What To Do When Faced With A New Haven Pedestrian Accident

A rash of accidents around the state of Connecticut have left pedestrians injured and some fatally so.  These tragic events are often avoidable and should be considered a serious problem for those who are on foot throughout the state.  Here in the Elm City we have experienced a number of New Haven pedestrian accidents including a recent incident involving four pedestrians who were struck by a sedan and injured.

Of course avoiding involvement in an an accident of this sort is important and it is critical that you follow safety steps including not being distracted while you’re walking, crossing at intersections that have lights and pedestrian markings and always looking both ways before crossing the street.  However, these types of accidents are becoming more and more common and you should know what to do in the event that you are involved in this type of incident.  It is important that you know before an incident occurs what you should do in the event that something were to happen.

While there may be additional items that you will need to address in the event that you were to be involved in an accident of this type, these are a good starting place for what to do with this type of situation.

1.) Make sure you and anyone you are with are out of harms way.  If, for instance, the accident occurs in the middle of a crosswalk, you will likely need to get yourselves out of the middle of the street so more on-coming traffic does not make the situation worse.  If you are able to stand and walk away from the scene of the accident you should do that and make sure all others in your group are clear of any issues as well.

2.) Seek medical attention.  Regardless of how serious your injuries may seem to you, you should always be seen by a medical professional who can assess your injuries.  There may be injuries that you cannot see or feel at the onset of the accident but that a medical provider may be able to flag for you so you can be seen for them when symptoms do arise.

3.) Photograph the scene of the accident.  If you are physically able to you should use your phone to take photos of the scene of the accident.  Make sure you take a lot of photos from all different angles so you can provide authorities with as many details about the incident as possible.  This will allow anyone following up on the accident to piece it together and make sure everyone is protected.

4.) Give your account of the accident to the police once they arrive on the scene.  You should not leave the scene of an accident like this without giving your “side” of the story to police who will investigate the accident.  The sooner you can share your story with the police the more accurate it will be because it is fresh in your mind.  If you wait a few days you may miss some details.

Being in a New Haven pedestrian accident can be scary and leave you nervous about what the next steps will be, but if you are prepared for an incident and understand how you can protect yourself and those that are with you from long-term damage you will be able to experience an accident like that and not make anything worse by inaction.  You should always be prepared to take action and it will be great if you never have to use this information.

In the event that you get into an accident you may need to speak with an attorney who can review your situation.  You will want to speak with someone who has experience with all types of accidents and can speak with you intelligently about what happened and how to move forward.  Contact one of our attorneys and share your story with them so they can work with you to protect your long-term interests.