If you were involved in a pedestrian accident near Cleveland or Akron, you may need a Cleveland pedestrian accident lawyer. It is unfortunate, but the reality is that reckless and negligent driving puts pedestrians in serious danger. In this article we’ll look at what you need to know about your accident and how you can find a legal partner to get you through this difficult time.
Cleveland Ohio Pedestrian Accidents Data
Statistics from the CDC about accidents nationwide paint a scary picture for pedestrians.
- According to the CDC, in the United States in 2021, every 66 minutes a pedestrian was killed in an auto accident.
- 100,000+ pedestrians in the United States went to the emergency room with non-fatal injuries after being hit by a motor vehicle in 2020.
- In Cleveland alone 550+ pedestrians and cyclists were injured by motor vehicles in 2023.
If you, or a loved one, has been a victim of an accident like this, it can be devastating. The distress can be compounded by a complex legal system and determined insurance companies. Both can make it difficult for victims and their families to access the compensation they deserve, and need, to pay costly hospital bills.
Understanding the Law and Your Liability
Trying to navigate the legal landscape after an accident can be complicated. Every circumstance is different and the law may work for or against you as you fight to protect your rights after an accident.
The attorneys at Spivak and Sakellariou have decades of experience in this area. Whether you are in Akron or Cleveland, they should be the first call you make if you need a car accident attorney for a pedestrian accident. That’s because they understand the nuances of Ohio laws and how to use them to fight for your rights.
Laws for Ohio pedestrians
Ohio drivers do sometimes have the right-of-way over pedestrians.
- When a pedestrian is walking outside of a marked crosswalk
- In areas where a pedestrian could utilize a nearby tunnel or overhead crosswalk
- During a funeral procession
- Emergency vehicles responding to calls
In most other cases, including in crosswalks, pedestrians have the right-of-way.
Understanding who has the right-of-way, and when, can help Ohio pedestrians stay safe. Following these laws can also help you protect your rights in an accident.
Who is at fault in an Ohio accident
After an accident, a decision will be made to determine who was at fault. This is important as it will determine how you can seek compensation for your recovery and from whom. Ohio law uses comparative fault to make that determination.
That means:
- The amount of damages you can recover depends on the level of fault you are assigned.
- In Ohio if you are found to be 51% or more at fault, you can not receive any compensation.
Insurance companies will be laser-focused on seeing that you are assigned fault at or above that 51%. An experienced Cleveland pedestrian accident attorney can fight to stop them from hitting that number.
How A Cleveland Pedestrian Accident Attorney Can Help
If you were injured in Ohio, the Cleveland pedestrian accident lawyers at GSAS can help. During your free consultation they will:
- Get to know you and your family
- Work to understand your needs, your goals, and unique circumstances
- Review the facts of your case
- Determine how best to help you get what you are owed
There are two likely routes your case will take.
Making a claim
Your legal team may decide that the best course of action for you is to file a claim. One of two things will then happen:
- The insurance company will work with you to settle out of court.
- The claim will be disputed and the case will go to trial.
When you work with GSAS you’ll be prepared for both. The partners at Spivak and Sakellariou are skilled and experienced negotiators with hundreds of positive client outcomes. They are also trial lawyers with decades of experience.
Settling with the insurance company
If there’s one thing to know about insurance companies and their adjusters, it’s this:
They are masters at negotiation.
An insurance company wants to pay out as little as possible. They spend a lot of time and money ensuring that they are positioned to do just that.
When it comes to discussing a settlement, the compensation amount will often depend on the percentage of fault that is given to each person involved in the accident. The insurance company will argue that the percentage of fault you are responsible for is as high as possible. This would lower the amount they owe.
Fighting for you
Insurance companies follow a playbook to keep you from getting the compensation you deserve. If you don’t know what’s coming, you can’t protect yourself or your family.
When you negotiate a settlement with professionals in the insurance business, it is important to have a professional of your own. That is where the team at Spivak and Sakelleriou comes in.
- Since the firm was founded, our attorneys have been focused on personal injury cases like pedestrian accidents in Ohio.
- Our lawyers have negotiated thousands of settlements for accident victims.
- We have a proven track record of positive results and satisfied clients.
Contact a Cleveland Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
At GSAS, we believe that everyone who walks in our door deserves:
- Individual attention
- Deep empathy
- Someone to fight with them
Our goal is to help you navigate the aftermath of your accident to help you get what you deserve and move on with your life.
Contact GSAS, your Cleveland pedestrian accident lawyer, before it’s too late.
