Visitor Question

Hit by Car While Walking in a Parking Lot…

Submitted By: Kelvin (Gastonia, NC)

I was hit by a moving car while walking in a parking lot. I was walking into store to get some food for my daughter when out of nowhere this lady passed me in her car and hit into me. Her reason for hitting me was because she was “rushing to get into a parking place.” She backed up in her car really fast without looking. She admits it is all her fault.

It happened so quick I tried just to get out of the way. Yet her car still hit me as I tried to protect my body by jumping out the way. She hit my legs and both hands.

My arms were numb and my blood pressure went up following the accident. None of the doctors seem to be able to bring it down. I also have backaches, headaches, bad dreams, and torn ligaments in my right foot. Then I found out I had a blood clot in my leg. Due to my injuries I lost my job as a pastor and playing organ at the church.

What do you recommend I should do to get compensation for my injuries? Thank you.

Disclaimer: Our response is not formal legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information provided. Do not rely upon the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site, when deciding the proper course of a legal matter. Always get a personalized case review from a local attorney.

Answer

Dear Kelvin,

Any compensation you may receive will be in direct proportion to your ability to substantiate your injuries through medical documentation.

You will probably have to endure an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) examination. An MRI can be compared to an X-Ray, only multiplied many times.

MRI’s are able to detect herniated disks, fractured bones, and other similar back injuries.

The MRI will also be able to determine and document your torn ligaments.

Medically documenting headaches will be more difficult. Compensation for bad dreams is relatively unheard of. Compensation for bad dreams has traditionally been relegated to Post-traumatic Stress disorders. Post-traumatic Stress diagnoses are also unheard of in parking lot injuries.

If you are able to secure the medical documentation set out above, you will then have a reasonable chance of securing compensation for your medical bills and lost wages. Compensation for your lost wages will be dependent upon whether the church pays you to play the organ.

Without knowing the amount of your documentable medical injuries, it is impossible to determine the amount of compensation you should ask for. The traditional manner of calculating personal injury settlements is to multiply your medical bills by at least three times. That’s an excellent starting point.

Learn more here: Pedestrians Hit by Cars

The above is general information. Laws change frequently, and across jurisdictions. You should get a personalized case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

Find a local attorney to give you a free case review here, or call 888-972-0892.

We wish you the best with your claim,

Published:

Leave a Comment

Don’t ask a personal injury question here – comments are not reviewed by an attorney. Ask your question on this page. Required fields are marked *