Tampa is a beautiful city to explore on foot, and pedestrians are entitled to safety and respect while traversing the city. Drivers who fail to keep pedestrians safe are financially responsible for the injuries their negligence causes.
There are steps that the City of Tampa Bay and the State of Florida have taken, and while those should be lauded, there will be far too many people injured in the time period between their implementation and the present moment. If you or a loved one have been injured by a negligent drive, call the Tampa pedestrian accident lawyers at Diaco Law at (813) 221-7978 to schedule your free consultation about your legal rights and options.
Why Diaco Law
By retaining the Tampa pedestrian accident attorneys at Diaco Law, you are retaining dedicated advocates with a proven track record of excellence in pedestrian accident cases. Our attorneys bring their scholarly understanding of the law, a creative approach to their cases, and a wealth of experience to every single one of our clients’ cases.
At Diaco Law, we understand that the expenses associated with high-quality legal representation are daunting, but you do not need to worry about that when you retain our Tampa pedestrian accident lawyers. Our Tampa pedestrian accident attorneys take our cases on a contingency fee, meaning we do the work upfront, and you only pay us if and after we have achieved an appropriate settlement for your case or received a winning jury verdict.
When Should I Hire a Tampa Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
You should hire a Tampa car accident lawyer in any situation where:
- Your insurer does not make you a fair offer of compensation
- You aren’t sure what your rights are after a car accident
- Another driver caused a collision that injured you
It can be difficult to understand what to do after a pedestrian accident, especially if you suffered serious injuries and are entitled to make a claim against another driver rather than just collecting payment through your own no-fault insurance coverage. You don’t want to leave money on the table or fail to protect your rights in an accident’s aftermath.
Your Tampa pedestrian accident attorney can explain your legal options, help you negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company responsible for paying you, and maximize the chances of getting the full compensation you are entitled to after a collision.
We Handle All Types of Pedestrian Accidents in Tampa
Diaco Law is here for all pedestrian accident victims, as we have extensive experience providing help to all those who have been hurt while walking on Florida’s roads. Some of the many types of pedestrian accident claims our team can represent you in include:
- Drunk or impaired driving accidents
- Distracted driving
- Reckless or speeding driver accidents
- Drowsy driving crashes
- Accidents at intersections
In these and other situations where you were hurt while out walking in the Tampa area, we will work with you to identify defendants, gather evidence, and make a strong claim.
Common Injuries From Pedestrian Accidents
Many different kinds of injuries can occur after a pedestrian accident, especially since you have no protection from the force and impact of a vehicle when you are hurt as a pedestrian. However, some of the most common injuries pedestrians suffer after being hit by a car include
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord damage
- Lacerations/ cuts
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue injury
You should make sure to document injuries in the aftermath of an accident so you can prove that the collision was the cause.
What Does PIP Insurance Cover?
If you or someone in your household has auto insurance, the policy must include personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. PIP coverage can pay for your losses not only in an auto accident, but also in a pedestrian crash.
Personal injury protection will pay for:
- Up to 80% of medical bills incurred as a result of the pedestrian accident
- Up to 60% of lost wages incurred due to the pedestrian crash
There’s a $10,000 limit on coverage for medical bills and for lost wages. If the pedestrian accident is fatal, PIP will also pay out $5,000.
In some cases, injuries sustained in a pedestrian crash are very serious. When that is the case, victims can often pursue a lawsuit against the driver responsible, even though Florida’s no-fault laws say that those hurt in a crash are limited to making a PIP claim after a more minor accident.
What Types of Damages Can Pedestrian Accident Victims Recover?
Pedestrian accident victims should be entitled to payment for:
- Medical bills, including past and future bill, made necessary due to crash injuries
- Wages lost because of the accident and ongoing wages lost due to any reduction in earning potential from lasting injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Wrongful death damages for surviving loved ones when a collision is fatal
A pedestrian accident attorney can help you to determine what damages are available in your case so you can be “made whole” or fully compensated for losses.
How Long Do I Have To File A Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
There is a two-year statute of limitations for most Florida personal injury claims, including those arising from pedestrian crashes. You shouldn’t wait to get legal help as you don’t want your claim to be time-barred.
Pedestrian Accidents & The City of Tampa
In 2023, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles released their Traffic Crash Facts, demonstrating a three-year average of 9,141 automotive crashes with an average of 761 pedestrians killed each year. These figures are striking and unacceptable, and the sad reality is that Floridians are forced to live with these dangers.
Approximately 80% of pedestrian injury crashes occur in urban environments, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. Per that same study, these crashes tend to correlate with a variety of circumstances posed by urban environments such as Tampa, including:
- Undivided Roadways: The median used to divide a roadway has a significant impact on the frequency of crashes because a divided roadway is easier to safely cross since pedestrians have a shorter distance to cross prior to reaching a place of safety.
- Sidewalks: The presence of sidewalks works to prevent pedestrian crashes in residential and mixed-use areas, but, paradoxically, sidewalks are less effective in preventing pedestrian accidents in large commercial areas.
- On-Street Parking: Areas with on-street parking decrease the space for both drivers and non-motorized travelers, but the results of the survey suggest that the decreased space in areas with on-street parking results in drivers moving more slowly, thereby driving down the rate of fatal and severe pedestrian accidents.
- Intersection Signaling: The most dangerous place for a pedestrian to cross is at an unsignalized intersection–where the pedestrian is four times more likely to suffer a fatal or severe injury than anywhere else on the road.
- Cell Phone Use: The use of a cell phone–by a driver or a pedestrian–greatly increases the risk of injury at these locations. The Federal Highway Administration’s study notes that pedestrians made more unsafe street crossings while talking on their cell phones than when they were not distracted.
Call Our Tampa Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Today!
The absence of proactive measures in Tampa and throughout the State of Florida means that pedestrian accidents will continue to happen with alarming frequency. Injured Tampa pedestrians deserve justice for the injuries that are so needlessly inflicted upon them. That’s where Diaco Law comes in.
Diaco Law understands the causes of pedestrian injuries, the law surrounding them, and most importantly, the grave impact they have on our clients. If you or someone you know were injured in a pedestrian accident, reach out to our Tampa pedestrian accident lawyers at Diaco Law by calling us at (813) 221-7978 to schedule your free consultation. You can also reach us through our online portal, which is linked here.