Every year, thousands of pedestrians are struck by vehicles. Often, the driver had been drinking. In many cases, the person on foot was intoxicated. Some of these incidents happen in parking lots when a driver is not paying close attention and may be moving too swiftly for safety. A personal injury attorney in McMinnville, OR, represents clients who were seriously hurt after being hit by a car.
No Protection
Pedestrians can be severely injured in these incidents even though the automobiles usually are not traveling at street speeds. The person has no protection against the weight of the car, which might be moving as fast as 15 or 20 miles per hour. A personal injury attorney in McMinnville, OR, negotiates with the driver’s insurance company to acquire the best possible settlement for the client.
Driver Behavior
Some drivers are not careful enough when backing out of a parking space. Others are so focused on competing for a good parking space that they don’t notice a person on foot walking past an open one. Some travel through a congested lot far too rapidly.
Claim Disputes
Legal representation is especially important if the insurance company disputes the claim for any reason. This might happen if the injured person had been drinking or had been taking a shortcut instead of using a crosswalk from the lot to the building. Increasingly, pedestrians are distracted with their mobile phones and not paying close attention to parking lot traffic.