Walking through Chicago shouldn't feel like a gamble with your life. However, for far too many pedestrians, reckless drivers make the city streets dangerous. March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time to recognize the devastating effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and advocate for better safety measures.
Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents remain a leading cause of brain injuries in Chicago, where heavy traffic and negligent drivers create a constant risk for those on foot. Many drivers text and drive behind the wheel, travel at unsafe speeds, or outright disregard pedestrians' rights to share the road equally.
When a car slams into a pedestrian, the body takes the full force of impact, often resulting in concussions, skull fractures, or severe TBIs. Even at lower speeds, these accidents can lead to lasting cognitive impairment, chronic pain, and emotional trauma. Many victims struggle with memory loss, mood swings, and difficulty performing everyday tasks, changing their lives forever.
Why Are Pedestrians at High Risk for Brain Injuries?
Unlike drivers, pedestrians have zero protection when hit by a car. No airbags. No seatbelts. Nothing to absorb the impact. When a car strikes a pedestrian, the body absorbs the full force of the collision and often launches victims onto the pavement or slams them into another object. These high-impact forces are a direct recipe for severe head injuries.
Several key factors increase the risk of brain injuries for pedestrians, including:
- Direct impact with the vehicle: A pedestrian’s head slams into the hood, windshield, or side of the car, resulting in a direct brain injury.
- Secondary impacts: Many victims are thrown into street signs, curbs, or the pavement, which increases the risk of skull fractures and brain swelling.
- Speed of the vehicle: Even at just 20 mph, a pedestrian hit by a car can suffer a severe brain injury. At higher speeds, the risk of death skyrockets.
- Age and vulnerability: Children, older adults, and those with mobility challenges are especially susceptible to catastrophic head injuries.
How Does a Pedestrian Accident Cause a Brain Injury?
Brain injuries from pedestrian accidents occur in different ways, depending on the force and nature of the crash. One of the most common causes is blunt force trauma, where the pedestrian’s head strikes the vehicle, pavement, or another hard surface. This impact can lead to brain swelling, hemorrhaging, and even skull fractures, requiring immediate medical attention. Even a mild TBI can cause headaches, dizziness, confusion, and memory problems.
Another serious type of injury is a coup-contrecoup injury, which happens when the brain slams back and forth inside the skull. This violent movement causes bruising, nerve damage, and internal bleeding. It often leads to cognitive impairment, memory loss, or chronic headaches. Similarly, diffuse axonal injuries occur when the brain undergoes rapid acceleration and deceleration upon impact. This tearing of delicate tissue fibers disrupts brain function and can result in permanent neurological damage.
In some cases, pedestrians suffer penetrating head injuries, where broken glass, debris, or sharp metal fragments pierce the skull. Regardless of the type of brain injury, pedestrian accident victims often face a long and difficult road to recovery, requiring extensive medical care, rehabilitation, and legal support to secure the compensation they need.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of a Brain Injury?
Brain injuries don’t just heal overnight. For many victims, the effects last months, years, or even a lifetime. Pedestrians who sustain TBIs often struggle with the following:
- Cognitive impairment: This includes memory loss, difficulty focusing, and problems processing information.
- Chronic pain: This might include constant headaches, migraines, and sensitivity to light and sound.
- Emotional and behavioral changes: Depression, anxiety, mood swings, and personality shifts often occur due to head injuries.
- Loss of independence: Many victims struggle to work, drive, or even complete daily tasks.
- Seizures and post-traumatic epilepsy: Brain scarring can cause recurring seizures even years after the injury.
- Financial devastation: Medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and lost wages add insult to injury.
How a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Help After a Brain Injury
The Chicago pedestrian accident lawyers at Keating Law Offices, P.C. take on negligent drivers and insurance companies to hold them accountable. Insurance companies don’t hand out fair settlements. They downplay injuries, shift the blame, and pressure victims into taking insultingly low offers. We don’t let them get away with it. Our law firm builds ironclad cases with hard evidence, expert testimony, and relentless negotiation. For instance, in one case, we obtained a $4.25 million settlement for a wrongful death claim involving a pedestrian who was killed in Chicago while walking home from lunch with her fiancée.
Don’t let an insurance company take advantage of you if you or someone you love suffered a TBI in a pedestrian accident. Give us a call at 833-CALL-KLO or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. There are no obligations, and we offer legal representation to injured pedestrians on a contingency fee basis. That means there are no upfront costs, and you pay nothing unless we win your case.
"The insurance company tried to claim I was 50% at fault – the attorneys at KLO continued to fight until the insurance company finally acknowledged the driver lied about what happened and accepted full responsibility for my injuries and damages. I was glad to have KLO on my side!" -J.M., Chicago Bicyclist, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
