An accident involving a pedestrian can be particularly detrimental. If you’re the pedestrian involved, it’s vital that you take certain immediate steps following an accident. Assuming that you were not jay walking or in any other obvious traffic violations, chances are that the fault will rest on the driver.

<b>Seek immediate medical attention…</b>

Even if you feel like you could walk home, if you intend on filing a personal injury claim, it looks better if you receive immediate medical attention. If EMTs have not arrived shortly after the accident, it’s important to ensure that they are at least on the way. Don’t assume someone else has called 911. If you’re able, do so yourself. It’s very important that police records and hospital records reflect your injuries and your immediate desire to be seen by a medical professional. If your case goes to court, this will assist you tremendously.

<b>Choosing the right personal injury lawyer…</b>

Assuming that the insurance company will treat you fairly is not always the best of ideas. It’s always better to seek legal counsel. The first step is to narrow down your list of candidates. Whenever possible, using a local attorney will ensure that the lawyer has a more personal connection and sense of accountability with the plaintiff. Moreover, there are an adequate number of Gardena pedestrian accident lawyers to choose from. Filtering out any attorneys who are not local will make the decision process much easier.

Next, ensure that your list of possible attorneys all specialize in personal injury. There are various fields of practice within a law firm and it’s important that you choose the right lawyer for your case. There are questions that can be asked during the initial consultation, but for now, downsizing the list to only include personal injury attorneys will aid in the decision process. Regarding consultations: if the law firm does not offer free consultations, move on to the next firm that does.

Once you have a concise list of possible lawyers, it’s important to visit with all of them before you make a final decision. One of the main reasons for this is the likeability factor. While it may seem irrelevant, it’s important to remember that the attorney you choose will be one half of your team. If the two of you are not consistently on the same page, and if the two of you cannot easily converse, your chances of a positive outcome are greatly diminished.

<b>Questions to ask during the consultation…</b>

Don’t be timid. Don’t restrain from asking any questions that you feel are pertinent to your personal requirements.

Some of the questions that should be incorporated include:

• How many cases similar to your case has the particular attorney handled in the past? Of these cases, how many ended with an acceptable outcome?

• Will the attorney accept a contingency fee based pay structure? If not, move on to the next law firm, as it’s probable that they will agree to contingency fees.

• How long will a case of this nature take to complete?

• Will this particular attorney respect your desires regarding a settlement? This is preferred as opposed to an attorney who will hesitate settling the case if the amount offered does not meet his desires. This is your case and your decision. While it’s unlikely that you’ll want to stop an attorney from attaining more money, it’s all about the principle and the law firm honoring your plans.

If the answers do not satisfy your personal desires in an attorney, simply move on. Don’t sell yourself short. This is one of the most important decisions of your life.