Distracted Walking Consequences: The HORRIBLE Truth
When you have a long walk home, it’s normal to want to entertain yourself by blasting some music in your earphones, glancing at your phone screen occasionally, or even day dreaming.
We hardly ever really think of any distracted walking consequences. But we should not wait until the worst happens to finally start caring.
Unbeknownst to a lot of people, there are horrible consequences to distracted walking. That moment when you’re not paying attention to your surroundings could make the difference between life, injury, and death.
For example, the time you spent briefly glancing at your phone could have been spent on giving yourself ample reaction time to maneuver around a pothole.
In more dire circumstances, paying attention to your surroundings could quite literally spare your life. This rings especially true when a car kareens towards a pedestrian. A pedestrian with no distractors may have a better chance of survival. A pedestrian fully immersed on their phones, on the other hand, may not.
The latter pedestrian could endure several distracted walking outcomes as a result. If by some miracle they don’t get catastrophic injuries, they may get some form of soft tissue injury.
But accidents of this nature usually take an immense toll on those affected. They may result in a spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and maybe even amputation. Worse, they could suffer a wrongful death.
Let’s do a deep dive on the horrible byproducts of distracted walking.
Horrible Byproducts of Distracted Walking
1. Spinal Transection or Spinal Contusion
One of the distracted walking consequences that pedestrians suffer from is a debilitating spinal cord injury. The effects of spinal cord injuries vary depending on the site of the injury, and whether it’s transected (cut) or contused (bruised).
The impact of this injury could range from physical, sensory, all the way to psychological.
The spine is the bridge that connects the mind to the rest of the body. If it is damaged in any way, it’ll have a hard time carrying out their functions. It’s not uncommon for pedestrians with SCI to be paralyzed as a result of the accident. In addition, the newly imposed physical limitations on their bodies may also lead their muscles to atrophy.
Moreover, the synergy between the mind and body means that if either part is not well, it will affect the other. Pedestrians with spinal cord injury, therefore, may also be prone to a multitude of mental health issues. This is supported by a University of Michigan study, and per the findings of experts, it’s only made worse by chronic pain.
Lastly, sensory issues abound for those who suffer from SCI. People with SCI may have a hard time experiencing certain sensations below the site of the injury.
2. Traumatic Brain Injury
If a pedestrian has been unexpectedly hit by a car, there is a high chance that they could injure their brain. The effects of this kind of injury depend on a multitude of factors.
One, how “damaged” is their brain? Traumatic brain injury can range from mild, moderate, severe. Mild TBI or “concussions” can be treated with little to no medical intervention as long as those affected take some ample time to rest. People affected by TBI have also found that support groups have helped tremendously in their recovery.
Moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries, on the other hand, may require the medical assistance of healthcare professionals.
Symptoms of TBI usually show up later after the accident. Which is why it’s important for pedestrians who got into an accident to check up with their doctors periodically to make sure that they didn’t get injured.
Two, are they recovering adequately? As people try to recuperate from an accident, they need to do certain things to ensure that they’re healing as smoothly as possible.
One of those things is ensuring that they’re not doing anything physically taxing. Substance use could negatively affect their recovery as well, along with overstimulation.
3. Soft Tissue Injury
If by some miracle a pedestrian is seemingly walking out of an accident scotch-free, they may at the very least still have a soft tissue injury.
They could get bruised in the hand, foot, even in the muscle. Pedestrians affected may see some discoloration in the skin, and experience some minor pains and swelling.
The accident may also cause a ligament tear, spraining certain parts of their bodies. If they tore a muscle or tendon, then they are experiencing a strain.
Fortunately, soft tissue injuries generally require little to no medical intervention. They are encouraged to apply the R.I.C.E. method, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate in order to heal.
4. Accidental Amputation
Pedestrians who are walking while distracted could also suffer through an unintentional amputation. Aside from the physical limitations that may arise from this injury, it could also negatively affect their mental health.
Similar to other catastrophic injuries, getting unintentionally amputated is life-altering in many ways. It requires pedestrians to reevaluate and readjust their old ways of living. A shift in perspective may be required in order for them to develop healthy coping mechanisms.
For this reason, it’s encouraged for accidental amputees to consult with a mental health professional. A therapist can help you work through the complicated feelings they may have with regards to the physical and mental trauma they have endured due to the accident.
5. Accidental Pedestrian Deaths
Pedestrians who partake in distracted walking may also fall victim to an accidental pedestrian death. Let’s face it: the chances of a lone pedestrian surviving the crushing weight of a moving metallic object that weighs over a thousand pounds are slim.
Therefore, they must remain alert and sensitive to their surroundings. Doing so could quite literally save their lives.
The victims of accidental deaths consist of not only just the pedestrian who died, it is also made up of the close friends and family responsible for filing a wrongful death claim on behalf of their bereaved loved one.
This sudden loss may have mental and emotional impacts in their lives, which may be made better by a competent highly-skilled law firm which could bring them the justice and compensation they deserve.
Call Omega Law Group
Pedestrians are hardly found to be at-fault during accidents. People behind the wheel usually bear a lot more responsibility in keeping everyone around them safe, especially as they have an advantage during collisions.
If you or a loved one have fallen victim to pedestrian accidents, you will need the help of a personal injury law firm to maximize your compensation and get the justice you deserve. Employ the help of not just any ordinary law firm. You need the help of the best. You need Omega Law Group.
Omega Law Group’s award-winning attorneys have been featured in prestigious publications in the likes of the Los Angeles Business Journal. Just recently, the personal injury law firm has been heralded as one of the “Most Admired Law Firms” to work for per the Business Journal.
Omega Law Group has also been recognized for their tech-forward approach to negotiation and litigation, recently integrating AI technology to streamline their caseload. This demonstrates their commitment to justice for their clients. With over a million dollars accrued in settlement and compensation, Omega Law’s elite legal services are perfect for your pedestrian accident case.
But in their mission to provide justice for those without power, they continue to operate on a contingency-fee basis. This means that clients don’t have to pay for legal fees upfront! Schedule a free consultation now to learn more.