Florida Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Pedestrian Accidents in Florida Handled by Legal Professionals

Pedestrian accidents can be dangerous. Even what seems like a minor collision can turn deadly. Worse, accident victims may find themselves facing serious injuries without the support needed to recover. That can put a massive strain on many pedestrian accident victims trying to recover from their injuries.

If you need help navigating the legal process in pedestrian accident cases, contact Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers. Our Florida pedestrian accident lawyers offer the services you need to understand the traffic laws impacting your claim to get fair compensation for your personal injury case.

Understanding Pedestrian Accident Law in Florida

As you review Florida pedestrian accident law, you may feel overwhelmed by the details. You may even need a pedestrian accident attorney to understand your next steps. Fortunately, we can provide that guidance.

If you have any doubts about the specifics of your case, the viability of your claim, or how our attorneys can help, contact us today. We are happy to guide you through the process to ensure your case is legally sound and that you receive the compensation you are due.

Time Limits for Pedestrian Accident Claims

If you are considering filing a claim for a Florida pedestrian accident, keep in mind that you have a time limit. You only have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. For those seeking compensation from the liable party’s insurance company, you may face resistance by waiting.

Because of this, it’s vital to contact a Florida pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible. The right attorneys can ensure you’re acting within the time limit and are on track to receive the compensation you deserve.

Proving Negligence

The law requires you to prove the at-fault party injured you. Typically, this requires various types of evidence, such as medical records, a police report from the scene, and photos or videos of the scene.

Gathering this evidence is a vital part of your lawyer’s tools, as proving negligence is essential to your claim going in your favor. Our team can guide you through the process of proving negligence and ensure you have all the tools you need to negotiate with the insurance company or argue in court.

Partial Blame for Your Accident

Even if you do your best to obey traffic laws, you may find yourself dealing with serious injuries due to negligent drivers. Unfortunately, insurance companies may try to accuse pedestrian accident victims of sharing fault for their injuries. That can impact the value of your case.

If you share some of the liability for your accident, it will reduce the compensation you receive. When you are already facing a mountain of medical bills, that can be devastating financially.

Fortunately, your attorney can help you fight back when the at-fault party tries to blame you for the accident. Using the same evidence and tools, they can build a strong case to fight for what you deserve.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

One of the best ways to avoid pedestrian accidents is to understand their common causes. Additionally, knowing how these types of accidents happen can help you and your lawyer build a stronger case to recover compensation for your damages.

Below are some of the top reasons pedestrian accidents happen:

• Distracted Drivers – When a driver is not paying attention to the road, others may suffer for their carelessness. Unfortunately, distracted driving is one of the most dangerous activities you can engage in, and many people are hurt this way every year.
• Speeding – When a driver is speeding, they don’t have as much control over their vehicle as someone who is not. It takes much longer to stop, and they may not see a pedestrian in the crosswalk until it is too late.
• Failure to Stop or Yield – Unfortunately, many drivers use a rolling stop at stop signs, yield signs, and traffic lights. However, failure to stop completely can lead to serious injury to a pedestrian.

Compensation for Pedestrian Accidents

If you have suffered an auto accident because a driver hit you, you may have grounds for a lawsuit or insurance claim. To overcome the suffering you’ve experienced, you need to seek the compensation you are due. But how do you know what your claim is worth? 

Our experienced pedestrian accident attorneys can help you get compensated fairly for all types of suffering you have endured. Take a look at the types of damages you can recover in a pedestrian accident case.

Economic Damages

Following serious accidents, injury victims likely have a great deal of economic damage. These damages include any financial losses from the pedestrian accident, which can be expensive. Because of that, the at-fault party’s insurance company may try to avoid paying for the injury victims suffering.

Below are just a few of the economic damages you may be due following a pedestrian accident:

• Medical care
• Lost wages
• Physical therapy
• Property damage
• Future earning capacity

Keep in mind that this covers both the current and future state of your economic damages. For example, if you suffered broken bones and recently had surgery, you may need physical therapy in the upcoming months. Your lawsuit should account for this.

Non-Economic Damages

Your damages may cover more than your medical treatment and other financial losses. Your pedestrian accident lawyers may also seek out non-economic damages, or damages that cover your pain and suffering. For example, if a motor vehicle hits you, it causes more than physical injuries — it can also leave you traumatized and in pain.

These damages are intangible, meaning you may not have a specific dollar value attached to them. Fortunately, our attorneys have the tools you need to identify your claim’s worth. We can use these tools to calculate the value of your pain and suffering and ensure you are getting fairly compensated.

Punitive Damages

While your other damages are compensatory, punitive damages are not. Rather than compensating you for the suffering you’ve experienced, punitive damages are solely meant to punish the other party. You cannot pursue punitive damages. Instead, they can only be awarded by a court to punish the wanton negligence or malice of the at-fault party.

For example, if a speeding drunk driver struck you, the driver would have acted with such wanton negligence that the judge may award further damages.

The key reason these damages are awarded is to prevent future actions similar to it. For example, if drivers know that driving drunk will incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensatory and punitive damages, they may think twice about getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

How Can a Florida Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Help Me?

When you have suffered injuries in a pedestrian accident, you may feel overwhelmed and struggle to overcome your pain. Legal claims can be complex, your insurance claim may be denied, and you may struggle to have your legal rights respected. When this happens, you may need a Florida pedestrian accident attorney on your side.

Accident attorneys can provide certain tools and resources to help pedestrians recover compensation. Accidents happen, even if you obey traffic signals and do everything right, and our attorneys are out here to help when the worst happens. Here are a few ways our team is ready to help.

Gathering Evidence and Documentation

One of the first steps you will need to take when you are hurt by a driver’s negligence is to gather evidence. Pedestrian accidents occur for many reasons, including distracted driving, drunk driving, and driver fatigue. Gathering evidence to help you get compensated for damages like medical expenses is vital to your case.

Fortunately, your attorney can help with this process. Evidence may include photos and police reports from the scene and expert witnesses who can support your case. They can provide testimony about the technical details of your case and the treatment they believe you may require in the future.

Know Your Claim’s Actual Value

Pedestrian accidents can be expensive from medical bills alone. That does not include the long-term consequences, such as lost wages, or the immense impact of pedestrian fatalities. Once you seek medical attention, your next step may be to show how much you suffered because of your injuries.

An attorney can fight to ensure you are getting all the funds you need for your case. If you have any questions or doubts about your claim’s value, reach out to an attorney to make the proper calculations.

Legal Representation in Mediation and Litigation

When you need funds from the other party’s insurance company or driver’s insurance company, you may run into major obstacles. The insurance companies may simply be unwilling to work with you. They may even claim they are not responsible for your injuries. In these situations, you may need injury attorneys on your side to provide legal representation.

When you are hurt and suffering, it can be difficult to act in your own best interests. You may also lack the education and experience that attorneys can provide. Without those resources, it can be easy to make a mistake that costs you your case. When your health and well-being are on the line, reaching out to an attorney can protect your well-being.

Florida Pedestrian Accident FAQ

As an injured pedestrian, you need to know your legal options before you ever step foot in a courtroom. Florida pedestrian accident law can be complex and difficult to follow for injury victims navigating Florida’s system for the first time. In these cases, you may need a pedestrian accident lawyer on your side.

When you need answers about your case, our team offers a free case evaluation for new clients. If you are not ready to speak with a personal injury attorney, you can also check out the questions we hear most below. While it may not answer all your questions, it can give you an idea of the tools we can offer you.

How much will it cost to hire an attorney?

When filing a personal injury lawsuit, you may be concerned about the cost of hiring an attorney to represent you through negotiations or in court. Fortunately, our team is here to provide you with everything you need for a successful Florida pedestrian accident without leaving you financially insecure.

That is because we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you only pay an agreed-upon percentage of your compensation, not a flat rate. It also means you only pay if your pedestrian accident case is a success.

What if I am unsure who caused my accident?

Pedestrian accidents can be complex, and they can happen so fast that you may be unsure who is liable. For example, if you were struck by oncoming traffic and the driver did not stop, you may not have the information to identify the car or the driver. That makes it more difficult to get compensated.

Fortunately, our law firm can make navigating an accident easier. We have tools to help injury victims get compensated fairly and overcome the suffering they have experienced.

Can I take action if a loved one dies in a pedestrian accident?

If a loved one dies because of a pedestrian injury, you may have grounds for a wrongful death case. Pedestrian accident law in Florida allows for the surviving family to file a wrongful death claim against the at-fault party, giving their loved ones a chance to recover the costs of their medical attention, property damage, and funeral or burial costs.

However, state law also limits who can file. This is to prevent multiple lawsuits from being filed at once, but it can also impact your ability to seek compensation. Because of this, it is vital to seek guidance now and determine whether you can sue.

Can a pedestrian be at fault in Florida?

While drivers are often responsible for the severe injuries that result from their negligence, what about pedestrians? While fault typically lies on the driver, pedestrians may have part or all the blame. For example, crossing parking lots on foot in an area with dense traffic can be tricky. If a pedestrian’s negligence caused a car accident, they may be liable.

However, the insurance company or other parties may try to pin the blame on you regardless of fault. Seek out guidance on maximizing your specific claim.

Do I need a lawyer after a pedestrian accident?

While having an experienced pedestrian accident attorney on your side is not a requirement, it can be a major advantage for injured pedestrians seeking maximum compensation for their injuries. Many pedestrians do not have a deep knowledge of the laws that impact their claim, and those who are affected by pedestrian accident injuries may struggle to juggle their recovery and their lawsuit.

Seeking a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer can help you overcome these difficulties and get fairly compensated. 

Contact a Florida Pedestrian Accident Attorney

When you are injured by a reckless driver, you may need accident victim assistance to seek compensation, whether through an insurance claim or in court.

At the Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers, we understand how difficult it can be to recover from a pedestrian accident, whether you were crossing the street or simply crossing a parking lot. That is why we work hard to provide support and secure successful pedestrian accident cases for our clients. To take advantage of our free consultation and learn more about our services, give us a call or fill out our online contact form.