You're walking down the sidewalk or safely crossing at the crosswalk when a car strikes you out of nowhere. There's little doubt the car driver is fine after hitting you, but as the pedestrian, you're much less likely to walk away from the accident unscathed.

A major accident like being hit by a car as a pedestrian often leaves you with devastating injuries accompanied by devastating hospital bills. You shouldn't be expected to pay for an injury caused by another person's negligence: it stands to reason that they should pay instead. But without a capable lawyer on your side, you might have a hard time obtaining the financial compensation you need to heal.

Below, we'll talk about what a qualified, experienced lawyer can do to help you claim compensation for a pedestrian/vehicle collision. With a little help, you can focus on recovering from your injuries instead of worrying about how to pay for disability care, physical therapy, and surgeries.

1. Investigating the Scene of the Accident

If you were hit by a fast-moving car, you might have suffered injuries as dire as broken bones, concussions, or even a traumatic brain or spinal column injury. Chances are you don't remember much about the accident. Instead, you and the police officers who filed the accident report probably relied more on eyewitnesses to establish what happened and who was to blame for the crash.

If you decide to pursue damages against the negligent driver in court, you'll need to demonstrate that the accident was emphatically not your fault, which often means your legal team will need to recreate elements of the accident in the courtroom. This recreation could include presenting testimonies from eyewitnesses or working with experts in accident scene analysis to prove that you weren't to blame.

You obviously don't have time to track down eyewitnesses and experts who can testify in court if you've been critically injured. But your personal injury lawyer and his or her team members have ample time and experience to build a solid legal defense for you, including finding people who can testify about the accident scene.

2. Talking With Your Doctor

Along with accident scene experts and eyewitnesses, your doctor is one of the most important witnesses in your case. Your doctor will establish the extent of your injuries before the court, often using X-rays and extensive medical records, to prove beyond a doubt that your injuries weren't your fault and could require years of extensive rehabilitation to restore your pre-accident quality of life.

If your doctor isn't available to testify, your lawyer likely already knows medical experts in the field who are used to examining victims like you and testifying about the extent of your injuries.

You can do your part to prepare for your doctor's testimony by doing everything they instruct you to do. If your doctor tells you to stay on bed rest for several weeks or to attend physical therapy routinely, do it — failing to follow the doctor's instructions will work against you in court, especially if your inaction made your injuries worse.

3. Advocating for Your Rights

As a layperson and recent accident victim, you don't have the time or energy to defend your own rights in court. In contrast, an experienced lawyer has years of study, training, and court experience. They also have a full legal team behind them who can take care of the minutiae of legal proceedings so you don't have to.

Looking for a lawyer in the aftermath of a severe pedestrian/vehicle accident — or, for that matter, any other personal injury case? Don't suffer in silence or try to fight for your own defense. Instead, work with a qualified legal team like the Law Offices of Burton J. Hass. Schedule a consultation with our Massachusetts trial lawyers today.