As Virginia Beach personal injury attorneys, we see many accidents in which unsuspecting pedestrians are hit by cars. Sometimes the drivers don’t even stop at the scene.
In one such case, my client, a student at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia (VA), was minding his own business and walking back to his apartment after stopping at a nearby restaurant before an early-morning exam. He saw a driver as he left the Dunkin’ Donuts, and she acknowledged him as he crossed the street. The next thing he knew, my client was being struck by the woman’s car and thrown into the air. When he awoke, he did not know what had happened. The distracted driver had fled the scene. My client suffered an orbital fracture on the right side of his face.
The accident caused enormous problems for him. He incurred significant medical bills, missed his final exams and his family had to travel from out of town to be with him. The driver later showed up at a local repair facility with questionable damage to her windshield. Luckily, the maintenance technician was smart enough to call the police and report it. The police eventually charged the driver with a hit and run.
After numerous discussions with the insurance company, the insurance adjuster offered $67,500.00 to settle this claim. This was a good settlement, given my client’s injuries and the nature of the accident.
The insurance company attempted to raise the issue of contributory negligence because my client was walking in an area without a crosswalk. My firm is familiar with all the tricks the insurance company tried minimize our client’s case. We were happy to obtain such a great result for our client.
Our experienced Virginia Beach-based accident injury attorneys have fought for many pedestrians hurt on our roads. In a 2007 case two of our clients who suffered fractures after they were hit by a drunken driver in Virginia Beach recovered $540,000.
The injuries to some pedestrians have proved to be serious and even deadly. Earlier this year we reported on how a man in a wheelchair was hit and killed by a hit-and-run driver on W. Mercury Boulevard in Hampton, VA. A woman was later charged with felony hit-and-run.
If you have been injured in a pedestrian case please don’t hesitate to call us. The issues are often difficult to analyze and require the experience of a firm like ours.
DM