Going for a walk allows you to enjoy the fresh air in West Palm Beach, FL. Walks also help you stretch your legs, avoid paying high costs for gas, and represent an eco-friendly method of transportation. Unfortunately, walking can also put you in close quarters with motor vehicles.
Sometimes, vehicle drivers do not pay attention to pedestrians. They may ignore crosswalks or even swerve onto the sidewalk, resulting in a serious accident.
Collecting compensation from insurers for a pedestrian accident can be challenging. Residents of West Palm Beach who have been injured in a car crash can consult the attorneys at The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine to discuss their options.
Your Steps After a WPB Pedestrian Accident
Legal professionals recommend that you take several steps following a pedestrian accident. Taking these steps can help you resolve your claim to receive compensation for your losses. Make sure that you:
- Contact the police and report the accident
- Take pictures of your injuries and the vehicle that struck you
- Get contact information from the driver who struck you and any eyewitnesses
- Seek immediate medical care if you are hurt
- Contact a car accident lawyer for help
We understand that you may not be able to take all of these steps following your accident, especially if you sustained serious injuries. Pedestrian accidents often result in:
- Head and brain injuries
- Back, neck, and spine damage
- Internal injuries and broken bones
- Cuts, road rash, and soft tissue injuries
Make sure that you seek medical care for your injuries and contact a lawyer if you cannot take any other steps after an accident. You lawyer can take over gathering evidence, dealing with insurance agents, and helping with police questioning, allowing you to focus on your recovery in West Palm Beach.
For a free legal consultation with a pedestrian accidents lawyer serving West Palm Beach, 800-747-3733
Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Dedicated to Helping West Palm Beach Residents
Located about 68 miles north of downtown Miami, West Palm Beach is considered easy to navigate by car because it is on a grid system. Unfortunately, between 2011 and 2013, vehicles hit 1,363 pedestrians and 76 pedestrians were killed in Palm Beach County.
In the event of an accident, your team believes in providing you with professional support. We offer responsive legal care along with frequent case updates while answering all of your legal questions.
You can count on us to take care of all aspects of your legal claim while you worry about healing.
West Palm BeachPedestrian Accident Lawyer Near Me 800-747-3733
Pursuing Damages After a Pedestrian Accident
A pedestrian accident may leave you with high medical expenses. Fortunately, you have options to cover these losses. If you are a pedestrian with car insurance for your own car, you will need to file a claim against the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) provision of your own insurance.
Your PIP plan will cover your injuries and lost wages up to $10,000. Only after exhausting those benefits will you be able to sue a negligent driver. Many pedestrian accidents are quite serious and result in significant injuries that require far more than $10,000 to treat.
If you are not the owner of a car, the driver’s PIP insurance should cover up to $10,000 before you must turn to liability insurance.
Move Quickly to Secure Compensation Following Your Pedestrian Accident
You have a limited amount of time within which to seek compensation after a pedestrian accident in West Palm Beach. Under Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a), pedestrians typically have four years to file a claim before the statute of limitations runs out.
In some cases, the court system may grant you more time to resolve your claim. However, if you are filing a claim on behalf of a loved one lost in a pedestrian accident, you may have less time. Florida Statutes § 95.11(4)(d) only gives you two years to file a wrongful death claim in most cases.
We Help Establish Liability for WPB Pedestrian Accidents
After a serious pedestrian accident, you may not have a strong recollection or awareness of exactly what caused the collision, which can put you at a disadvantage with the negligent driver’s insurer. The driver may even claim you caused the accident.
Our team can step in to review what really happened during your collision. It may be necessary to reconstruct the accident scene, interview witnesses, and retain an accident reconstruction specialist to figure out what caused the accident.
We work to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the driver owed you a duty of care, the driver breached the duty, the breach caused the accident, and you suffered actual damages.
Common Reasons for Pedestrian Accidents in West Palm Beach
If the driver committed a traffic violation, this can help prove the second element of breach of duty. Common breaches of duty by automobile drivers in pedestrian accidents include:
- Failures to use turn signals
- Failures to follow the speed limit
- Failures to stop at a light or stop sign
- Failures to yield the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk
In some cases, both the driver and the pedestrian may be at fault. While a driver can react more quickly than a pedestrian can, a pedestrian is expected to watch where he or she is going. Both are expected to use a reasonable degree of care.
Florida follows the doctrine of comparative negligence. This means that a defendant driver may claim the pedestrian is partially or fully to blame for his or her injuries. The jury will evaluate the total damages and also assign percentages of responsibility to those found to be at fault.
Your Compensation After a Pedestrian Accident in WPB
You may face a number of losses after a pedestrian collision in West Palm Beach. Our team focuses on these losses and takes legal steps to help you financially recover. Among other things, you may be able to recover compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Household services
- Pain and suffering
We individualize the care we provide to all our clients in the WBP area, assessing the specific losses associated with your accident. Speak to us today to learn more about your options for recovery.
Discuss Your Motor Vehicle Collision Claim with a West Palm Beach Attorney
If you have been struck by a careless driver in West Palm Beach or the surrounding area, the experienced injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine may be able to represent you in pursuing compensation for your harm.
We also represent clients in other cities across Palm Beach County, such as Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, and Jupiter. Call our attorneys or contact us via our online form for a free consultation.
