When pedestrians get struck by cars, they rarely walk away without injury. Being hit by a vehicle can cause severe injuries and will leave a person incapacitated for weeks or months. At Goldberg Law Group we understand the delicate nature of pedestrian accidents in New Bedford. Trust our team to make sure you’re taken care of in this difficult time.
On March 4, 2018, Stasha Lynn Faria tragically lost her life in a pedestrian accident in Dartmouth — just ten minutes from New Bedford.
While hit-and-runs are the worst-case scenario for pedestrian accidents, the fact is pedestrians are sitting ducks for the vehicles they walk near.
Faria wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary when before the accident, and neither are most pedestrians. No one deserves the fate Faria did, whether that fate is a loss of life or permanent injury.
When pedestrians get struck by cars, they rarely walk away without injury. Being hit by a vehicle can cause severe injuries and will leave a person incapacitated for weeks or months.
At Goldberg Law Group, , we understand the delicate nature of pedestrian accidents in New Bedford. Trust our team to make sure you’re taken care of in this difficult time.
New Bedford Pedestrian Accident Statistics
Since 2016 New Bedford has seen two pedestrian accidents resulting in fatalities. Faria’s in Dartmouth and another on Cove Street on Dec. 8, 2016.
Since 2002 there have been a total of 938 pedestrian accidents in New Bedford resulting in some form of injury. Averaging it out, that’s about 52 pedestrian accidents a year. In 2019 alone, there have been 36 pedestrian accidents resulting in some form of injury.
The intersection of Elm Street and Pleasant Street is the hotbed of pedestrian accidents in New Bedford. Thirty-nine recorded accidents have occurred there since 2002. The close second is the intersection of Sawyer Street and Ashley Boulevard, which has seen 34 accidents since 2002.
What Do I Do After a Pedestrian Accident?
The first thing you need to do is to seek medical treatment. Your injuries need to be documented by a doctor right away for your safety and your claim.
If you are able, you then need to start gathering information on everything regarding the accident. Valuable information like this includes:
- Insurance Information on the Driver
- Witness Names
- Photos of the Scene
Massachusetts law generally favors the pedestrian when sorting out liability in these accident scenarios. Figuring out the fault isn’t going to be a tough task for a seasoned New Bedford Personal Injury Attorney.
If you’ve suffered an injury you need to call the New Bedford pedestrian accident lawyers at Goldberg Law Group, today to solidify your claim.
How Much Compensation for a Pedestrian Accident?
Massachusetts’ no-fault laws force the accident victim to prove they carry less than 50 percent of the blame in an accident. Proving fault typically isn’t hard in a pedestrian accident because the laws protect pedestrians in many cases.
According to Massachusetts law, pedestrians crossing the street on a crosswalk, intersection with a “walk” signal or green light has the right of way. Pedestrians also have the right-of-way when walking on roadways. Vehicles are supposed to give pedestrians plenty of room when passing and approaching them on roads.
Odds are in the pedestrian’s favor for collecting compensation in these cases. The following types of payment a pedestrian can receive are:
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Future medical costs
- Pain and suffering
- Related out-of-pocket expenses
Medical bills and lost wages are easy enough to prove with a receipt. Pain and suffering are a little more complicated, but with the help of a New Bedford Pedestrian Accident Lawyer recovering those damages can be made more accessible.
When is a Pedestrian Accident At-Fault?
There are rare cases where a pedestrian can be seen at-fault for an accident. The police will make these determinations while documenting the crash at the scene.
Situations, where this can arise, are when a pedestrian crossed the street at night where there was no crosswalk. A car accident reconstructionist can determine the pedestrian acted in an unsafe manner.
Still, your pedestrian accident attorney can even argue to a court that the vehicle was negligent in not paying attention to the road.
No matter the situation, you need a pedestrian accident attorney on your side when seeking compensation for your injuries.
How do I File for a Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit?
After you’ve determined what your injuries are and submitted an accident report, it’s time to call the pedestrian accident attorneys at Goldberg Law Group, .
Don’t let anyone short change you for your injuries. Call Goldberg Law Group’ s New Bedford office any time of the day at 508-775-9099 for a free, confidential consultation.
