The driver didn’t mean to do it, but that doesn’t change what happened. As the driver backed out of a parking space or driveway, the driver hit someone in a backover accident. Often, backup accident victims are young children and serious injuries or fatalities occur. As a parent, caregiver, or driver, it is essential to understand why backup accidents happen and what to do after a backup or backover crash.
Why Backover Crashes Happen
Each backover crash is as unique as any other accident. Some factors that often lead to backover accidents include:
- Distracted drivers. Wisconsin motorists may be busy loading the car, checking their personal stuff, saying goodbye to people, or talking on the phone when they back up. They may be unaware of young children, pedestrians, cyclists, or others around their vehicle until a collision occurs.
- Young children. Young children often do not realize the danger of motor vehicles. Toddlers, preschoolers, and even elementary-age children may end up behind a moving car or truck. Parents of very young children know how quickly they can move from one place to another, unpredictably vanishing into a zone of unknown dangers. Even the most diligent parent who uses the safest car seat may have to face the tragedy of a backover accident.
- Blind spots. All vehicles have blind spots. Often, the larger the vehicle, the larger the blind spots. Drivers can’t easily see children, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, or even other cars in their blind spots. Accordingly, drivers should back up slowly, check their mirrors and backup cameras, and look over their shoulders to make sure that the area is clear.
What to Do After a Backup Accident
It can be difficult to think clearly after a backup accident, particularly if a pedestrian was severely injured and someone you know was driving the car that hurt the pedestrian. Accordingly, it is critical to:
- Check for injuries
- Call the paramedics and get immediate medical treatment for anyone who is hurt
- Follow up with all medical treatment and appointments
- Take pictures at the scene of the crash
- Get contact and insurance information from the driver
- Get contact information from anyone who saw the accident happen
- Contact a car accident injury lawyer
While these steps are essential, it is understandable if you missed one or more of these steps immediately after a traumatic backup crash. Even if you missed an important step, the injured child or other injured person may still be able to recover compensation after the backup accident.
An experienced car accident injury attorney may be able to help you or your child make a fair recovery. Children do not have the standing to bring personal injury lawsuits until they are 18 years old. However, as a parent, you may bring a lawsuit on your child’s behalf so that your child may recover compensation for things such as past and future healthcare costs, physical pain, emotional suffering, and lost time from school, work, or activities your child enjoys.
Our experienced Milwaukee car accident attorney is here to help you after a crash. Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois insurance companies know that we mean business and that we aren’t afraid to go to trial to protect our clients’ fair recoveries. Over the past half-century, we’ve helped more than 70,000 clients recover more than $1 billion in damages.
Have You Been Injured In A Wisconsin, Illinois or Iowa Car Accident?
If you've been injured in a car accident you should speak to an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible. You can contact us online or call our office directly at 800.800.5678 to schedule your free consultation with one of our car accident lawyers. We have been helping car accident victims since 1964 and service clients throughout Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa.
|
Related Links: |
