Riverview Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
In 2016, there were 9,102 crashes involving pedestrians in Florida, injuring 7,796 pedestrians and taking the lives of 667 individuals. In Hillsborough County alone, 2016 saw 628 pedestrian accidents resulting in 571 injuries and 50 deaths. Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents are on the rise nationwide, most likely due to the increase in distracted driving, where distracted drivers fail to look up from their phones in time to notice a pedestrian in their path. With over 30 years of experience representing personal injury victims, Catherine Rinaldo and her team of Riverview pedestrian accident lawyers at Rinaldo Law Group have the knowledge, skills and abilities to help pedestrian accident victims get the care they need and the compensation they deserve after being injured by a negligent or reckless driver.
Understanding Florida Pedestrian Traffic Laws
Where sidewalks are provided, pedestrians are required under Florida law to use those sidewalks, unless they are blocked due to construction or other reasons. In the absence of sidewalks, pedestrians are to walk on the left shoulder, facing traffic.
Drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Vehicles are to stop for pedestrians who are stepping into the crosswalk or already in the crosswalk and to stay stopped as long as the pedestrian is on the same half of the roadway as the driver, or approaching from the other half of the roadway but so close as to be in danger from a moving vehicle.
Pedestrians are supposed to yield the right-of-way to vehicles whenever crossing in the middle of the street without a marked crosswalk or in an intersection with an unmarked crosswalk.
Negligent and Reckless Driving Causes Riverview Pedestrian Accidents
Even when obeying the rules of the road, pedestrians still find themselves at risk of injury from drivers who are driving negligently, recklessly or illegally. Some of the greatest dangers to pedestrians occur from drivers who are:
- Running a red light
- Turning right on red while pedestrians are crossing the street
- Stopping their car inside the crosswalk, forcing pedestrians to walk outside of the crosswalk
- Swerving around a vehicle that is stopped for pedestrians; this move is both dangerous and illegal in violation of Florida pedestrian traffic regulations
If you are injured as a pedestrian, you can actually access your no-fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, which will pay for your medical expenses up to $10,000 in an emergency or $2,500 in a non-emergency. Unfortunately, pedestrian accident victims frequently receive catastrophic injuries when hit by a car or truck, or suffer wrongful death. It is possible in these cases to sue the negligent driver for the full extent of legal damages. The Riverview injury attorneys at Rinaldo Law Group pursue justice and maximum compensation on behalf of pedestrian accident victims.
Dedicated Riverview Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, call the Rinaldo Law Group at 813-831-9999 for a free consultation with an experienced and successful Riverview pedestrian accident lawyer dedicated to obtaining a positive result for you.
