Orange City Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Compassionate Advocacy for Injured Pedestrians

While many people think of car accidents as involving two vehicles, personal injury cases can involve many different types of accidents, including those involving pedestrians. Injuries resulting from a pedestrian accident can be devastating, as pedestrians have no protection from the impact of a motor vehicle. If you or a loved one were involved in a pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

At Politis & Matovina, P.A., our Orange City pedestrian accident lawyers have over 30 years of experience handling personal injury cases. We understand the devastating impact a pedestrian accident can have on your life, and we are here to help. Our attorneys will work tirelessly to help you maximize the compensation you deserve. We have successfully recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients, and we are prepared to put our extensive experience to work for you.

Call our office today at (386) 333-6613 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our Orange City pedestrian accident attorneys.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents can occur for a variety of different reasons. In many cases, the driver of the vehicle is to blame for the accident. However, there are also many instances in which a pedestrian is at least partially responsible for the accident. Under Florida’s comparative negligence law, you can still recover compensation for your injuries even if you were partially at fault for the accident.

Some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents include:

• Speeding
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Reckless driving
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Failure to stop at a stop sign or red light
• Failure to use a turn signal
• Poor weather conditions
• Poorly maintained roads
• Distracted driving

Common Injuries Resulting from Pedestrian Accidents

Because pedestrians have no protection from the impact of a motor vehicle, they are often left with catastrophic injuries. In some cases, these injuries can be fatal. If you were injured in a pedestrian accident, it is important to seek medical attention right away. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent, and a doctor will be able to diagnose and treat your injuries. Additionally, seeing a doctor will help to establish a record of your injuries, which can be helpful if you decide to file a personal injury claim.

Some of the most common injuries resulting from pedestrian accidents include:

• Broken bones
• Head injuries
• Back injuries
• Neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Internal injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Amputations
• Wrongful death

Florida Pedestrian Laws

The following is a general overview of the pedestrian laws in Florida:

• Crosswalks: Pedestrians are generally required to use crosswalks when they are provided. If there is no marked crosswalk, pedestrians should cross the road at a right angle to the curb or the shortest route to the opposite curb.
• Traffic Signals: Pedestrians must obey traffic signals and pedestrian control signals at intersections.
• Right-of-Way: Vehicles are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections. Pedestrians have the right-of-way when crossing a road at any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.
• Jaywalking: Pedestrians are not allowed to jaywalk, meaning crossing the road at a location other than a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
• Traffic Rules: Pedestrians must follow traffic rules, including walking on the left side of the road if there are no sidewalks. Pedestrians should not suddenly leave the curb or other places of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.
• Traffic Lanes: Pedestrians are not allowed to walk along and, on a roadway, if an adjacent sidewalk is provided.
• Traffic Signals and Signs: Pedestrians are required to follow pedestrian traffic signals and signs when present.
• Blind Pedestrians: Drivers must yield the right-of-way to blind or visually impaired pedestrians using a white cane or guide dog.

How Our Firm Can Help

If you were injured in a pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Damages in a personal injury case can be either economic or non-economic. Economic damages are those that are easily quantifiable, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. Non-economic damages are those that are more difficult to quantify, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Our Orange City pedestrian accident attorneys can help you recover compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Disfigurement
• Disability
• Loss of consortium

In some cases, you may also be able to recover punitive damages. Punitive damages are not meant to compensate you for your injuries, but rather to punish the at-fault party for particularly egregious conduct. In order to be awarded punitive damages, you must prove that the at-fault party acted with intentional misconduct or gross negligence.

At Politis & Matovina, P.A., our Orange City pedestrian accident lawyers will conduct a thorough investigation of the accident to gather the evidence needed to prove your case. We will negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to ensure that you are offered a fair settlement that fully compensates you for your injuries. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, our skilled litigators are not afraid to take your case to trial. We have successfully represented thousands of clients, and we are prepared to put our extensive experience to work for you.

Contact us at (386) 333-6613 today to let us get started on your case.