Were you or a family member injured in a pedestrian accident in Tampa, Florida? Call an experienced Tampa pedestrian accident lawyer to learn about your legal right to compensation. At Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, our attorneys will fight to recover the maximum available compensation under the law.
Our personal injury lawyers have over 60 years of collective experience helping accident victims in Tampa. We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars for our clients.
As always, your initial consultation is completely free of charge. Just contact our Tampa team today at (813) 686-7588 to schedule your free consultation.
How Can Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Help With My Tampa Pedestrian Accident Case?
Pedestrians are at the greatest risk of sustaining serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident. That means you’re most likely to incur expensive medical bills and be unable to work while you’re hurt.
You shouldn’t have to deal with the financial fallout when someone else caused the car accident in the first place. Unfortunately, getting fair compensation won’t be as easy as filing an insurance claim. You have to locate proof–both to prove the other party was responsible and to prove you deserve the compensation you demand.
That can be tough to do when you’re in the hospital or facing months of rehab. An experienced Tampa personal injury lawyer has the resources to handle your case while you recover.
When you choose Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers will:
- Gather proof to convince the insurance company that they’re responsible for damages
- Identify every party who shared responsibility
- Defend you when someone tries to blame you for getting hurt
- Hire experts and specialists to support your injury claim
- Negotiate the highest available settlement
If you’re struggling, you don’t have to go it alone. Our Board Certified Tampa personal injury attorneys have more than 60 years of combined experience fighting for accident victims in the Tampa Bay area. Call our law offices today for a free case evaluation.
How Dangerous Are Pedestrian Accidents in Tampa, Florida?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a pedestrian is killed in the United States every 70 minutes.
A preliminary report published by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) estimates that 7,318 pedestrians were killed nationwide in 2023.
Unfortunately, Florida is not a pedestrian-friendly state. Based on the numbers, Florida ranks third in terms of pedestrian fatalities, accounting for around 10% of the nation’s deaths.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, at least 662 of Florida’s pedestrian accidents happened in Tampa and surrounding areas of Hillsborough County in 2023. They resulted in 66 deaths and 550 injuries.
As of July 2024, 304 pedestrians have been involved in Hillsborough County accidents, leading to 28 fatalities and 263 injuries.
All of this information leads to one key question: what’s causing so many pedestrian accidents in Florida?
What Types of Damages Can I Recover if I Was Injured in a Pedestrian Accident?
Florida personal injury law gives accident victims the right to recover three primary types of damages: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. If you’re seriously hurt, it’s critical to get the maximum available amount.
That’s where a skilled personal injury lawyer can help. At Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, we hire respected experts to testify about the expected future costs of your injuries.
Here’s a basic rundown of the types of damages you might recover in a serious injury case:
Economic Damages
Economic damages cover your out-of-pocket expenses. That includes expenses you’ve already incurred and future amounts that you’ll be required to spend to recover from your injuries.
Examples of economic damages include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages and income
- Future medical expenses
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitative care
- Long-term care
- Medications
- Medical devices
- In-home assistance and home modifications
- Property damage
Future economic expenses can be difficult to estimate. Insurance companies like to try and tell you what your injuries will cost. However, trusting the insurance company to offer a fair amount is often a mistake.
Instead, we work with your doctors and medical experts to get an independent estimate so that we can demand the compensation you’ll really need for the future.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages repay you for the intangible costs associated with the injury.
This category includes things like:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of your independence
These damages can be notoriously difficult to value. If necessary, we’ll bring in specialists in psychology, finance, and other areas to offer proof of the fair value to the insurance company.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are designed only to punish the defendant. They’re not always available to accident victims. Judges usually award punitive damages when the defendant’s acts were intentional. For example, a drunk driver who caused a pedestrian accident might be responsible for punitive damages.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Tampa, FL?
You have to find out what caused your accident to recover compensation for your injuries. It’s a common mistake to think that you can automatically recover compensation because the pedestrian always has the right of way. In reality, you have to offer proof that someone else was negligent.
Often, drivers just aren’t watching out for pedestrians on the roads. Some of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents in Tampa include:
- Improperly designed intersections
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Failure to yield
- Drunk driving
- Drowsy driving
Many pedestrian accidents happen so quickly that the victim doesn’t know what hit them. Hiring a personal injury attorney can help you get to the bottom of it. Our lawyers at Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers will work hard to uncover the cause of your crash. All you have to do is call and ask us to get started.
We’ll Fight to Recover Fair Compensation for All of Your Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Without the protection of a motor vehicle, pedestrians are much more likely to be seriously injured in a crash. Even if you’re lucky enough to walk away from the crash, you might be facing months or years of rehab and physical therapy.
At Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, our Tampa pedestrian accident attorneys will fight to win fair compensation for all of your pedestrian accident injuries.
We have experience representing clients who have suffered:
- Brain injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Hip fractures
- Organ damage
- Pelvic injuries
- Knee injuries
- Broken bones
- Severe burn injuries, or “road rash”
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Your injuries don’t have to be catastrophic to hold the responsible party liable for damages. When drivers aren’t alert and paying attention to pedestrians on the roads, they should be held accountable.
Our law firm is dedicated to doing just that. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can fight to get fair compensation for your losses.
What’s the Deadline for Filing a Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit in Hillsborough County, Florida?
Accident victims only have a limited amount of time to take action. Every state has a law on the books called a statute of limitations.
In Florida, the statute of limitations typically gives victims two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. After two years, you lose your right to hold the at-fault party responsible.
However, note that historically, Florida law gave victims four years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. The statute of limitations was revised on March 24, 2023, providing less time to take legal action. If your Tampa pedestrian accident occurred after that date, you’re required to file your lawsuit within two years.
What if the Driver Blames Me for Causing the Crash?
Did you dart into the roadway or cross the street before the traffic signal changed? Expect the insurance company to claim that you did. When they do, understand that they’re trying to reduce or prevent your compensation award under Florida’s comparative fault laws.
Comparative fault, or shared responsibility, apportions blame between everyone involved in the accident. Florida follows a modified comparative negligence system that bars financial recovery if your level of blame exceeds 50%. That means you can only recover compensation if you were 50% or less responsible for the accident.
However, your compensation will be reduced in proportion to your share of the fault. Sound complicated? It usually is. If you have questions about how shared fault can impact your injury claim, call Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation today.
Who’s Liable For My Tampa Pedestrian Accidents and Injuries?
Anyone who was liable for the accident can be held partly responsible. Multiple parties can be held responsible for causing the same accident. Our lawyers in Tampa will fight to hold every party fully accountable for your losses.
We might be able to pursue compensation from:
- An at-fault driver
- Truck drivers
- The government agency responsible for designing an intersection or maintaining roads
- The employer of an at-fault driver
- Bicyclists
- Property owners
- Product manufacturers
- And more
Once we pinpoint the cause of your accident, our team at Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can identify all responsible parties to recover the maximum available compensation.
Contact an Experienced Tampa Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
The legal aspects of your case can become complex quickly–and it’s always hard to know what your case is worth. An experienced Tampa pedestrian accident lawyer at Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers will handle every aspect of your case. Just give us a call and schedule a free case review to learn more.
Tampa Pedestrian Accident Infographic
