Miami Pedestrian Injury Attorneys

Miami Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Fighting for Injured Clients

Miami Beach is a beautiful place to take a walk. From South Pointe Park to Meridian Avenue, there are plenty of lovely spots for visitors and residents to get out and stretch their legs, enjoy the scenery, and go shopping. Sadly, pedestrian accidents can occur even in the most pleasant areas. A collision between a motor vehicle and a pedestrian usually does not end well for the victim. They may be saddled with medical debt and unable to work because of their injuries.

If you’ve been hurt while walking in the Miami area, you need a personal injury law firm that will treat your case with the attention it deserves. Galimidi Law works hard to get victims the maximum compensation and justice they deserve for their injuries. Call 305-692-0125 today for a free case evaluation to learn about your legal options.

Why Do Pedestrian Accidents Happen?

Pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere, from grocery store parking lots to well-marked crosswalks. If you wear headphones while walking or running it is recommended to keep them off or place them in “aware” mode so you can listen to your surroundings, but bicycles and quiet electric cars can pose a threat to pedestrians before they are heard. Pedestrians can help increase their safety by wearing bright or reflective clothing (particularly at dusk or after dark), remaining aware of their surroundings, following any posted signs and rules, and using designated walking areas, when available. But even after taking all these precautions, a pedestrian can risk becoming an accident victim.

Pedestrian accidents can be caused by non-vehicle factors, such as slippery sidewalks, debris from construction sites, and inattentive bikers or skateboarders. However, many of the most severe pedestrian accidents are due to negligent drivers of motor vehicles. These dangerous accidents can occur in many ways, including:

Backing up in a parking lot before checking for pedestrians.
Distracted driving.
Driving too fast through pedestrian-heavy areas, such as residential neighborhoods, school zones, and parking lots.
Drunk or drugged driving.
Failing to stop at traffic control signals or stop signs.
Fatigued driving.
Not obeying traffic laws.
Not yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks.
Swerving onto sidewalks.
Texting or talking on the phone while driving.
Turning at an intersection without looking in both directions.

Is It Necessary to Seek Medical Care After a Minor Pedestrian Accident?

Any accident can be a shock. If you’ve been knocked down while walking and don’t have any obvious severe injuries, your first instinct might be to brush yourself off and say you’re ok. You might even apologize, even though the accident wasn’t your fault. However, handling the situation this way could jeopardize your ability to seek compensation if you find you have injuries later.

Unfortunately, accident injuries are not always apparent immediately following the impact. Your adrenaline could be running high and masking symptoms. You should always get insurance information from the person who struck you and seek a medical evaluation as soon as possible to determine if you have experienced any harm. Back and neck injuries are well-known for not causing symptoms until later. You could even have more severe damage, such as a head injury or internal bleeding that could require a hospital stay and costly treatment.

Always protect your well-being and your potential for damage recovery by getting medical care after an accident, even if your injuries seem minor. It is also wise to contact local authorities to report the accident so you have official documentation of the circumstances. Remember to not discuss fault for the accident, which includes not giving apologies because the insurance company could twist these statements and use them against you. If you believe you may have more severe injuries, do not hesitate to call 911 for assistance. Your safety and health are of utmost importance in these situations. A pedestrian accident lawyer can help you fully understand your rights and options after the crash, so do not hesitate to call for a free consultation.

What Injuries Can Be Caused by a Pedestrian Accident?

While pedestrian accidents can be caused by bikers, skateboarders, rollerbladers, and other operators of non-motorized conveyances, pedestrians hit by cars and trucks make up the vast majority of pedestrian accident claims. A vehicle is built to withstand crashes with other cars and solid objects, but the human body is not equipped to handle these impacts at any speed. Pedestrian accident victims can face painful injuries, several surgeries, months of follow-up visits, and astronomical medical bills after being hit by a vehicle. Some common injuries faced by those who have experienced a pedestrian accident include:

Broken or fractured bones
Crushed or severed extremities
Facial and dental injuries, including jaw damage, eye injuries, and loss of vision
Head trauma, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
Internal bleeding
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
Lacerations and contusions
Organ damage
Pelvic injuries
Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression
Wrongful death

A TBI can be a particularly severe consequence of a pedestrian accident. They are often caused by the victim’s head hitting the pavement or the vehicle’s hood. This impact may cause the brain to swell, building pressure and cutting off the oxygen supply for parts of the brain, leading to cell death. TBIs are serious, potentially life-threatening injuries that require immediate medical treatment. Even when promptly treated, brain injuries can cause permanent damage, such as memory loss, chronic headaches, depression, speech difficulties, vision problems, seizures, and more.

What Compensation Could a Florida Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Secure for You?

If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian accident, you may be facing many losses, both financially and emotionally. A personal injury lawsuit seeks to recover compensation from the liable parties for those losses, so you can be made whole again. Economic damages cover monetary losses you’ve already experienced or may be reasonably expected to experience from the accident. Proof of these losses could include medical bills, receipts for repairs or modifications, and information about your wages. Keeping thorough records is important because it helps your Miami injury attorney accurately calculate your damages for your pedestrian accident claim. Examples of economic damages may include:

Medical expenses: Covers your ER visits, hospital care, medications, surgery, doctor appointments, rehab appointments, and other medical bills resulting from the pedestrian accident.
Lost wages: The wages you lost between the time of the pedestrian injury and the lawsuit’s conclusion.
Loss of earning capacity: If you become permanently injured or disabled, you may be able to show that your earning ability has been negatively impacted. The compensation is calculated based on how much you could have earned if the accident had not occurred.
Property damage: You can seek compensation for any personal items that had to be repaired or replaced due to the accident.
Home or vehicle modifications: If you had to add accessibility features to your house or car because of your injuries, these could be covered.

Non-economic damages compensate you for the losses you’ve experienced which are mental or emotional in nature, such as:

Pain and suffering: Your injuries likely caused you to hurt and feel miserable. When valuing this compensation, the type of injury, the amount of pain caused, and how long you are likely to continue suffering are all considered.
Mental anguish: If you have experienced negative emotions such as grief, depression, anxiety, and more, the court may compensate you for your experiences.
Loss of consortium: In an accident where someone has been killed or permanently disabled this type of compensation may be awarded to their spouse, parents, and/or minor children for the loss of their love, companionship, and support.

The court may also award accident victims punitive damages during a trial if the defendant’s actions that caused the accident are found to be willfully malicious or if they have a history of driving recklessly and harming pedestrians. Punitive damages are awarded to punish the offender and are meant to dissuade others from acting similarly.

How Can Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Help Victims?

Pedestrian accidents can upend your world. They occur in an instant but can leave you with long-term injuries and expensive medical bills. A pedestrian accident lawyer can help you get your life back after your accident. Galimidi Law believes you deserve fair compensation for your injuries. Your accident will be thoroughly investigated to determine liability and I strive to completely understand the struggles you’ve faced due to your injuries in order to properly value your claim.

Even if you were found to be partially at fault for an accident because you were jaywalking or not paying attention to your surroundings, under Florida’s comparative negligence rules, you are still eligible to seek compensation as long as you were not 50% or more at fault. The amount of your fault will simply reduce your compensation. In these situations, it is critical to have a determined lawyer by your side to push back against the insurance company, which may try to place all the blame for the accident onto you. Galimidi Law will work hard to get you the maximum compensation you are entitled to.

Contact Galimidi Law today to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer experienced in pedestrian accident cases.