Many Rialto residents have taken up walking as a means of enhancing their health. On any given day, people are seen walking about all over the community. Unfortunately, with surprising regularity, pedestrians in Rialto become the victims of other’s negligence and are injured while on their walk-abouts. More often than not these accidents occur because of the negligence of automobile drivers. In such circumstances, these individuals oftentimes turn to Rialto pedestrian accident lawyers to protect their rights and interests.
Understanding the Statute of Limitations and Claim Filing Deadlines
In the aftermath of a car-pedestrian accident, an injured person finds his or her self needing to file a claim with the driver’s insurance company. The injured individual needs to keep in mind that a specific deadline exists by which a formal claim must be filed with an insurance company. If that deadline is missed, the insurance company usually can use that failure to meet the claim filing requirement as a reason to deny the claim all together.
In addition, California law establishes what is known as the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations sets the time frame in which an injured pedestrian must file a lawsuit to obtain compensation for injuries. In most cases, that time frame requires a lawsuit to be filed in court no latter than two years after the accident. Although there are limited instances in which the time frame is extended, identifying those exceptions requires the assistance of qualified, experienced Rialto pedestrian accident lawyers. There is a situation in which the time frame is shorter, in the case of a pedestrian being hit by a municipal bus.
Documenting Damages and Injuries
A key to prevailing in a claim or lawsuit involving injuries sustained because of a car-pedestrian accident is documenting those damages. The documentation process must commence immediately after the accident itself.
An injured person needs to bear in mind that the documentation of damages and injuries involves more than the physical injuries sustained. Rather, documenting also includes identifying and supporting other losses, including medical expenses and lost wages. A person also needs to keep track of the pain and suffering endured following a car-pedestrian accident.
Retaining Rialto Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
The first step in retaining Rialto pedestrian accident lawyers is scheduling what is known as an initial consultation. Through this meeting, a trained, experienced personal injury attorney reviews the facts and circumstances of a case. In addition, the lawyer outlines potential strategies for pursuing a claim or a lawsuit. In most cases, Rialto pedestrian accident lawyers for not charge anything for an initial consultation with a client. In addition, these personal injury lawyers do not charge any fee unless and until they obtain compensation on behalf of a client.