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If you have been seriously injured as a pedestrian, contact our office to arrange a free case review with our St. Petersburg pedestrian accident attorneys. We first want to express how sorry we are that you have to deal with this. Your injuries most likely require medical treatment, and we know how stressful it is to get hit with unexpected medical bills as well as having to miss work. If you are worried about your financial future, please call us today.
Our St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys are dedicated to providing their expertise and getting you full compensation for your injuries.
Florida is one of the states that follows pure comparative negligence rules. This means is that even if the liable party’s insurance company is able to partially blame you for the accident, you can still get compensation. However, if you do share fault, it means you get a reduced award. For example, if you have been awarded $100,000 in damages, but you were found to be 20% at fault for the accident – perhaps you were not on a crosswalk when you were hit – then your award is reduced to $80,000. Our attorneys will do everything we can to keep you from getting blamed for your pedestrian accident.
One mistake that reduces your chances of getting full compensation is speaking to the insurance adjuster. The liable party’s insurance company is most likely going to call you after the pedestrian accident to ask for a recorded statement. If you agree to this, they will try and ask sneaky questions that force you to answer unfavorably. The smartest thing to do is have your attorney take over all communication with the insurance company.
Many times people will simply take an insurance compensation check before the full extent of their damages is even determined. Our lawyers will make sure that you get the facts before you accept a check:
Our St. Petersburg accident attorneys are invested in the outcome of every case we take on. We are proud to be reputable winners who make sure that our clients get the compensation they deserve.
Pedestrian accidents usually involve collision with a motor vehicle such as a car, bus, truck, motorcycle, or even bicycle. Due to the vulnerability of not being inside a vehicle, pedestrians are much more likely to sustain life-changing injuries. Being completely exposed when you are hit by a motor vehicle can permanently change your body. Common examples of pedestrian injuries include:
The most important thing you can do for yourself is get medical attention right away. There is nothing more important than your health. You will probably have a lot of adrenaline coursing through your body that makes it hard to tell how badly hurt you are, so make sure you have everything checked out.
You might be too injured to collect evidence, so if that is the case, you can call on a friend, family member, or even an attorney to go on the scene and do these things for you. On the scene, you should take photos and videos of the motor vehicle that collided with you, and the area around you including tire marks and debris. You should also get contact information from any and all witnesses as well as the driver of the motor vehicle that hit you. Something that you should always remember while you are on the scene is that you should never say it was your fault. This can be used against you even if you weren’t the true cause of the pedestrian accident.
There are various types of compensation available to pedestrians who sustain injuries as a result of the negligence of others. Regardless of whether or not an individual recovers compensation through an insurance carrier or as a result of a personal injury jury verdict, our goal is to ensure clients recover the following:
The total amount of compensation available to pedestrian accident victims in St. Petersburg will vary depending on the facts surrounding their particular case. Some of the factors that can affect compensation amounts include the severity of the injuries, insurance carrier limits, whether or not there was any shared fault, recovery times, and long-term documentable pain and suffering.
A skilled pedestrian accident lawyer will enlist assistance from trusted medical and economic experts who can evaluate the situation and provide testimony to insurance carriers or at a personal injury trial.
If you have sustained an injury in a St. Petersburg pedestrian accident caused by another driver, there is no set amount of compensation you will receive. Rather, the facts and circumstances of each particular pedestrian crash will dictate how much compensation is ultimately paid out to victims. Some of the factors that can influence total compensation amounts include:
A skilled pedestrian accident lawyer will work with trusted medical and economic experts who can adequately calculate a St. Petersburg pedestrian accident victim’s losses.
At Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner, we handle St. Petersburg personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients will never have to worry about legal expenses while their case is ongoing. There will be no upfront costs and no ongoing expenses. We will not collect any legal fees until after our clients successfully recover the compensation they are entitled to. If we do not win a claim, our clients will not pay a dime. We think that this type of legal fee arrangement is fair because it allows individuals to hold at-fault parties responsible for their actions, regardless of their current financial circumstances.
According to the Florida statute of limitations, you have four years from the date of your pedestrian accident to bring your claim or settle it in civil court. However, the time limits may be longer or much shorter depending upon the facts of your case and who is responsible for your injuries. Four years seems like a long time, but you should never delay speaking with an attorney. Your case is important and you want it to be as successful as possible. Hiring an attorney as soon as possible is only going to benefit your case because it gives them time to build you a strong case.
The St. Petersburg pedestrian accident lawyers of Salter, Healy, Rivera & Heptner are board certified trial lawyers, meaning that if court appearances are necessary for your case, we have the skills to fight on your behalf and achieve effective results. Because we understand that every case is unique and important to the people involved, we strive to provide you with the personal attention we believe you deserve as the victim of a pedestrian accident.
If you need a dedicated lawyer to guide you through your case, please give us a call to set up a free consultation with an experienced St. Petersburg pedestrian accident attorney. We will put you on track to receive the best possible compensation.