West Kelowna Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Most pedestrian accidents in West Kelowna occur when distracted, reckless, intoxicated, or other negligent drivers ignore traffic lights or stop signs and speed through intersections, striking community members on foot who have the right of way. However, pedestrians can be seriously injured or killed in a number of locations throughout the region.
Anywhere motor vehicles travel in close proximity to unprotected pedestrians can be hazardous if the vehicle’s driver is not exercising a reasonable degree of caution. In West Kelowna, pedestrians can be seriously injured at marked crosswalks, on residential streets, on sidewalks, or at school crossings. Injury-causing pedestrian accidents can even happen in West Kelowna parking lots.
When pedestrians are struck by passenger vehicles, their lives could be negatively impacted for weeks, months, and even years. Depending on the types of injuries they sustain, survivors of pedestrian accidents could face challenging, painful, and expensive recovery periods. Those who are catastrophically injured because of a negligent driver’s wrongful actions behind the wheel could feel the adverse effects of their pedestrian accident for the rest of their lives.
Catastrophic injuries can permanently diminish a pedestrian accident victim’s overall quality of life. Many catastrophically injured pedestrian accident survivors are unable to continue working and could miss out on promotions or career advancement opportunities because of their disabling medical conditions. Oftentimes, as a result of the injuries they sustained in their collisions, accident victims find it impossible to participate in activities they used to enjoy, including everyday tasks like cooking, walking, reading, or cultivating positive social relationships. Because a total stranger failed to take the safety of other community members into consideration when operating their vehicle in a negligent manner, a catastrophically injured pedestrian could lose their mobility, their independence, their sensory and cognitive abilities, and their overall enjoyment of life.
Pedestrian accident victims should be entitled to a lump sum permanent impairment benefit from ICBC, the province’s sole provider of basic auto insurance. Under ICBC’s new “enhanced care” insurance model, anyone who has been injured in a car crash– regardless of fault– can claim benefits, but the system falls short of providing sufficient settlement payments to many vulnerable road-users whose lives have been drastically changed by the actions of a negligent motorist.
Under this no-fault insurance system, injured victims of motor vehicle collisions are not entitled to sue the negligent driver who caused the accident to occur. Additionally, if they receive an insufficient settlement amount or if their ICBC claim is denied altogether, under the new “enhanced care” insurance model, injured accident victims have limited ways of appealing the Crown corporation’s unfair decision. To express your concerns about this new insurance model and what it could mean for the physical and financial recovery of seriously injured pedestrian accident victims, contact your MLA.
ICBC’s “enhanced care” model took effect on May 1, 2021. If you were injured before May 1, 2021, our West Kelowna pedestrian accident lawyers may be able to help you pursue a civil claim against the at-fault driver whose wrongful actions on the road led to your injury-causing collision. To learn more about how our pedestrian accident lawyers serving West Kelowna may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve, contact us today.
Call 1-800-JUSTICE for Your Free Initial Consultation
Even if you were injured after May 1, 2021, consider scheduling a free initial consultation with Preszler Injury Lawyers. Our West Kelowna pedestrian accident lawyers offer personalized, case-specific legal feedback and, during a cost-free initial meeting, will be able to discuss compensatory options that might be available to you.
No matter when your collision occurred, you could benefit greatly by working with our pedestrian accident lawyers serving West Kelowna. To schedule your free initial consultation, call 1-800-JUSTICE.
