Pedestrian Accidents

Navigating the legalities of pedestrian accidents can be particularly complicated. Recovering compensation from injuries and medical bills amidst the interests of insurance companies and negligent drivers can be frustrating at best. We are here to help. We understand the damage that additional stress can cause a victim and their family members and friends. Our attorneys are experienced professionals who can simplify this complex process for you and yours. They will help you recover compensation for injuries, wage losses, medical bills, and other damages incurred due to pedestrian accidents.

Children and elderly are at the highest risk. Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents involving children, around schools and bus stops, for example, and incidents involving the elderly, such as slip & falls due to hazardous roadways, potholes, uneven sidewalks, and broken steps are all too common. This being said, these accidents occur every day in Orlando, Daytona Beach, Tampa, and other Florida towns and cities, and they involve visitors and residents of all ages.

*The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that Florida has one of the highest rates of pedestrian fatalities.

Common pedestrian injuries include:

• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Concussions
• Back Injuries
• Broken Hips
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Broken Bones
• Compound Fractures
• …and more.

In many cases, pedestrian accident victims must contend with costly hospital stays, medication, and rehabilitative regimens that, unfortunately, sometimes last for several months or even years. This care can be prohibitively expensive. Even if the accident victim has health insurance, the policy doesn’t always cover the quickly mounting costs.

Therefore, if you’ve fallen victim to an accident, it’s important to consult with a compassionate pedestrian accident law office. Since 1977, Orlando attorney James O. Cunningham has been helping victims receive the compensation they deserve to expedite their recovery and to help pay for medical costs. In more than three decades of helping his clients receive the assistance they need, James O. Cunningham has served pedestrian accident victims from all over the country and even from around the world.

We have fifteen Florida locations, and our seasoned attorneys focus on a variety of pedestrian accident causes and situations, such as:

• Car Accidents Involving Pedestrians
• Pedestrian Hit & Runs
• Alcohol-related Pedestrian Accidents
• Crosswalk Injuries
• Wrongful Death Pedestrian Accidents
• …and other common injuries.

Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones

Protecting yourself from pedestrian accidents before they happen is, of course, the best form of defense. In and around Orlando as well as other high energy and high traffic cities, multiple-lane roads render pedestrian conditions exceptionally treacherous. US Highway 192 and state roads, such as State Road 436, are particularly dangerous.

Florida is beautiful and the culture is lively, so tourists travel across the country and even the world for attractions such as Disney World, Universal Studios, the Salvador Dali Museum, the Kennedy Space Center, Dry Tortugas National Park, and more. Unfortunately, inexperienced and out-of-state drivers contribute to pedestrian accidents. First, visitors are distracted by the sights and sounds of a new place. Moreover, unfortunately, some visitors have the attitude that what happens on vacation stays on vacation making some partygoers more likely to have an extra drink or two before driving. Finally, even the most diligent of automobile operators might not be aware of the state’s pedestrian laws. In other parts of the country, drivers are accustomed to pedestrians more readily yielding to vehicle traffic.

Unlike drivers, pedestrians hit by buses, cars, and other motor vehicles have no protection from impact. And, in this fast-paced world filled with on-the-go professional calls and texts about business meetings, kids’ extracurricular activities, and more, inattentive driving only heightens the risk of being struck by a truck, a car, or another vehicle. This being said, the state of Florida has responded to the frequency of these accidents by developing state laws that, as well as they can, work to prevent these accidents and, when they do occur, to compensate pedestrians and their loved ones for their losses and damages.

Of course, drivers must use turn signals, observe the speed limit, and obey signage and traffic lights. Florida law also stipulates that drivers:

• May not pass other vehicles stopped within crosswalks.
• Nor may they continue through an intersection before the pedestrians have completed their crossing.

Additionally, drivers must also use “due care” near pedestrians, which includes the requirement that they must exercise increased caution at nighttime. Most fatal accidents occur in the dark, but road rage, rushing to and from work, and intoxicated driving are other predominant factors.

This being said, a victim’s legal representation will need to prove that the driver was to blame for the incident. According to the law, pedestrians are responsible for contributing to safe roadways, as well. Pedestrians should, for example:

• Utilize crosswalks.
• Use sidewalks whenever possible.
• Avoid jaywalking.
• Walk on the left side of the road when sidewalks are absent.
• Yield to traffic if no crosswalk is available.

Even if you were partially at fault, however, under Florida law, you could still be eligible to receive compensation. Under some circumstances, the percentage of fault is calculated, and damages are allocated accordingly.

Regardless, in order to recover compensation, experienced pedestrian accident attorneys such as James O. Cunningham navigate accident reports, expert testimonies, driver and witness statements, photographs from the scene, and more in order to prove that the accident occurred because the driver had been reckless, intoxicated, breaking the law, or otherwise at fault for the incident.

Oftentimes, the legal process daunts already-distressed victims. Pedestrian accident lawsuits, however, are much more manageable with the correct representation. Furthermore, an attorney such as James O. Cunningham who specializes in Florida personal injury assists victims in filing Personal Injury Policy claims, compensation that victims can receive quickly. Meanwhile, the victim and attorney can work together to secure future compensation.

Potential Compensation for Pedestrians

Oftentimes, victims of pedestrian accidents and their loved ones are unaware of the types of compensation they might receive. A well-managed lawsuit will seek to recover some or all of the following:

• Lost Wages: If the accident renders the victim unable to work for a period of time, they may seek compensation for the earnings they would have made had they not been injured in the accident.
• Medical Expenses: Victims of pedestrian accidents should be compensated for any hospital bill related to accident-caused injuries. Ambulance fees, surgery, therapy, and rehabilitation and other hospital bills are examples of these medical expenses.
• Pain and Suffering: While payment can never fully reimburse a victim for limitations on activity, scarring, or other pain and physical suffering and emotional stress, victims may be awarded compensation for pain and suffering.
• Mental Anguish: Similar to pain and suffering, pedestrian accidents oftentimes, unfortunately, trigger psychological distress and emotional pain including but not limited to depression and anxiety.
• Loss of Consortium: Unfortunately, in severe cases, mental and/or physical distress can render a pedestrian unable to benefit from family relationships such as, but not limited to, marital relations. This lesser-known area of potential compensation allows victims to seek payment as compensation for these losses.
• Funeral Expenses: In the event of a tragic fatal pedestrian accident, loved ones may seek to recover funeral-related costs.

Whether you are attempting to compel an insurance company to settle outside of court, have lost a loved one and are too distressed to think clearly, or you need to persuade a jury to award compensation, choosing the best pedestrian accident attorney for your case is crucial. The Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. are known for their compassion, their experience, and their success.

Our Florida Office Locations

Pedestrian accidents happen every day in Florida due to drunken drivers, negligent automobile operators distracted by cell phones, drivers running red lights, and other causes.

We have offices in:

• Orlando, which is our main office;
• Lake Mary of Seminole County;
• Kissimmee of Osceola County;
• Daytona Beach, DeBary, and Deland of Volusia County;
• Inverness of Citrus County;
• Lakeland and Winter Haven of Polk County;
• Tampa of Hillsborough County;
• Fruitland Park of Marion-Sumter Counties;
• Mt. Dora and Clermont of Lake County;
• and Titusville and Cocoa of Brevard County.

James O. Cunningham has been practicing law for almost four decades, specializing in Florida accident cases. The law offices’ ongoing and dedicated experience gives James O. Cunningham and his colleagues a particular edge, as they are exceptionally knowledgeable in previous court rulings as well as the ever-changing nature of the law. These professionals will always be aggressive on behalf of the cause, yet they are always compassionate about the personal, physical, emotional, and financial needs of their clients.

After meeting with you, these caring professionals will determine if your interests would be best served by experienced legal representation. Call the office for guidance regarding how to receive that much-needed compensation, which is almost always necessary to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and the other costs associated with serious pedestrian accidents. You’ve been through enough. Please, allow the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A., a preferred Florida-based legal-services provider, to help you and your loved ones get back on your feet.

If you or someone you care for has been struck and injured in a pedestrian accident, call Florida pedestrian accident attorney James O. Cunningham today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) to contact his law offices to schedule a free consultation.