Attorney Rosenthal has been handling personal injury cases since 1993. He has handled countless cases. It is Attorney Rosenthal's role to guide you through the process from getting your car or motorcycle fixed, to getting your medical treatment, to settling your case.
Pedestrian accidents present a unique challenge in that the injury is often very serious, and the driver often contends that the pedestrian wasn't paying attention or entered the roadway suddenly. Cars hitting pedestrians are usually the result of a driver not paying attention or a driver speeding. The amount of technology in the car is a factor in these accidents- a driver adjusting the radio or navigation or cell phones with texts or social media. There are a lot of ways a careless driver can be distracted that can lead to a driver hitting a pedestrian.
In a pedestrian accident, it is important to take several steps- as soon as possible:
- Get the name and contact information for witnesses
- Get medical help as soon as possible
- Don't speak to the other person's insurance company until you talk to a lawyer
- Take pictures of your bruising or any marks on your body and the damage to the vehicle, if significant.
Your attorney may want to get a written statement from a witness and may want to get photos of any bruising on your body. There may be cameras in the vicinity of the accident that may have recorded the accident. When you are injured in a car accident, you have no obligation to talk to the other person's insurance company. It is usually better that you don't talk to them.
There are many factors that go into a pedestrian accident case settlement. The most important factor usually is the medical treatment. The doctors' reports are critical- what the doctors say about the severity of your injury, the need for future treatment, whether you have a permanent injury, the length of your treatment, the cost of your treatment. It is important that before you settle your case that you have explored all your medical options. Once you settle, if you discover a new medical problem you won't be able to get more money from the insurance company.
When you are getting your medical treatment it is best to treat consistently. Gaps of time between appointments can hurt your case. If treatment with one doctor isn't improving your situation, let that doctor know. If you still don't improve, there are often many medical options available to you. You should discuss this with your doctor and lawyer. Skipping treatment or not scheduling treatment is not the best approach.
It is important to keep track of time missed from work. Lost wages are something that we take note of and work to get your reimbursed for from the insurance company.
There are many factors that go into deciding what your settlement is going to be - how the accident happened, your medical treatment, your lost wages, and the injuries' impact on your life. In some cases it may be necessary for the attorney to use an expert such as an engineer or economist to convince the insurance company on some issue in the case.
Attorney Rosenthal works hand-in-hand with clients to understand how the accident has affected them, and to guide them through the recovery and settlement process. Most clients have his mobile phone and he can respond to texts or calls after hours or on weekends. Your case won't be pushed off to a secretary or junior attorney. Attorney Rosenthal has been successfully handling personal injury cases since 1993 and has guided countless clients through the process from accident, to recovery, to settlement.