There is nothing worse than being injured in an accident, especially one that was not your fault. One of the most dangerous and accident-prone places happens to be the road networks, with over 1.35 million deaths caused by crashes every single year. On top of that, there are estimated to be up to 50 million people who suffer serious or life-changing injuries after accidents.
Sadly, often, the people who are injured were not at fault. Pedestrians being struck by cars make up a huge proportion of these injuries and deaths, often caused by negligent or inefficient driving. If you have been in an accident as a pedestrian, you will likely have life-changing or long-term injuries to deal with. There are a few things you need to do and know when it comes to recovering after being in such a serious accident.
Get Medical Attention
It goes without saying that the most important thing you should do is to take care of yourself first. This can be daunting, as medical expenses rack up quickly in this country, however, there is no need to worry. As an Ann Arbor pedestrian accident lawyer explains, “Under Michigan no-fault law, the insurance company will have to pay medical expenses resulting from the crash.” This means that you will not end up losing money through medical expenses.
Getting the right medical attention is important for your long-term recovery prospects. If you do not have an injury properly diagnosed, there could be a serious underlying issue there. If this is mismanaged or left undiagnosed, you could end up developing serious after-effects or get more unwell. Go to the medical center immediately after an accident, making sure that you see a doctor and have a thorough check-up.
Take Time Off Work
After an accident, there are all sorts of worries – most of which tend to be financial. People are left stuck with questions about returning to work, sick pay, or disabilities affecting their employment. However, you mustn’t rush yourself back to work, as you need to take ample time to recover from your severe injuries.
In most employment, you will be able to receive a level of sick pay. This may not be a huge amount, but it is better than going back to work and making your injuries worse, leading to even more time off. Following on from this, you will likely be able to make a claim under the previously mentioned no-fault law. This law dictates that you should be paid up to 85% of your lost earnings for three years, which is great news for those so severely injured that they can’t return to work. Take time off, look after yourself, then speak to a lawyer about making a claim.
Take Further Legal Advice
You should find a legal team as quickly as possible during your recovery phase. There is no reason to delay, reach out to a specialist lawyer as soon as possible. These lawyers should be experienced and trained within the field of accidents and the no-fault law, as they will be best placed to understand the laws surrounding your accident and what they can do to help.
In most cases, the legal team will build a case based on the evidence you provide. They will also seek to find any further evidence necessary to prove you were not at fault for the accident. This may include CCTV, witness statements, or police reports. They’ll also need to get hold of any medical bills or reports from your doctors, to help display the severity of your injury.
Seek a Settlement
Once they have all the evidence in place, your legal team will assist you in claiming a settlement through the Michigan no-fault law. They will claim through the defendant’s insurance for your medical expenses, lost wages, and any specific modifications or changes to your life due to disability.
If your injuries are severe, they may also help you to make a further claim against the driver who was at fault. This would be for more long-term effects, permanent disabilities, or for personal mental health damages. These cases can be complicated, but a specialist lawyer in the field will know exactly what you are owed and do everything they can to fight for it.
Make sure that after an accident, you reach out to an attorney as quickly as possible. They will do all the hard work for you, trying to win you as much money as possible. Meanwhile, you can spend time relaxing and recovering, waiting for your lawyers to earn you the money you deserve. Use that money to start afresh, once you have recovered.
