Florida Personal Injury Law Firm Representing Clients Injured in Pedestrian Accidents

Florida is among the most dangerous states for pedestrians in America. It is estimated that over 5,000 individuals have been killed by motor vehicles in the past decade alone in Florida. Statistically, seniors are among those more likely to be struck by a motor vehicle in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and truck accidents. There are several reasons behind the causes of pedestrian accidents, including negligent driving, aggressive driving, and, in some cases, the pedestrians’ mistakes.

In Lake County, Florida, pedestrians injured in an auto accident must seek immediate medical attention following the accident to safeguard their well-being and strengthen their pedestrian accident case. Injured pedestrians are highly recommended to consult a pedestrian or car accident attorney to learn more about their legal options for recovering compensation for damages suffered in an accident.

Injured pedestrians have the legal right to seek justice and financial compensation for severe injuries and other losses following a motor vehicle accident. However, they must prove negligence in their personal injury case to recover compensation. Our law firm has extensive experience representing clients injured in various personal injury cases, including pedestrian accident cases.

What Should an Injured Pedestrian Do After a Car Accident?

Knowing what steps to take at the accident scene can save your life or the lives of others injured in pedestrian accidents and strengthen your personal injury claims for when you later take legal action.

Try to remain calm and assess your injuries after a pedestrian accident. Even if you believe your injuries to be relatively minor, it is still important that you get checked out by professional medical providers. Some injuries may worsen with time or manifest later. Additionally, thorough medical records can be valuable evidence to your personal injury lawyers.

Call 911 to summon paramedics and law enforcement to the scene. While awaiting the arrival of the police, seek out any witnesses to the accident and gather their contact information.

Collect relevant information from the motorist involved in the pedestrian accident, including their contact information, driver’s license number, license plate, and insurance company provider.

Document everything related to your pedestrian accident, including photographing your injuries, the damage to the motor vehicles, the time of the incident, and any associated medical costs.

Contact an experienced auto accident attorney to immediately discuss your pedestrian accident case. We offer free consultations to prospective new clients interested in retaining our legal services. Do not delay; contact us today.

What Causes Pedestrian Accidents in Clermont, FL?

Negligence commonly plays a part in Florida pedestrian accidents.

Negligent driver actions may include the following:

• Disregarding pedestrian islands where pedestrians are attempting to safely cross multi-lane roads
• Distracted driving, such as eating while driving, talking on a cell phone while driving, or texting while driving diverts attention from pedestrians
• Driver fatigue and drowsy driving, which can cause drivers to nod off while driving
• Driving at excessive speeds reduces a driver’s ability to stop in time for people on the road
• Driving recklessly in heavy rain, darkness, fog, and other scenarios which may cause visibility issues
• Failing to obey traffic signs and signals, particularly in pedestrian crosswalks
• Failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, at stop signs, and where pedestrians have the legal right of way
• Impaired driving, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which can slow reaction times and impair decision-making abilities
• Improper left turns, which can endanger pedestrians crossing the street
• Reversing a car without first looking for pedestrians in driveways and parking lots

In some pedestrian accident cases, the driver may not accept that they were to blame for the accident. They may point to reduced visibility, road defects, or vehicle malfunctions as the reason behind the pedestrian accident. However, Florida motorists are still expected to drive safely, and all owe a duty of care to others who share their roads with them. If things like poor weather reduce visibility and driving abilities to such an extent that driving becomes dangerous, then the motorist should not be driving in the first place.

There are also times when pedestrians can cause accidents. Pedestrians must follow certain rules, such as crossing the street legally and using a crosswalk when available. If pedestrians are not using a crosswalk, they must always yield to the right of way to traffic. Pedestrians should never jump into traffic without giving motorists the necessary notice and enough time to stop. Suppose pedestrians fail to alert motorists of their intention to cross the road without a crosswalk. In that case, pedestrians can be found liable for causing the accident.

Are Hit-and-Run Accidents Common in Florida?

Florida law requires motorists who strike a pedestrian to remain at the accident scene and wait for law enforcement and first responders. However, this is not always the case. In some cases, at-fault drivers flee the scene of the accident, making the pedestrian accident a hit-and-run.

Almost one-quarter of all motor vehicle crashes in Florida involve a hit-and-run driver of some kind. Florida law dictates significant legal consequences for drivers who leave the scene of an accident.

When vehicles strike pedestrians, the amount of damage to the vehicle will almost certainly be less than the damage delivered to the pedestrian. It is very likely that the pedestrian, unlike the vehicle and its passengers, will suffer serious injuries. Because of this, the limited damage to the car could tempt drivers to flee the scene, especially if negligent driving, traffic violations, or impaired driving played a role in the accident.

Pedestrians injured in hit-and-run accidents must retain professional legal representation to help them prove their case in a court of law.

Can a Florida Personal Injury Attorney Help You Pursue Compensation?

With a well-argued case, it is possible to recover a fair settlement for your injuries and other losses following a pedestrian accident. Your compensation may come in the form of both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages may include the following:

• Lost wages and lost income earning capacity
• Property damage
• Past medical bills and future medical expenses
• Physical therapy expenses
• Funeral, burial, and memorial expenses in the event of a fatal accident

Non-economic damages may include the following:

• Disability, disfigurement, or dismemberment
• Loss of companionship or consortium
• Emotional distress and mental anguish
• Lost quality of life
• Physical pain and suffering
• Wrongful death

Injured pedestrians and their family members have the legal right to pursue justice and compensation following an accident. Please schedule a free case consultation with our legal team today.

Do You Require the Legal Assistance of a Clermont Personal Injury Lawyer?

Among the many legal rights an accident victim in Florida has is the right to file a personal injury claim with the help of legal representation.

A personal injury lawyer can help your case in some of the following ways:

• Address potentially dangerous conditions that led to your pedestrian accident
• Answer all of your questions and concerns
• Collect evidence to support your personal injury claim
• Determine all sources of liability by gathering evidence to support your case
• Ensure that all necessary paperwork is filed promptly
• Help you find a doctor to treat your pedestrian accident injuries
• Investigate the pedestrian accident in comprehensive detail
• Manage communications with all involved parties
• Negotiate with insurance companies
• Properly assess your economic and non-economic damages
• Recover lost income resulting from your injuries
• Represent you in a courtroom trial, if necessary, to hold at-fault parties accountable

Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Clermont Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today

With a well-presented case, it is possible to recover compensation for medical expenses, emotional trauma, pain and suffering, property damage, and more. However, it is important that you speak about your personal injury claims soon after the pedestrian accident so that your attorneys have time to build a case that properly presents the facts of the matter so that you may pursue maximum compensation for your losses. To learn more about our legal services and how we may assist you in this difficult time, please contact us to schedule your free consultation today.

Please contact our law office for legal guidance during this traumatic experience to schedule your free, no-obligation case evaluation today.

You can reach us at 407-573-7483.