Jersey City Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

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Jersey City Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

While most car accidents involve two or cars colliding, it’s not uncommon for a pedestrian to be the victim of a car accident. Unfortunately, because they don’t have the protection of a vehicle, it can often result in injuries far more devastating than a traditional car accident.

If you have serious injuries, you’re likely facing astronomical medical bills and financial problems due to missing work — all while trying to heal. The good news is that you have the right to pursue compensation for your injuries in the form of legal damages. That’s where the help of a pedestrian accident attorney comes in.

If you’ve been the victim of a pedestrian accident, Jersey City pedestrian accident lawyers might be able to help pursue compensation to help you recover. Here’s what you need to know.

Why Should I Hire a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?

Personal injury lawsuits are notorious for being legal quagmires, and the odds are often stacked against innocent victims who need compensation to move on with their lives. Thankfully, pedestrian accident lawyers can help in many ways.

Here are several reasons why you should consider working with an attorney:

Attorneys Know How to Negotiate

Most pedestrian accident claims will start with a claim to your insurance provider. However, insurance companies want to pay as little as possible, offering accident victims very small settlements.

Personal injury attorneys have extensive experience negotiating with insurance companies, so they can often negotiate a higher settlement than you would get on your own. Additionally, the insurance company knows you’re serious when you work with an attorney, so they’re incentivized to pay you a fair settlement to avoid a trial.

They Understand How the Legal System Works

Personal injury attorneys also have plenty of experience filing claims. They often know judges, clerks, and other people involved in the claims process, and these relationships can make the entire process move smoothly.

The unfortunate truth is that trying to handle your claim by yourself can be incredibly difficult unless you have an extensive legal background. When you entrust your case to an attorney, you can spend all of your energy on getting better.

They Can Go to Trial if Needed

In some cases, your attorney and the insurance company’s lawyers may not be able to agree on a fair settlement. When that happens, your case may need to go to a civil trial. This step can be difficult, but your lawyer will be prepared to help you.

There’s No Financial Risk to You

Many people injured in pedestrian accidents never even try to approach a lawyer, misled by the notion that lawyers are expensive and hesitant to pay attorney fees on top of their medical bills.

However, this is a misconception. The truth is that you’ll often have to pay nothing out of pocket. Many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning their pay is a percentage of your financial compensation — and only paid out if you win! If your lawyer cannot recover any kind of compensation for you, you owe nothing. Even the initial consultation is free, meaning you have nothing to lose by talking to an attorney.

With that said, it’s important to note that personal injury lawyers don’t take on every case that comes across their desk. When you set up a consultation, an attorney will assess the facts of your case and determine whether they’ll take it.

Additionally, your personal injury lawyer may be able to point you toward resources that can assist with your medical bills, such as the Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment Fund from NJ’s PLIGA, which was made to support uninsured pedestrians struck by private vehicles.

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How Pedestrian Accidents Happen

Pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere, but there are several factors that increase the likelihood of being hit by a car. Here are some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents.

Most pedestrian accident claims will start with a claim to your insurance provider. However, insurance companies want to pay as little as possible, offering accident victims very small settlements.

Personal injury attorneys have extensive experience negotiating with insurance companies, so they can often negotiate a higher settlement than you would get on your own. Additionally, the insurance company knows you’re serious when you work with an attorney, so they’re incentivized to pay you a fair settlement to avoid a trial.

Personal injury attorneys also have plenty of experience filing claims. They often know judges, clerks, and other people involved in the claims process, and these relationships can make the entire process move smoothly.

The unfortunate truth is that trying to handle your claim by yourself can be incredibly difficult unless you have an extensive legal background. When you entrust your case to an attorney, you can spend all of your energy on getting better.

In some cases, your attorney and the insurance company’s lawyers may not be able to agree on a fair settlement. When that happens, your case may need to go to a civil trial. This step can be difficult, but your lawyer will be prepared to help you.

Many people injured in pedestrian accidents never even try to approach a lawyer, misled by the notion that lawyers are expensive and hesitant to pay attorney fees on top of their medical bills.

However, this is a misconception. The truth is that you’ll often have to pay nothing out of pocket. Many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning their pay is a percentage of your financial compensation — and only paid out if you win! If your lawyer cannot recover any kind of compensation for you, you owe nothing. Even the initial consultation is free, meaning you have nothing to lose by talking to an attorney.

With that said, it’s important to note that personal injury lawyers don’t take on every case that comes across their desk. When you set up a consultation, an attorney will assess the facts of your case and determine whether they’ll take it.

Additionally, your personal injury lawyer may be able to point you toward resources that can assist with your medical bills, such as the Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment Fund from NJ’s PLIGA, which was made to support uninsured pedestrians struck by private vehicles.

Liability in Pedestrian Accidents

When it comes to liability and collecting damages, different states have different rules. New Jersey follows the 51% rule of comparative negligence, meaning if you are found to be at least 51% at fault for the accident, you can’t recover damages.

Even if the insurance company says you are 51% at fault (or more), consulting with a personal injury attorney is still important. If you and your attorney think the insurance company’s determination isn’t accurate, you can appeal the decision.

What Is My Case Worth?

Without understanding the specifics of your case, it’s impossible to say exactly how much it’s worth. Personal injury cases that make the news are worth millions, but many are worth considerably less.

Only a qualified personal injury attorney can give you an estimate of your case’s total worth. However, it might be helpful to know some of the factors that generally influence the potential value of a case:

  • The percentage of fault you are liable for
  • The severity of your injuries
  • The monetary value of your losses

Each case is different, but personal injury attorneys have seen so many cases that they will have a general sense of what your case might be worth. If you set up a consultation and an attorney takes your case, they can likely give you a realistic idea of what a potential settlement might look like.

Deadline for Filing a Claim

Generally speaking, you have two years from the accident date to file a personal injury claim in New Jersey. However, depending on the exact circumstances of your injury, your timeline may be much shorter.

Therefore, to give yourself the best chance of a favorable outcome, it’s crucial to consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as you can. Attorneys can advise you on steps to start building your case, even while you’re still recovering. They will then help you assemble your case and take legal action before time runs out so you can be eligible to file for damages. If you’ve been hurt in a pedestrian accident, get in touch with GGL today!

Common Injuries Suffered in Pedestrian Accidents

As you know, cars are much bigger and faster than humans, so it’s not surprising that injuries from pedestrian accidents can be quite severe. Here are some of the most common injuries found in pedestrians hit by cars:

The sudden force of being hit by a car is often enough to break bones. And even if pedestrians don’t break a bone right away, they often break one if they are slammed down onto the road or sidewalk.

Unfortunately, it’s possible to break just about every bone in your body. Cars often come into contact with a person’s legs first, so fractures in the pelvis, femur, tibia, and fibula are common. Pelvic fractures are additionally quite common. If a pedestrian collides with the windshield or is flung into the air, they may also break their arms.

Fractures often hide under the skin, but it’s also very likely that pedestrians will suffer a compound fracture — this is when part of the broken bone pierces the skin.

If a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle, they might suffer a head injury. Head injuries can be anywhere from minor to life-altering. On the milder end, a pedestrian might get a minor concussion. On the severe end, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is possible. TBIs can have severe symptoms that impact your ability to work and otherwise live your life:

  • Loss of vision in one or both eyes
  • Problems with coordination
  • Severe headaches
  • Seizures
  • Slurred speech
  • Cognitive issues
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Agitation, confusion, and restlessness

In some cases, the symptoms of TBIs go away completely. In other cases, they can cause lifelong issues.

Your spine can absorb significant shock, but the impact of a vehicle is usually more than it can safely handle. Many pedestrians hit by cars suffer injuries to the spine. Like head injuries, injuries in this region can vary widely in severity.

Sometimes, a sudden impact can cause one or more discs of the vertebrae to rupture. This can cause pain, and it also can cause nerve damage over time. It’s also possible to fracture one or more vertebrae.

Even though your vertebrae protect your spinal cord, it can still be injured. These injuries are especially severe, as they can cause lifelong paralysis. Injuries high up on the spinal cord may cause paralysis in all four limbs, while injuries lower down may cause paralysis in the legs.

Your ligaments connect your bones to one another, and your tendons connect your muscles to your bones. Often, the stress of an impact can cause partial or complete tearing of these important structures, compromising the integrity of your body as a result.

These types of injuries may not be as serious as some other possible injuries. However, they can still cause significant pain and often take a long time to heal. Many people need physical therapy to return to full functioning.

The loss of mobility that comes from these sorts of injuries is more than just an inconvenience for many. For example, if your job requires walking and you have significant soft tissue damage in one or both legs, you may be unable to work for a significant period of time.

When a person is hit by a car, injuries to internal organs are possible. If an internal organ ruptures or is otherwise damaged, the person will likely experience internal bleeding. If these injuries aren’t caught and treated quickly, it’s possible to die as a result.

As you can tell, there are many injuries you might suffer in a pedestrian accident, and treatment for them can be quite costly. Therefore, you must meet with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible so you can start your recovery. While no outcome is guaranteed, the personal injury lawyers from GGL are committed to your success, and they’re tenacious litigators who will fight for you at every turn.

Why Hire GGL?

GGL was founded in 1991 with the sole aim of fighting for accident victims and other victims of personal injuries. We are one of the few multilingual law firms in New Jersey, and we treat all of our clients like family.

We refuse to be outworked! If you’re ready for a lawyer who will fight tirelessly for you, contact our Jersey City pedestrian accident lawyers today at 1-800-923-3456.

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GGL Wins

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OFFICIAL PARTNER OF RUTGERS ATHLETICS

Jersey City Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Address: 3000 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Suite 311 Jersey City, NJ 07306
Phone: (201) 695-1000

Open 24/7 365

Office:
8:30-6:00 Monday
8:30-6:00 Tuesday
8:30-6:00 Wednesday
8:30-6:00 Thursday
8:30-6:00 Friday

Recent GGL Wins

Medical Malpractice

A 30-year-old pregnant woman went into labor. The doctor failed to take proper steps in the baby’s delivery, making the mother wait in the hallway for ten hours while the baby’s heart rate began to drop. The baby was delivered via C-Section; he was blue from lack of oxygen resulting in Cerebral Palsy.

$14 Million

Verdict

Construction Accident

Mediation award resulting from an industrial explosion causing disfiguring burns and severe orthopedic injuries.

$7,8 Million

Verdict

Auto Accident

31-year-old man who was cut off by another car causing his car to flip over. He sustained head injuries, facial injuries, and half of his pinky finger was amputated.

$3 Million

Verdict

Apr 6, 2024, Christine S.
★★★★★
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I loved working with Rosa M. De Leon she was so helpful and reassuring during a very difficult time after my car accident . Always on top of everything and quick to respond throughout the long process of the suit !! Rajat was a kind and thorough attorney who was always interested in how I was and not just the case I appreciate everything he did for me ! They are a great team and I would highly recommend them . All of the folks here at the firm were great to work with !
Apr 3, 2024, Bill B.
★★★★★
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I was very fortunate to have GGL represent me in my recent legal situation. Rajat was the best!! He was very patient and understanding of my situation & his expertise was very impressive and I would highly recommend him & GGL for anyone in need of legal representation!
Apr 2, 2024, Emily R.
★★★★★
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I am very happy with the experience at this firm especially with the help of Evelyn T, she has been very helpful and resourceful with my cousin’s case. From the beginning she has been honest and truthful and for that I am grateful. Thank you!