Plenty of people enjoy walking around Hollywood, Florida, but walking on or next to high-traffic roads can be relaxing or risky depending on the circumstances. A driver who fails to pay attention to their surroundings may veer onto a sidewalk or speed through a red light, potentially causing devastating injuries to unprotected passersby.
If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident as a pedestrian, do not hesitate to contact an accomplished attorney. A Hollywood pedestrian accident lawyer could give you advice on what to do next and what kind of recovery you may be able to pursue.
Impaired Driving
Driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, both legal and illegal, is considered impaired driving in Hollywood. While impaired driving can be dangerous to everyone on the road, pedestrians are particularly susceptible to the dangers from impaired drivers, as they rarely have any protection against an oncoming vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds.
Distracted Driving
The National Safety Council reports that one out of every four car accidents is caused by texting while driving and that approximately 1.6 million accidents per year result from cell phone use. Distracted drivers are dangerous to even the most careful pedestrians.
In the same vein, distracted pedestrians can be a danger to themselves. Pedestrians distracted by cellphone use or texting may inadvertently walk into the path of an oncoming vehicle and cause a pedestrian accident.
No-Fault Insurance Laws in Hollywood
In Florida, pedestrians cannot immediately file suit against the party who caused the accident. Rather, they must first file a personal injury protection (PIP) insurance claim and exhaust the capacity of the PIP insurance claim process to cover their damages. Only once this occurs could an attorney file suit against the negligent party for remaining damages.
If the pedestrian owns a car, regardless of whether it was involved in the accident, and has Florida's personal injury protection insurance as required by law, then the pedestrian's injuries and lost wages will be covered up to $10,000.
An experienced Hollywood pedestrian accident lawyer could negotiate with insurance companies to maximize the amount insurance will pay, then bring a lawsuit to the at-fault party for any additional compensation.
What Could a Pedestrian Accident Victim in Hollywood Recover?
In the event of a successful settlement, the plaintiff in a Hollywood pedestrian accident case could seek compensation for various economic and non-economic damages, including but not necessarily limited to:
- Past and future health care expenses
- Loss of income
- Loss of wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional distress
In Florida, a plaintiff may have their damage award lessened by the court if they are found to bear any fault in causing the accident. Known as comparative negligence, this system allows a judge or jury to determine how much the injured person is at fault and then lower their total recovery by that percentage. Speak with a Hollywood pedestrian accident lawyer to learn more.
Talk to a Hollywood Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today
After a pedestrian accident in Hollywood, you may have many questions about how to approach your recovery and how to pay any expenses that stem from the incident.
If you experience such an accident, reach out to an experienced Hollywood pedestrian accident lawyer today for knowledgeable help and advice on the civil suit process and your options for proceeding through it.