An 86-year-old man is in the hospital in critical condition after being run down in a north St. Louis hit-and-run accident last week. The man was returning home from a dentist appointment when he was hit attempting to cross the street at the intersection of Natural Bridge Avenue and North Newstead Avenue. The driver, a 21-year-old woman, was captured by police and taken into custody several blocks from the accident.

The human body is no match for a moving automobile. According to the AAA Traffic Safety Foundation, more than 1,500 pedestrians are killed every year in hit and run accidents. When pedestrians survive hit and run accidents they frequently suffer catastrophic, life-changing injuries. St. Louis pedestrian accident attorneys say the most common injuries pedestrians suffer in hit and run accidents include whiplash, fractured bones, broken bones, back injuries, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries.

Such catastrophic injuries typically require months of expensive recovery and rehabilitation and may lead to lifelong impairment. Pedestrian accidents can wreak havoc on the life of the victim and his family. Permanent disability can result in loss of income, job loss, inability to provide for one’s family, lifestyle changes, need for long-term care and other profound changes that change the life of the individual and his family.

The St. Louis pedestrian accident attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman are experienced in handling pedestrian accident and hit and run claims and will fight to protect your rights and obtain fair and adequate compensation for your injuries.