Orlando Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
If you or your loved one has been hit by a car in Orlando, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Careless drivers who injure pedestrians are liable for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more. Our experienced and supportive Orlando pedestrian accident lawyers are ready to help you get through this and fight for you to recover the highest compensation available. Call us today at (407) 329-5054 for a free consultation.
Drivers have a legal duty to exercise reasonable care around pedestrians. This obligation includes watching out for them and following traffic laws. If you have been injured by a driver who failed to exercise due care, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Our Orlando pedestrian accident attorneys are ready to fight for you. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
What Our Orlando Pedestrian Accident Attorneys at Farah & Farah Can Do for You
As a client-centric law firm, we put your needs ahead of our own. When you choose our award-winning Orlando personal injury law firm, a supportive team of attorneys will combine resources, experience, and strengths to help you recover the highest compensation available. Our attorneys work together, not alone. We have found that we are most effective when our attorneys collaborate rather than compete.
You can also expect the following from your dedicated legal team:
- An open-door policy. We understand that your needs don’t end at 5:00 on weekdays. Thus, we provide your legal team members’ cell phone numbers. Your team will answer your calls or return them promptly.
- Accident investigation. Our pedestrian accident lawyers in Orlando will visit the accident site, interview eyewitnesses, search for video footage, hire forensic experts, and gather evidence to prove the fault of those whose carelessness caused your injuries.
- Medical Records Review. We will retrieve your medical records, consult with medical professionals and life care planners, and work with vocational specialists and financial experts to evaluate your case and prove the lifetime costs of your injuries.
- Settlement negotiations. Our Orlando pedestrian accident lawyers will deal with the insurance company and file a pedestrian accident injury lawsuit on your behalf if the insurance company refuses to pay your full claim value. We will aggressively pursue the highest settlement available.
- Litigation and trial advocacy. We are experienced trial lawyers with a proven track record of success. We won’t back away from a fight. If we cannot negotiate a fair and just settlement, we will fight for you in court.
Experience makes all the difference. With more than $2 billion in successful verdicts and settlements, our dedicated attorneys have the skills and experience you can count on to get you the best outcome for your Orlando pedestrian accident claim. Let us put our experience to work for you. Call us today at (407) 329-5054 for a free consultation.
When Should I Hire an Orlando Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
You should consult a reputable pedestrian accident lawyer in Orlando as soon as possible after your accident. The personal injury statute of limitations in Florida is just two years after the date of your accident. The statute of limitations sets a strict deadline that will prevent your lawsuit from moving forward if you do not file it on time.
Once your lawsuit is filed, the defendants can view your evidence. Your attorney will need sufficient time to investigate and prepare your case before filing so the defendant cannot poke holes in your evidence. If you wait too long to contact an attorney, the most valuable evidence may be gone before your attorney can investigate. For example, the following may happen:
- Eyewitnesses may forget important details
- Surveillance footage may get erased
- Skid marks, debris, or other roadway evidence could disappear
- The car that hit you may be repaired or destroyed
Don’t put your chance to get justice in jeopardy. Call our Orlando pedestrian accident law firm now at (407) 329-5054 for a free case review. The initial consultation is free, and you only pay if we win.
Your Legal Rights - Pedestrian Accident Laws in Florida
All drivers in Florida have a legal duty to exercise reasonable care and avoid harming others. You have a right to pursue compensation when drivers hit you. The law explicitly requires drivers to watch for pedestrians in the roadways, whether or not they are in a crosswalk.
Your Right to Expect Drivers to Yield
The law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians legally crossing or preparing to cross the street. The law also requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians anywhere in the roadway and to watch for children and “obviously confused or incapacitated” people. Therefore, even if you were outside the crosswalk when hit, you may still be entitled to compensation.
Your Right to File an Insurance Claim
If a car hits you while walking but you own a motor vehicle, your personal injury protection insurance, or PIP, provides some coverage for your medical bills and lost wages. Thus, you must first file a claim with your insurer. If you don’t have PIP coverage or you suffer severe injuries, you can pursue additional damages from the at-fault driver’s insurance.
Your Right to Hold Non-Driving Parties Liable
If the driver was in a commercial or company vehicle, the company that employed the driver or owned the vehicle may be liable under the doctrine of vicarious liability. Vicarious liability means the company is liable for the driver’s actions even if the company itself was not negligent. You can also hold companies liable for their own negligence, such as hiring unqualified drivers.
Other non-driving parties that may be liable for your injuries include the following:
- Government entities or commercial businesses that failed to provide proper lighting in parking lots or on roadways
- Manufacturers of defective tires or other vehicle components that caused or contributed to the accident
- Negligent mechanics who performed faulty repairs or failed to warn of a condition that could cause or contribute to the collision
Identifying all the liable parties is one of the most important ways to maximize your compensation. Call us today at (407) 329-5054 to schedule a free consultation.
How Do You Pursue Compensation After a Pedestrian Accident?
Pursuing compensation after a pedestrian accident generally starts with the filing of insurance claims against the liable parties. If the insurance companies refuse to pay fair and reasonable compensation, the next step is to file a civil lawsuit demanding the full value of your claim. Settlement negotiations typically commence after the defendants have viewed your evidence. If it is strong, they are more likely to settle.
Some companies refuse to settle, no matter how strong your case is. Our award-winning Orlando pedestrian accident lawyers are successful trial lawyers who prepare every case for trial. We have the resources to stand up to large insurance companies and win. Our reputation often provides leverage to entice defendants to settle with us rather than risk facing us in court.
Damages available in an Orlando pedestrian accident claim include the following:
- Economic damages compensate for your monetary losses, including lost wages, medical expenses, and other financial losses you can prove
- Non-economic damages compensate for pain and suffering, including loss of enjoyment of life, mental anguish, and other emotional losses
- Punitive damages are awarded as a punishment against a defendant when you have clear and convincing evidence of intentional misconduct or gross negligence, such as drunk driving
Top Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Orlando
According to Metro Plan Orlando, the following formula defines the highest risk factors for pedestrian accidents:
Darkness + Distraction + Speed = The Deadly Trio
Any of these factors alone would be enough to raise the risk of pedestrian accidents, but too often, we see cases involving all three elements simultaneously.
Darkness
According to a 2022 study, 92 percent of pedestrian crashes around UCF occurred during nighttime. Metro Plan Orlando found that 82 percent of fatal pedestrian accidents in Orlando occur when it is dark.
Distraction
Distracted driving caused 53,596 crashes in Florida in 2022, an average of more than 1,000 per week. These crashes caused 268 deaths. Metro Plan Orlando found that 741 pedestrians were hit by distracted drivers in the Orlando area from 2017 to 2019.
Speed
Drivers who exceed the posted speed limits endanger all roadway users. According to personal finance site MoneyGeek, every 10 mph of increased speed doubles pedestrian mortality rates.
Failure to Yield
Metro Plan Orlando reported that 197 pedestrian collisions occurred in the Orlando area from 2017 to 2019 when drivers failed to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. Six of these were fatal. Surprisingly, 135 of those occurred during daytime hours.
Impaired Driving
Drunk drivers and drowsy drivers have reduced reaction times and impaired judgment. They are more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors, such as disregarding traffic controls and speeding. In 2023, 248 drunk drivers caused crashes in Orange County, resulting in 184 injuries and eight deaths.
Drowsy drivers can be as dangerous as drunk drivers. According to the NHTSA, they tend to have more difficulty staying in their lanes than non-drowsy drivers.
Orlando Pedestrian Accident Statistics
Florida has the third-highest pedestrian death rate in the nation, and the Orlando area contributes to this statistic as follows, according to WKMG Orlando:
- Formerly the most dangerous place in the nation for pedestrians, Orlando rates number eight as of 2022
- 649 pedestrian accidents happened in Orange County in 2023, resulting in 573 injuries and 60 deaths
- 174 pedestrians were killed in hit-and-run accidents in Orlando from 2017 to 2019, according to Metro Plan Orlando
Where Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Orlando
Downtown Orlando and the area surrounding the University of Central Florida are notorious for pedestrian accidents. According to Drive Safe Online, pedestrian accidents are common at Kirkman Road and Vineland Road near Universal Orlando Resort. Vision Zero of Central Florida has also identified the following dangerous areas for pedestrians:
- Americana Boulevard and South Orange Blossom Trail
- Conroy Road and South John Young Parkway
- South John Young Parkway and West Sand Lake Road
- South Orange Blossom Trail and Conroy Road
- South Orange Blossom Trail from Holden Avenue to the Florida Turnpike
- South John Young Parkway and West Sand Lake Road
- North Semoran Boulevard and Old Cheney Highway
- East Colonial Drive and Old Cheney Highway
- East Colonial Drive and North Goldenrod Road
- North Hiawassee Road and Silver Stars Road
- Silver Star Road and Powers Drive North near Lake Star
Contact Our Orlando Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Today to Protect Your Rights
If you or a loved one has been harmed by a careless driver while walking in Orlando or the surrounding areas, you shouldn’t have to bear the cost alone. Call our compassionate and resourceful Orlando pedestrian accident lawyers today at (407) 329-5054 to schedule a free case review.
What Our Orlando Pedestrian Accident Attorneys at Farah & Farah Can Do for You
When Should I Hire an Orlando Pedestrian Accident Lawyer?
Your Legal Rights – Pedestrian Accident Laws in Florida
How Do You Pursue Compensation After a Pedestrian Accident?
Top Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Orlando
Orlando Pedestrian Accident Statistics
Contact Our Orlando Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Today to Protect Your Rights
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