a decision that a reasonable and prudent person would not have in the same or similar circumstances, the driver is guilty of negligence.
Pedestrian accidents in Jersey City may be caused by any of the following:
- Driver inattention or distraction
- Texting while driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Driving while fatigued
- Speeding
- Failing to yield to pedestrian traffic
- Ignoring crosswalk signals
- Speeding in a school zone
- Red-light running
- Rolling through a stop sign
- Traffic violations
- Unsafe roadway design
- Lack of pedestrian pathways
If you get injured in a pedestrian collision, an investigation may need to be performed by an insurance company, the police or a personal injury lawyer to determine causation. From there, a Jersey City pedestrian accident lawyer can help you file a claim or lawsuit against the at-fault party or parties for causing or significantly contributing to your accident.
Common Injuries Suffered by Pedestrians
Pedestrian-vehicle collisions are one of the most severe kinds of traffic accidents. In this type of crash, the pedestrian always suffers the most. Pedestrians are not protected by airbags, seat belts or metal shells like motor vehicle occupants. They are highly vulnerable to serious injuries based on the actions and behaviors of motorists. Injuries suffered in pedestrian accidents can range from minor bumps and bruises to catastrophic injuries.
Common types of pedestrian injuries includes:
- Amputations
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Crush injuries
- Cuts, scrapes and deeper lacerations
- Head and skull injuries
- Internal injuries
- Muscle sprains and strains
- Permanent disability
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Wrongful deaths
Physical injuries are not the only harm connected to pedestrian accidents in Jersey City. Victims can also suffer significant emotional and psychological harm from the trauma of the collision. Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can last for weeks or even months after a pedestrian accident, with symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares and chronic anxiety.
Who Is Liable for a Pedestrian Accident in New Jersey?
The party that you may be able to hold legally and financially responsible, or liable, for a pedestrian accident in Jersey City depends on the circumstances. New Jersey is a no-fault auto insurance state, meaning that after a minor car accident takes place, a victim will file a claim with his or her own insurance provider, regardless of fault.
Motor vehicle drivers in New Jersey are required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance to pay for their own injuries and medical bills after a minor crash. If a car accident inflicts serious injuries that meet New Jersey’s tort threshold, however, the victim can seek compensation from the at-fault driver.
Serious injuries include the permanent loss of a bodily function, permanent disfigurement or dismemberment, and injuries with medical expenses in excess of $3,600. If a pedestrian’s injuries meet this threshold, he or she can hold an at-fault driver (or third party) liable for the pedestrian accident.
Compensation Available to an Injured Pedestrian in Jersey City
The potential financial compensation that may be available to an injured pedestrian depends on the facts of the case. Case values are based on factors such as the severity of the victim’s injuries, the extent of any emotional damage, the insurance coverage available and liability issues such as comparative negligence.
The types of compensation awarded may include:
- Current and future estimated medical costs
- Lost wages
- Lost future capacity to earn
- Disability costs and accommodations
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional damage
- Loss of consortium
- Wrongful death damages, if applicable
In cases with aggravating circumstances, punitive damages may also be available to punish the accused party. Aggravating circumstances may describe gross negligence or recklessness by a driver, such as drunk driving. Punitive damages aim to penalize the at-fault party and deter others in the community from engaging in similar conduct.
Contact Our Jersey City Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Today | Free Consultations
If you get injured in a pedestrian accident in Jersey City, help is available from the lawyers at the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Hasson, P.C. Contact us to request a free case evaluation to discuss your legal options in more detail. Call (201) 928-0300 today.