Pedestrians are always at risk of being injured in a car accident in Baton Rouge and across Louisiana. Today, drivers are either in a rush to get from one place to the other and ignore basic traffic laws and safety procedures, or are distracted behind the wheel. Accidents happen due to these issues every day. One place where people are supposed to be safe, however, is a college campus and near schools. Unfortunately, the number of vehicle-pedestrian accidents on school grounds is worrisome. This is especially true for Louisiana State University.
Statistics and anecdotal evidence shows how dangerous the LSU campus is to pedestrians. In the past five years, there have been 41 pedestrian-motor vehicle accidents. In four of those accidents, the pedestrians had catastrophic injuries that left them incapacitated. One woman was put into a coma after she had spinal injuries in an accident, and it lasted for two weeks. One woman was in a crosswalk heading to class when a vehicle went onto the sidewalk and crashed into her. She suffered brain injuries that impacted her memory, and she also suffered a broken ankle and a sprained ankle. She needed to spend six weeks in a wheelchair and leave school. Of the 41 incidents, 15 pedestrians suffered injuries. The rest were unhurt.
Most drivers in these incidents received tickets when there were injuries. Five of the crashes were hit and runs and the drivers were never found. Because the campus is so vast and there are so many students, people are encouraged to use caution, especially in these risky areas. Some of the worst accidents happen due to a lack of vision on the part of the driver and pedestrians thrown into the air or hit in the back, causing bleeding, broken bones and more.
In addition to the physical and personal issues that accompany these pedestrian accidents, people find themselves with massive medical bills. Oftentimes, people avoid or put off medical treatment because they simply cannot afford the cost. When there are broken bones, this can exacerbate the damage. Given the litany of problems people will need to deal with after a pedestrian accident on campus or otherwise, it is important to understand legal rights after pedestrian-car accidents.
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