Have you been injured in a pedestrian accident?
A pedestrian accident lawyer at Riddle & Riddle may be able to help. Pedestrian accidents are unfortunately not uncommon in North Carolina, and these complicated cases often require serious legal counsel to help secure maximum compensation.
For a FREE consultation with an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer, please call (252) 397-8620 or complete the fast and easy form below.
The consultation is free, and we don’t get paid unless you do. There are no upfront costs and no attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive compensation.
Greenville Pedestrian Accident Statistics
In 2019, there were 22 pedestrian accidents in Greenville, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). One of these accidents was fatal. Across North Carolina, pedestrian accidents were up 2.7 percent in 2019, and roughly 10 percent of pedestrians involved in motor vehicle accidents were killed.
Injured in Greenville? Contact Us Today!
Injuries We Can Help With
Pedestrian accidents can cause a wide array of injuries, ranging from serious to catastrophic. These injuries can result in expensive medical bills and significant changes to victims’ quality of life. In some cases, pedestrian accident injuries may force an individual to quit work in order to focus on treatment.
Common pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Crush injuries
- Cuts, scrapes, and contusions
- Paralysis and semi-paralysis
- Back injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Neck injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Hand injuries
- Loss of limbs (amputations)
In cases in which a pedestrian accident results in debilitating injury requiring long-term care, a pedestrian accident lawyer can help obtain a comprehensive life care plan to help calculated damages.
“Can I Still File a Pedestrian Accident Claim in North Carolina?”
It’s important to contact a pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible if you’re considering filing an injury claim or lawsuit. In North Carolina, personal injury claims are subject to the statute of limitations.
According to the statute of limitations in North Carolina, you must file a pedestrian accident claim within three years of the date of injury, and within two years of the date of death in wrongful death cases.
There are limited exceptions, and you should consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to protect your legal rights.
“What Should I Do After a Pedestrian Accident?”
The most important thing to do after a pedestrian accident is to seek immediate medical attention. Not only will this help protect your health and safety, but medical records and doctors’ notes will play an important part in determining the outcome of any injury claim or lawsuit.
After a pedestrian accident, follow these tips to protect your safety and legal rights:
- Call 911 and seek medical attention — follow the suggestions of first responders and if you’ve been injured, get medical attention right away
- Collect potential witnesses’ contact information — talk with witnesses and get their contact information
- Document the scene and injuries with photographs — take photos of the crash scene, including vehicle damage, debris, skid marks, pavement markings and signage, etc., as well as your injuries
- Talk with law enforcement — be open and honest and cooperate with the responding officer, and remember, anything you say can and will be used against you
- Do NOT give a recorded statement to the insurance company — do not give any statements to the insurance company before you talk with an attorney
- Talk with a pedestrian accident lawyer — consult with an experienced attorney in order to review your legal rights and evaluate you options for seeking compensation
We also advise our clients not to apologize or admit fault after a pedestrian accident. In many cases, insurance companies will try to “trick” victims into admitting fault to deny a claim or avoid paying compensation. Even if the circumstances of the accident are not immediately clear, do not give any official statements to the insurance company before talking with a pedestrian accident attorney.
How Do Pedestrian Accident Cases Work?
Pedestrian accident cases are often complex, and liability is often disputed by the insurance company or defense counsel. That’s why we recommend contacting an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer to help investigate the circumstances of the accident and prove liability.
North Carolina is a contributory negligence state, which means that if a plaintiff is found to be even just 1% responsible for the accident, they can be barred from recovering compensation. The best way to counter this defense is to build a “bulletproof” legal case that proves fault on the part of the driver in the pedestrian accident.
An experienced North Carolina pedestrian accident lawyer can help build a strong case by:
- Leading a comprehensive accident investigation
- Identifying and preserving important evidence
- Obtaining the official police report
- Identifying and interviewing potential witnesses
- Obtaining dash cam and video surveillance footage
- Preparing you for a recorded statement to the insurance company
- Coordinating with law enforcement
- Hiring outside experts like accident reconstructionists
- Calculating damages
- Negotiating with the insurance company and defense counsel
- Conducting depositions
- Filing a lawsuit if necessary
At Riddle & Riddle, we even have experienced investigators on staff to help investigate you claim and prove liability. These investigators are retired law enforcement officers who know how to determine who’s at fault in complex accidents. We also routinely bring in outside experts like accident reconstructionists in order to prove our clients’ cases.
In one recent pedestrian accident case, our trial attorneys brought in an accident reconstructionist to prove that the defendant driver had the “last clear chance” to avoid the accident. We recovered $1.62 million in total compensation for our client in that case (see disclaimer below).
“Will I Have to Go to Court?”
Most personal injury cases don’t go to court. The vast majority of cases (more than 90 percent) are settled out of court through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration. However, when the insurance company does not offer a reasonable settlement, it may be necessary to file a lawsuit and argue your case before a jury.
Talk with a Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today
Those injured in pedestrian accidents deserve justice, and we would love to help you and your loved ones if we can.
For a FREE consultation with an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer, please call (252) 397-8620.
The consultation is free and we don’t get paid unless you do. If we don’t recover compensation for you, you won’t pay a dime in attorney fees.
“Every time I’ve needed them, they were there for me.”
-Tyronnie T., Riddle & Riddle client
Call (252) 397-8620 and let’s review your claim. We can meet at our convenient Greenville office, or consult for free by phone, email, text, or video conference. There is no in-person meeting required to get started on your case.
Justice Counts and we are ready to help however we can.
*** Disclaimer: The results mentioned are intended to illustrate the type of cases handled by the firm. These results do not guarantee a similar outcome, and they should not be construed to constitute a promise or guarantee of a particular result in any particular case. Every case is different, and the outcome of any case depends upon a variety of factors unique to that case.
*** Disclaimer: An attorney must meet certain requirements to join these organizations or receive these awards. For more information on Membership Criteria for Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, The National Association of Distinguished Counsel, AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the Litigator Award, and other memberships, awards, and accolades, please visit our Membership Criteria page. These awards and memberships should not be construed as a promise or guarantee of a similar result. Each case is different and must be evaluated separately.
Hours of Operation*
Open 24/7 Monday - Sunday
*NOTE: We respond to phone calls, emails, and online chats 24/7, however in-person appointments are available at our Greenville location by appointment only. We also have investigators on staff who can come directly to you if that is more convenient.