Pedestrian Struck In Gulf Boulevard Crash
An October weekend crash caused “life-threatening” injuries for a pedestrian after they were struck by a vehicle while crossing Gulf Boulevard in Clearwater. The crash occurred at approximately 6pm on a Saturday, and shut down traffic on the street in both directions. While as of this writing, no further word is available on the pedestrian’s condition, it is worth noting that these types of accidents are sadly common on Florida roads, and if you are unfortunate enough to experience one, you may be able to recover compensation from the person who struck you.
Pedestrians At Risk
Florida has a reputation as one of the most dangerous states for pedestrians. In its 2019 Dangerous By Design report on urban pedestrian safety, Smart Growth America listed its top 10 most dangerous metro areas for those who walk or bicycle – eight were in Florida! (Tampa – St. Petersburg – Clearwater ranked #8, while the most dangerous was the Orlando – Kissimmee – Sanford metro area.) The most recent available data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) shows 624 pedestrian crashes in Hillsborough County.
There are many different reasons for the high rate of pedestrian accidents in Florida. One of them is simply a lack of infrastructure – many streets are either missing sidewalks entirely or they are in a poor state of repair, as well as high-traffic intersections not having lights or the appropriate timing to allow pedestrians moments to cross. Another commonly-blamed problem for pedestrians in the state is high speed limits – no higher than some other states, but there tend to be more roads with higher limits.
Who Pays My Bills?
Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to auto insurance, which means that every driver is supposed to carry at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) insurance and $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) insurance, and this coverage will be tapped in the event of an accident, instead of clogging up lower court dockets with this type of lawsuit (which can take quite some time to decide). If you are injured by a vehicle driver, you should be able to make a claim with their PIP insurance to help pay your medical bills. If this is not successful, or if your medical bills are more than that, you should be able to use your own policy that is on your own personal vehicle (if you have one).
If your injuries are extremely severe – if you sustain a “significant and permanent” injury, or lose a limb or the ability to control certain bodily functions – Florida law does allow you to file suit against the allegedly responsible party. In these cases, you must establish that your injuries were a direct result of the defendant’s breach of the duty of care that every motorist owes to everyone else on the road – that is, that no other intervening cause played a role.
Call A Tampa Pedestrian Accident Attorney
While not every pedestrian accident leads to life-threatening injuries like the one on Gulf Boulevard, every pedestrian accident has the potential to seriously derail a person’s life plans for some time afterward. If you have been struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian, calling a Tampa pedestrian accident attorney at the Rinaldo Law Group may be your first step toward closure and compensation. We are happy to offer dedicated and compassionate representation. Call our offices for a free consultation.
Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.737.html
msn.com/en-us/news/us/clearwater-crash-involving-pedestrian-closes-gulf-boulevard/ar-BB1a8vz4
https://www.tampainjuryaccidentlaw.com/been-in-a-florida-motorcycle-accident/
