Pedestrian Accident Lawyer In Port St. Lucie, FL
Florida’s Port St. Lucie has an approximate population of 185,000. With so many people, pedestrian accidents are common. Fortunately, Florida’s pedestrian traffic regulations protect pedestrians and allow them to seek compensation for all losses and injuries caused by careless motorists.
Our pedestrian accident lawyers in Port St. Lucie, FL are ready to offer you expert representation to ensure you get the highest compensation possible from your pedestrian accident.
Types of Pedestrian Accidents We Cover
Most pedestrian accidents result from motorists’ negligence. Because of this, we start by proving the responsible motorist’s negligence and then pursue a reasonable compensation amount based on that.
While there is no type of pedestrian accident we do not handle, here are some of the more common pedestrian accident types that our lawyers have helped hundreds of clients in the past:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drivers disobeying stop signs or traffic lights
- Dangerous driving under inclement weather conditions
- Failure to yield
- Aggressive driving
Pedestrian Injuries You Can Claim Damages for
Because pedestrians use sidewalks and other walkways adjacent to roadways with virtually no protection whatsoever, injuries from pedestrian accidents are usually life-threatening. A significant number of pedestrian accident victims suffer from acute injuries that come with high and long-term costs of medical care.
Common pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Fractures
- Broken bones
- Sprained and torn ligaments
- Soft tissue damage
- Head trauma
- Spinal cord injury
- Cuts and lacerations
- Internal bleeding
- Dental damage
- Paralysis
- Brain injuries
- Wrongful Death
Our Lawyer’s Approach to Proving Driver Liability in Pedestrian Accidents
Personal injury claims are pursued against at-fault parties using the law of negligence. This entails proving that:
- The motorist had a duty to follow all road rules (which is known as the duty of care).
- The driver breached this duty of care.
- As a result of the breach, an accident that led to suffering and damages occurred.
Comparative Fault in Pedestrian Accidents
Florida uses the doctrine of pure comparative fault. In this approach to arriving at legal judgments, if a plaintiff is responsible for a certain portion of an accident, he or she can only recover damages proportional to the portion of the accident they were not guilty of.
For instance, if your damages from a pedestrian accident are $100,000 but you contributed to the accident by a factor of 20%, you will only be entitled to 80% of the compensation, which in this case would be $80,000.
Insurers take advantage of comparative fault, and even if their client is fully responsible for your accident, they will send insurance adjustors to try and place as much of the blame on you as they can. Before that happens, contact us to safeguard your rights from the start.
Compensation for a Pedestrian Accident
Compensatory Damages
These include both financial as well as non-financial compensation for losses incurred. Compensatory damages are aimed at reducing the number of financial losses incurred from an accident and to make your situation more bearable. To relieve you from the financial burden associated with accidents, our lawyers will help you claim compensation for losses including:
- Present and future medical costs – These include doctor prescriptions, ambulance and emergency health care costs, individual physician appointments, medical equipment such as wheelchairs, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and so on.
- All earnings lost – Income lost from the point of the accident onward.
- Reduced ability to earn in the future.
- Property damages.
- Loss of consortium.
- Emotional distress.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of companionship.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are not frequently awarded. These damages apply in situations where the behavior of a defendant proves to have been so outrageous or egregious that they deserve additional penalties from the state. Punitive damages are purposefully applied to punish a negligent party and deter other people from similar acts. As a pedestrian injury victim in Florida, you can collect up to three times of the compensatory damages amount awarded or compensation of $500,000, whichever is more.
Wrongful Death Claims for Pedestrian Accidents
If a pedestrian accident led to the death of your loved one, our lawyers will help you pursue a wrongful death claim to seek full compensation for all resultant losses and inconveniences. Damage claim areas include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of service/loss of support
- Medical bills incurred before death
- Loss of company
- A potential loss of inheritance
We Provide the Legal Help You Need
Our pedestrian accident lawyers in Port St. Lucie are ready to give you all the legal help and guidance you need to file and pursue a pedestrian accident claim. Tell us about your accident here for a free review of your case or call us at 305-928-2909 to schedule a free consultation. Unlike other law firms, our services are on a contingency basis. We will charge you nothing until your case is won. Call now.