Without question, pedestrians are the most vulnerable people on our roads. Flesh and blood against fast-moving steel and glass is no contest at all, which is why statistics from the federal Department of Transportation show that a pedestrian is injured in traffic an average of once every eight minutes. The same statistics show that there’s a pedestrian death an average of once every two hours. Florida law acknowledges this by providing many safeguards for pedestrians, including laws requiring drivers to yield whenever possible. But all too often, drivers fail to yield because they’re not paying attention, impaired, impatient or even unwilling to take the extra time. This usually doesn’t injure the driver -- but for the pedestrian, the result can be death or catastrophic injury.

This is not to say that pedestrians have no legal obligations on the road. For example, pedestrians should never burst into the roadway without giving vehicles time to stop, and must yield to vehicles if they are crossing without a marked or unmarked crosswalk. But as a rule, drivers must yield to pedestrians, particularly those who are blind, disabled, confused or children. Unfortunately, Florida’s car culture means that many of these laws are routinely ignored by drivers who don’t expect to see pedestrians, or think their time is more important than safety. Drivers may fail to stop for signals; pass cars stopped for a crosswalk; drive while distracted or intoxicated; or simply not look before pulling forward.

Because pedestrians are so vulnerable, the results of these casual decisions can be devastating. Pedestrians may sustain wrongful deaths or catastrophic injuries that leave them permanently disabled. For many families, these severe physical injuries lead not only to permanently changed lives and emotional upheaval, but financial problems as well. The cost of hospitalization alone can reach into five or six figures, sometimes even when the family has insurance. And when a family’s breadwinner was injured, these bills may start rolling in just when the paychecks stop. Auto insurance may cover these costs, but it may be unavailable when someone was uninsured; insufficient to cover all the damages; or denied for suspicious reasons by insurers willing to break the law in order to save money.

When this happens, victims and their families should call the Fort Lauderdale pedestrian accident lawyers at Balliro. We can start protecting you right away by advising you of your rights against an insurance company that seems hostile or unwilling to pay. If we become your attorneys, we will help you claim all of the compensation you are entitled to under the law, including compensation for your injuries; any permanent disability or death; and all of the past and future financial costs caused by the crash. With a decade of experience practicing law in Florida, our West Palm Beach pedestrian accident attorneys have tried hundreds of cases to verdict. Unlike some personal injury law firms, we never start settlement negotiations automatically just because it’s the fastest way to earn our fees.

Balliro offers free, confidential case evaluations to all potential clients. If you have been hit by a careless driver, don’t hesitate to call our Miami pedestrian accident attorneys for help. To set up a meeting, you can call us toll-free from anywhere in Florida at 1-866-INJURED or contact us online.