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Wheelchair-bound pedestrian injured in Oklahoma bus accident

On Behalf of | Jan 15, 2014 | Car Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycles and sometimes even pedestrians are, unfortunately, everyday occurrences. Shocking data from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a pedestrian is killed by a motor vehicle every two hours.

Recently, a wheelchair-bound pedestrian in Oklahoma City was struck by a school bus not far from Deaconess Hospital. The pedestrian was reportedly hospitalized in serious condition.

According to officials, the bus was occupied by two teenagers when the accident occurred, but the teens and the bus driver did not appear to have suffered any injuries.

However, any accident involving a pedestrian and a motor vehicle has the potential to cause serious injuries for the pedestrian.

Whether on foot or in a wheelchair, pedestrians who have been injured in an auto accident may be able to pursue a claim against the driver or the driver’s employer. Insurance companies are notorious for trying to reduce payouts and even shift blame onto injured parties, and in these cases, a personal injury lawsuit may be in order.

In other cases, a pedestrian may be found to be at least partially at fault for a collision. For example, crossing against a signal or not crossing at a crosswalk may result in the pedestrian being seen as responsible for some percentage of fault. A personal injury attorney can help an injured pedestrian assess the value of a negligence claim.

Such a claim could lead to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity and other costs resulting from the crash.

Source: KFOR TV, “School bus accidentally hits wheelchair-bound pedestrian near OKC hospital,” Jan. 4, 2014

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Pedestrian Safety: Fact Sheet,” April 16, 2013

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