Were you recently injured in a pedestrian accident in Port St. Lucie, FL? Our experienced Port St. Lucie pedestrian accident lawyers at Shiner Law Group are ready to help fight for your legal rights and get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (772) 777-7700 to speak with an attorney for a 100% free consultation.
You may be entitled to seek compensation for medical bills, loss of income, pain, and suffering, and more. Contact our Port St. Lucie, FL law offices to discuss the legal options that might be available to you following your pedestrian accident injuries. The next steps are very important. Let Shiner Law Group help you with your pedestrian accident case today.
Were You Injured In A Pedestrian Accident In Port St. Lucie?
Port St. Lucie’s pleasant climate and ocean breeze make it the perfect location for residents to enjoy a pleasurable walk or run. Those who live in town might also choose to primarily travel on foot, whether headed to the foot or store.
However, pedestrians face a risk for injury in Port St. Lucie and throughout Florida. Pedestrian accidents are among the most dangerous of all traffic accidents, largely because nothing protects a pedestrian’s body when a motor vehicle strikes them. This often leads to severe, life-threatening, and catastrophic injuries.
Sometimes pedestrians cause a traffic accident, but more often than not, negligent drivers hit pedestrians because they aren’t driving safely. If you, your child, or another loved one has sustained injuries in a pedestrian accident in Port St. Lucie, the experienced pedestrian accident lawyers at Shiner Law Group can help.
Contact our Port St. Lucie pedestrian accident lawyers today at (772) 777-7700 to discuss the events leading up to your pedestrian accident, your injuries, and the best path forward to recover compensation for your injuries.
Shiner Law Group Fights for Those Injured in Traffic Accidents
The skilled legal team at Shiner Law Group has spent the last two decades advocating for clients who fell victim to negligence, including those who suffered injuries in pedestrian accidents. David Shiner and the other lawyers of Shiner Law Group have extensive experience negotiating with insurance companies, settling personal injury claims, and fighting for their clients in the courtroom when settlement is not an option.
Shiner Law Group’s commitment to justice, professional excellence, and client service has led to the recovery of millions of dollars in damages for clients in the form of insurance settlements and jury verdicts in favor of the plaintiff.
Recent case results in traffic accident claims include:
- $1,100,000 recovery for a young woman paralyzed in a car crash after a rental car company poorly maintained the vehicle she rented.
- $1,100,000 recovery for a family whose loved one a drunk driver killed.
- $100,000 recovery for a client whose wife died riding in her friend’s vehicle after a pick-up truck crashed into them.
- $550,000 settlement for a client who suffered injuries after another motorist caused a rear-end collision.
- $500,000 settlement after a client underwent lumbar surgery because of injuries sustained in a car accident.
- $500,000 settlement for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car accident.
The above are only a fraction of the results that Shiner Law Group has obtained for their clients after suffering traffic accident injuries. They are only examples and do not guarantee a specific financial outcome for your pedestrian accident injury claim. Each case has underlying facts and circumstances that add to or detract from its value, making it impossible to predict results.
However, you can feel confident that the skilled pedestrian accident injury attorneys at Shiner Law Group have the knowledge and resources to diligently pursue the best possible outcome for your situation. We take every opportunity to avoid costly litigation and recover damages for our clients during settlement negotiations. Settlement negotiations sometimes fail, however; we are prepared to fight for you in the courtroom when settlement is not an option.
Common Causes of Port St. Lucie Pedestrian Accidents
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), over 9,000 pedestrian accidents occur across the state each year. Approximately 100 of those crashes occur in Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County. Pedestrian accidents are always preventable and seldom minor. Accident victims often face severe injuries that cause permanent damage if they are fortunate enough to survive the accident.
Many scenarios can lead to a pedestrian accident, and motorists are most often responsible. Common causes of Port St. Lucie pedestrian accidents include:
Drunk/Drugged Driving
The dangers of driving under the influence are no secret. Negligent drivers who operate vehicles after drinking alcohol or using drugs put others who share the road at risk for injury, including pedestrians. Alcohol and drugs impair a driver’s ability to judge time and space accurately.
Additionally, they cannot process all the information they need as they approach intersections. This is especially problematic in Port St. Lucie, where people walk to the beaches, visit the museums downtown, or shop at places like Tradition Square. Even drunk drivers who see pedestrians in crosswalks sometimes cannot stop quickly enough to avoid striking them because consuming alcohol and/or drugs prevents them from reacting swiftly and appropriately.
Failure to Yield to Pedestrians
All drivers have a legal obligation to others who share the road to drive safely. However, drivers have an elevated duty towards pedestrians. Many pedestrian accidents in Port St. Lucie and throughout Florida occur because drivers intentionally or unintentionally fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians.
This leads to dangerous and sometimes fatal pedestrian knockdowns, especially at busy intersections. US-1, one of the most dangerous highways in the United States, runs through Port St. Lucie, creating several dangerous intersections for pedestrians, such as the intersection of US-1 and Prima Vista Boulevard.
Distracted Driving
Driving while distracted strongly correlates with the failure to yield as it pertains to pedestrian accidents. Fortunately, some types of distracted driving have decreased in the last few years, especially texting and driving. Florida updated its cell phone use laws recently, so texting and driving is a primary offense that allows the police to stop a driver and issue a citation. Before the law changed, law enforcement could only issue texting and driving ticket if they pulled a driver over for another offense, such as speeding or swerving.
Cell phone use while driving is most certainly dangerous and especially more common among younger drivers. However, it’s far from the only distraction that might lead to a pedestrian accident.
Other distractions that impact a driver’s ability to keep their hands on the wheel, mind on driving, and eyes on the road, include:
- Adjusting A/C, seats, and other vehicle features
- Snacking or drinking in the car
- Reaching for dropped items
- Arguing with occupants
- Combing hair, applying makeup, and other personal grooming
- Daydreaming
- Watching an event outside the car
Fatigued Driving
Sleep deprivation causes similar impairment to the human body as consuming alcohol. Drivers who are drowsy or suffer from fatigue risk causing a pedestrian accident. Closing one’s eyes for a second is all it takes to strike a person who is walking or running across the road or on the side of the road.
Demanding schedules plague the trucking industry and make truck drivers drowsy. In response, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has studied the relationship between driving, and the sleep drivers get. Their research revealed that 18 hours without sleep impairs the body to the same extent as a driver with a breath alcohol content of 0.08, the legal limit for driving a vehicle.
Port St. Lucie is a beach town that has long-term residents, snowbirds, and tourists. It’s impossible to know who is driving around with untreated sleep disorders or who spent all day working a double shift at one of the area’s restaurants. However, drowsy driving can play a crucial role in pedestrian accidents.
Reckless Driving
A wide range of driver behaviors falls under the category of reckless driving. Yet, all reckless driving behaviors share the feature that they demonstrate a willful disregard for the rules of the road and for the well-being of those who share the road.
Some reckless drivers speed excessively, do not slow down in heavy traffic or thunderstorms, weave through traffic, and ignore most safety laws. Pedestrians, even those who take special care to cross at crosswalks, risk severe and fatal injuries when they encounter a reckless driver.
Simply taking a walk on one of Port St. Lucie’s sidewalks could end in catastrophe if a reckless driver ends up off-road or speeds through intersections without stopping at stoplights or stop signs.
Mechanical Failure
Mechanical breakdowns can lead to pedestrian accidents when failures occur at a critical time. Although many types of mechanical failure could lead to a pedestrian accident, pedestrians are especially at risk for injury during a tire blowout or brake systems failure.
Different parties might be responsible for pedestrian accident injuries when an accident occurs because of a breakdown. Vehicle owners—whether individuals or businesses—have a responsibility to maintain their vehicles so they are safe on the road. Failure to change or rotate tires can lead to a blowout. Similarly, failure to check brake pads and rotors, change them when necessary, and fill fluids can lead to brake failure.
Sometimes manufacturer defects also lead to mechanical breakdowns. Automakers and auto part companies have a legal duty to bring products to market that are safe for public use. Manufacturing defects and design defects can lead to dangerous mechanical failures, putting everyone on the road at risk for injury, including pedestrians.
Seeking Compensation After a Port St. Lucie Pedestrian Accident
Getting injured in a pedestrian accident in Port St. Lucie gives you the right to seek compensation for damages from the driver or other party responsible for the accident. If you win your case, you could receive compensation for various losses incurred because of your pedestrian accident injuries.
Each claim is different, so your attorney will advise you on what damages you could receive.
Examples of damages pedestrian accident victims often receive from a settlement or court award include:
- Medical expenses including ambulance service, emergency room treatment, doctor visits, hospitalization, diagnostic imaging, lab tests, surgery, aftercare, and transportation expenses to and from the hospital
- Estimated future medical expenses when a Port St. Lucie pedestrian accident leads to severe injuries that require continuous treatment, sometimes in a long-term nursing care facility
- Rehabilitation costs to help victims cope with the physical and emotional consequences of their injuries, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, mental health counseling, and speech therapy
- Costs for assistive devices, including wheelchairs, canes, and prosthetic limbs if a pedestrian suffers an amputation
- Lost wages for missing work because of the accident, hospitalization, and recovery
- Estimated future lost wages when a Port St. Lucie pedestrian accident leads to a catastrophic injury that prevents someone from returning to work or working in the future
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Decreased quality of life
- Loss of consortium with a spouse
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Punitive damages when the pedestrian accident occurs because of intentional harm or extreme negligence
If you have lost a child or another loved one because of fatal pedestrian accident injuries, you could be eligible to recover compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit against the reasonable driver. Under Florida law, eligible family members can seek some damages listed above in addition to funeral costs and burial or cremation expenses. Your Port St. Lucie pedestrian accident lawyer can answer additional questions you have and advise you on the next steps for your family during this difficult time.
Let Shiner Law Group Help After a Port St. Lucie Pedestrian Accident
The experienced pedestrian accident attorneys at Shiner Law Group understand the struggles you and your family face in the wake of a pedestrian accident, and we are here to help. We can help you hold the negligent driver who harmed you accountable for their actions. Our firm can handle the bothersome details of your claim, investigate the accident, and build a case against the responsible party, giving you the time you need to heal and recover from your injuries.
You should not have to face the economic burden that often comes with serious injuries, especially when someone else caused the injuries. Compensation for your injuries can provide the care you need and alleviate some or all of the financial fallout from the accident.
Contact Shiner Law Group today online or at (772) 777-7700 for a free case evaluation with one of our skilled Port St. Lucie pedestrian accident attorneys. You can learn about your eligibility for recovering damages, tell us your story, share how your injuries have impacted your life, and learn more about how we can help you get the compensation you deserve.