Ontario Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Pedestrian accidents in Ontario are on a worrying upward trend. According to the preliminary findings in the province’s most recent annual road safety report, more than 20% of fatal motor vehicle collisions involved a pedestrian. In 2020 alone, 116 Ontarians were killed as the result of pedestrian accidents, and nearly 3000 pedestrians were injured after being struck by a motor vehicle.
Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road-users, and the ones most likely to be killed at crosswalks and intersections. If a reckless, distracted, inebriated, or otherwise negligent motor vehicle operator ignores traffic signs or signals, or violates other rules of the road, their wrongful actions could result in a fatal accident. Drivers who carelessly coast through red lights or stop signs endanger the lives of people lawfully crossing the street. Because of a driver’s negligence, innocent, unsuspecting citizens could be struck dead in an instant.
While pedestrian accidents may happen to occur most often at crosswalks and intersections, they can indeed take place anywhere people travel in close proximity to motor vehicles. Pedestrians can be struck by negligent drivers on sidewalks, rural roads, residential blocks, in parking lots, and in other locations throughout the province.
Most people are unaware of important next steps that should be taken upon being struck and injured in an Ontario pedestrian accident. Most people do not know about options that might be available to them, or possible legal avenues for financial recovery.
Our Ontario pedestrian accident lawyers offer a free initial consultation to all prospective clients. If you were hit by a negligent motorist and have sustained compensable injuries as a result, contact us today and learn how Preszler Injury Lawyers may be able to provide you with assistance.
The Consequences of Pedestrian Accidents in Ontario
Because of a driver’s failure to abide by the rules of the road, family members can lose their loved ones in senseless, preventable accidents. The outrage and injustice experienced by close relatives of wrongfully deceased pedestrian accident victims is only deepened when the at-fault driver flees the scene of the collision. Indeed, in the province’s capital, hit and run accidents account for more than a quarter of all pedestrian fatalities.
Pedestrian accident victims who are fortunate enough to survive being struck by a motor vehicle frequently sustain severe injuries. Often debilitating in nature, the injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident could have profound, life-changing consequences for injured accident survivors. Injuries commonly sustained in Ontario pedestrian accidents include:
- Broken or fractured bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Strains and sprains
- Musculoskeletal injuries
- Facial and dental injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Amputations
- And more
In addition to sustaining physical injuries, pedestrian accident survivors often incur significant financial losses. As a direct result of being injured in an accident caused by a negligent driver, injured pedestrians may be required to pay exorbitant out-of-pocket costs for numerous injury-related expenses, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages due to missed work
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Rehabilitative therapies
- Medical equipment
- Mobility aids
- Prescriptions
- In-home attendant care
- Physical therapy
- Strength-training classes
- Psychological counselling
- Psychiatric treatment
- Accessibility adjustments to their homes
- Mileage expenses to and from medical appointments
- And more
Furthermore, pedestrian accident victims who sustained severe, catastrophic, or permanent injuries as a result of another driver’s negligence often develop additional, disabling medical conditions in the form of severe mental health issues. The process of readjusting to life with a debilitating injury can be an isolating, demoralizing, and distressing experience. Catastrophically injured pedestrian accident survivors often lose their mobility, their independence, and the quality of life to which they were accustomed before their accident, and all because of a driver’s negligence.
Pursuing Compensation from a Negligent Driver
All automobile insurance plans in the province provide coverage in accordance with Ontario’s Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule. Insurance coverage is mandatory for everyone who operates a motor vehicle on the province’s roads and highways, and all standard policies include coverage for third party liability. That means, if you were injured as the result of a pedestrian accident, even if you are not insured yourself, the at-fault driver’s insurance plan should provide you with compensation for expenses you have incurred as a result of your accident.
However, in accordance with Ontario’s Insurance Act, the accident benefits to which an injured pedestrian may be entitled are capped by insurance providers. Statutory Accident Benefits only provide injured pedestrians with a maximum of:
- $3,500 for minor injuries
- $65,000 for non-catastrophic, serious injuries
- $1,000,000 for catastrophic injuries
However, depending on the severity of your injuries and the impacts they have on your overall quality of life, the amount of money available to you through the at-fault driver’s insurance plan may not be sufficient to cover your total losses. That is why, if you were struck by a negligent driver, consulting with an Ontario pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible could be extremely beneficial.
If you were struck by a negligent driver and sustained compensable injuries in the collision, our pedestrian accident lawyers serving all of Ontario may be able to take legal action on your behalf. By working with our Ontario pedestrian accident lawyers, you may be able to pursue a civil claim against the at-fault driver in order to recover the maximum amount of damages that may be available to you.
To discuss the circumstances of your collision and receive the benefit of case-specific legal advice from our pedestrian accident lawyers serving Ontario, call Preszler Injury Lawyers today at 1-800-JUSTICE and receive a free initial consultation.
Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation with Our Ontario Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Nobody expects to be seriously injured while walking down the sidewalk, crossing the street at an intersection, or strolling through their neighbourhood on a sunny day. When negligent drivers strike unsuspecting pedestrians, the consequences can be physically disastrous, emotionally overwhelming, and exorbitantly expensive.
Our Ontario pedestrian accident lawyers are committed to providing crucial legal assistance and advice to injured members of the local community. Our pedestrian accident lawyers serving all of Ontario are passionate about providing accessible legal services to injured accident victims across the province and reducing financial barriers to accessing assistance. That is why we offer a free initial consultation to all prospective clients.
Receive your cost-free, no-obligation first meeting with our Ontario pedestrian accident lawyers by contacting Preszler Injury Lawyers today. Call us today to take advantage of free, personalized, case-specific legal advice.
