Were You Hit by a Car in Florida? Call Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Tampa Bay for Help

Pedestrian knockdowns are some of the most dangerous types of personal injury accidents.  Indeed, from a young age we learn about the dangers of being hit by a car.  Pedestrians have no protections such as an air bag, seat belt, side curtain, or even a helmet like a motorcycle or bicycle rider.  Our pedestrian accident lawyers in Tampa Bay know that this means that most pedestrians who are hit by a car often suffer the full force of an impact.  Statistics support this notion.  According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), each year in the United States over 6,500 fatalities and roughly 55,000 injuries are attributed to pedestrians hit by a vehicle.  In just Florida, statistics reveal that pedestrians account for over 700 fatalities, almost 1,300 incapacitating injuries, and over 2,700 other injuries each year.

Here at Dumas & Sanclemente, we know that these figures are staggering – especially to victims and their families.  Oftentimes after a pedestrian knockdown, the entire family has unexpected medical bills and lost wages.  When coupled with the extreme physical and emotional harm that must pedestrian knockdown accidents in the Tampa Bay Area cause, most victims and their families may be entitled to significant compensation.  But only with the help of the right lawyer.  This is because most pedestrian hit by car cases in Florida are hotly contested because the damages are often so high, with most defense lawyers and insurance carriers fighting hard to minimize their liability.

Do not let that happen to you.  Call an aggressive and experienced pedestrian accident lawyer in Tampa Bay such as ours to schedule a FREE consultation to learn more about how we can fight back to recover the compensation that you and your family deserve.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida

There are many causes of pedestrian accidents in Florida. Almost all of these accidents are caused by the negligence of another person, business, or government agency. The vast majority of the time, pedestrian accidents are entirely preventable, meaning that victims could have been spared from their injuries or worse, death. The most common causes of Tampa Bay Area pedestrian accidents include the following:

• Speeding – Speed is a common factor that contributes to pedestrian accidents. All too often drivers choose to drive over the speed limit, failing to allow them enough time to stop when they see a pedestrian. Drivers may choose to disregard cross walks all together and may feel they are driving quickly enough to pass before the person crosses in the crosswalk, leading to a pedestrian accident. Some drivers may see a light about to turn red, leading to them deciding to speed up so they don’t have to stop. This mistake can have serious consequences, including hitting pedestrians.
• Distracted driving – Distracted driving is a major contributing factor to pedestrian accidents. Distracted driving includes using a cell phone to text, talk, or turn on music, playing with the radio, eating or drinking, reaching for something in the car, trying to reach back to give someone else in the car something, as well as other actions that constitute as distracted driving.
• Aggressive or negligent driving – Drivers who are aggressive or negligent disregard laws and rules of the road, such as failing to stop at a red light, failing to stop at a stop sign, or any other violation of a law that can result in a pedestrian being hit by a driver.
• Reversing unsafely or too fast – Drivers reversing must look behind their car as well as both ways. These days back up cameras are a common feature in many cars. While they are a great tool, they shouldn’t be solely relied upon. Drivers should be looking both ways and out the back of their car before backing up. Failure to completely assess the situation can result in a pedestrian being hit and injured.

Common Injuries Caused by Pedestrian Accidents in the Tampa Bay Area

Pedestrians are at great risk for injury or death when they are hit by a car. This is because they do not have any protection, so the car directly hits them. Injuries due to a pedestrian accident can be quite catastrophic. Some of the most common injuries caused by pedestrian accidents includes the following:

• Broken bones or fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries or other types of brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Head injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Head injuries
• Internal hemorrhage
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Paralysis (i.e. quadriplegia, paraplegia, etc.)
• Knee injuries
• Neck or back injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Wrongful death
• Hip injuries
• Other injuries caused by pedestrian accidents in Florida.

Types of Pedestrian Accidents in Florida

While the phrase “pedestrian accidents” is used for every accident involving a pedestrian, there are many different types of pedestrian accidents. The most common types of pedestrian accidents include the following:

• Back-up accidents – These accidents occur when a pedestrian is behind a vehicle while the vehicle is backing up. This type of pedestrian accident typically occurs in parking lots.
• Intersection accidents – This type of accident occurs when a pedestrian tries to quickly cross an intersection, but the driver is unable to stop in time and then hits the pedestrian.
• Accidents involving turning or merging – All too often, drivers are so focused on watching the traffic to see when they will have the opportunity to turn or merge that they forget to look both ways. When the driver forgets to look both ways, it results in the pedestrian being hit by the car.
• Accidents involving passing – This can happen when the driver does not see a pedestrian due to their view being blocked by another vehicle who may have stopped to let pedestrians cross. If the driver keeps driving it can result in the driver hitting a pedestrian.
• Accidents involving vendor trucks – Vendor trucks often are present in busy neighborhoods or cities. People may run to try to reach a vendor truck for food but the driver does not see them, leading to them hitting a pedestrian if they are driving their truck.

Liability for Pedestrian Accidents in Tampa Bay, Florida

While often it is thought that the driver is solely at fault for a pedestrian accident, this is not always the case. Sometimes, the pedestrian contributed to the accident in some way (i.e darting into traffic). In cases like this, if both the pedestrian and driver are partially responsible but the pedestrian sustained injuries, the pedestrian may be eligible for partial compensation.

This is referred to as comparative fault. For example, if a pedestrian is awarded $100,000 for their injuries but was 20% at fault, the victim may still be entitled to $80,000. If the driver was fully responsible due to negligence, the driver will be held solely liable. There are certain instances in which the pedestrian may be fully liable for the accident.

Were You Hit by a Car?  Was a Loved One?  Or a Child?  Call Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyers in Tampa Bay, Florida

If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident, especially if you were hit by a car or if a loved one was hit by a car, call our experienced personal injury lawyers at Dumas & Sanclemente for help.  Our pedestrian accident lawyers in Tampa Bay are dedicated to serving victims and their families who have been seriously injured or who have lost a loved one due to another person’s negligence.  We can help you recover the compensation that you need and deserve.  To learn more about how we can help you after a pedestrian knockdown, call to schedule a FREE consultation by dialing 866-832-1569 or by sending us a message through our “Contact Us” box available here.