As walking and bicycling become more appealing for their health and environmental benefits, there is cause for increased caution as pedestrians and motor vehicles are thrown into closer proximity within urban areas. For pedestrians involved in an accident or family members who lose a loved one due to the recklessness of others, the effects of pedestrian fatality and injury are traumatic, both financially and physically. Obtaining a lawsuit loan during the time a claim for damages is pending can help mitigate the financial difficulties suffered as a result of the injury. Traffic regulations and pedestrian injury law are in place to ensure that pedestrians have rights on the road and that those rights are protected.
The most recent statistics from 2009 show that 4,092 lives were lost due to pedestrian and motor vehicle crashes. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable of all those sharing the road, risking potential head and brain injury, paralysis and death if they should crash with a car on a crosswalk or in traffic. These catastrophic injuries can happen to any pedestrian at any time, regardless of neighborhood or time of day. Case in point: Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon was hit by a vehicle while jogging in Santa Monica, Calif., this past Wednesday afternoon. The driver, an 84-year old woman, failed to yield at an unmarked crosswalk while driving at 20 miles per hour. Since being treated for minor injuries, Witherspoon has decided to not press charges. The Santa Monica Police Department, however, has mandated that the elderly driver retake her driver’s test.
In the resulting media firestorm about road safety, there has been a lot of talk about where to place the blame. Many question whether the driver’s age and reflexes were defining factors in her delayed reaction time. Or whether this is just one in a litany of instances where drivers are distracted by the environment within their car — searching for directions, turning towards another passenger or checking their smartphones — and fail to notice the pedestrians on the road. But lastly, and most disconcerting, some question whether Witherspoon was at fault for failing to see the oncoming vehicle in her path. Regardless of Witherspoon’s own adherence to road safety for joggers, it is a fact that without any means of protection pedestrians are at the biggest disadvantage on the road. Traffic laws are in place to protect the most vulnerable and it is when those measures are violated out of negligence or recklessness that accidents occur.
Thankfully, Witherspoon did not sustain any extensive injuries, but other pedestrians might not be as lucky. These kinds of collisions will more than often than not result in injury or even fatality. Family members and victims filing lawsuits against the driver will already be under enough emotional strain, but will be asked to endure more during a prolonged lawsuit. Wrongful death or loss of wages due to a car crash can place a financial strain on a family as well. A valuable option available in these circumstances is a lawsuit loans that is paid out of the settlement at the suit’s resolution. Credit history checks and an employment verification are not necessary, and plaintiffs in pedestrian injury cases can often receive funds within 24 to 48 hours. This kind of simple, quick process provides an immeasurable amount of security to the victim’s family, offering them financial relief until a fair settlement is met. At a time when these accidents are potentially on te rise, it is a comfort to know that there are measures in place that look after the pedestrian’s safety and security.
About the Author: Steven Medvin is the Executive Director of SMP Advance Funding, LLC, which provides lawsuit funding to individuals who need a lawsuit loan for pending lawsuits. For more information please visit: https://www.smpadvance.com.
