If you were struck by a vehicle while walking, read these frequently asked pedestrian accident questions, Then, call our Tampa attorneys now.
1) How Do I Choose a Pedestrian Accident Attorney?
They wanted to know what my credentials were and how they could be sure that I was the best lawyer for their case. They got off the phone and researched me. They called back in about a half an hour. One of the things that we recommend everyone do is to research lawyers, know what their credentials are, know what their prior training is, know what their rating is by Martindale-Hubble. The highest rating is an AV rating. The highest rating you can get from Avvo is a 10 out of 10 rating. You should research all of those things and look for prior clients’ comments and ratings. That’s how you make sure that you have the right lawyer, and the best lawyer for your case.
2) What are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Pedestrian Accident?
The first mistake is not seeking immediate attention for your injuries. The second mistake is in speaking to the at-fault insurance carrier before talking to a lawyer. You should contact, thirdly, an experienced lawyer who can guide you through the process, handle the contact with the adverse insurance company, so that you can get maximum compensation for your injuries.
3) What Can I Do If I Was Hit By a Car as a Pedestrian?
When you don’t own a motor vehicle in Florida and you’ve been involved in an accident on your bike, you don’t have any PIP benefits. Unless you have health insurance, then there’s a concern about how your medical bills are going to be paid. There are ways to investigate that, to see if you can get the coverage of the at-fault driver, their PIP benefits, or if you have a resident relative that has coverage, you can get their coverage. The main thing is that you want to get to an attorney who can help make sure that not only do you receive treatment for your medical injuries, but that also you get compensation from the at-fault driver.
4) Who Can I Sue for my Injuries?
Two weeks ago we had someone call in and they had pretty serious injuries, but the problem was, in that particular case, that they had crossed – it could be shown; there was actually a video tape – that they had crossed on a green light, so the driver had the right of way. In that case, you can’t recover. But now with red light cameras and lawyers who understand how to get that information, if you are hit as a pedestrian and it can be shown that it’s not your fault, you can make a recovery. You just need to call an experienced law firm.
5) What Should I Do if I was Involved in a Hit and Run?
You may still have a claim in that case because if you have coverage and you can show that the hit-and-run driver caused the collision and it was not your fault, you may have a claim against your own insurance company. Obviously if we don’t know who the at-fault driver is, we can’t contact their insurance company and get that information. You need to contact an experienced injury lawyer because very often there are exclusions and clauses for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage that will provide compensation to you when you get hit-and-run by a driver. Sometimes you need to have an eyewitness who is not related to you; I have seen that in insurance policies. There are ways to deal with that, but you need to contact an experienced lawyer so that they can guide you through that process.
6) Is The Driver Always At Fault?
In Florida, just because you’re hit as a pedestrian doesn’t necessarily mean that the driver is always at fault. We hear about news stories all the time where children dart out into the street. If a driver can’t reasonably be expected to see that child, then that driver wouldn’t be at fault. We do, however, always look to other areas. For example, if you have a child on a playground, where a teacher should be watching them, then it may be the fault of that teacher who didn’t provide the appropriate supervision. In every scenario, you need to contact an experienced lawyer who can fully investigate all avenues for every claim.
Were you or a loved one seriously injured while walking and have questions? After reading these 6 frequently asked pedestrian accident questions, contact a Tampa pedestrian accident lawyer at Morgenstern and Herd today for a free confidential consultation and case evaluation. Let our experience work for you.
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