At Viles & Beckman, our team has over 40 years of combined personal injury experience, which has led us to recover several settlements for pedestrian accident cases. Our pedestrian accident lawyers in Fort Myers explain what damages you can recover as a pedestrian accident victim.
Medical Expenses Help Cover Your Costs
If you were injured in an accident while walking, you may be able to recover damages to cover past and future medical costs directly resulting from the injuries. This includes expenses for:
- Emergency medical treatment and ambulance transport immediately following the accident.
- Hospital inpatient and outpatient care such as surgeries, casts, stitches, and follow-up visits.
- Rehabilitation therapies like physical therapy or occupational therapy.
- Prescription medications are prescribed to treat injuries and pain.
- Medical equipment and at-home healthcare if needed long-term.
- Potential lifelong medical monitoring for permanent conditions.
By obtaining your medical records and bills, a pedestrian accident lawyer can document all expenses associated with diagnosing and healing your injuries to support this portion of the damages claim.
If you’ve lost a loved one due to the liable party’s negligence, our law firm is truly sorry for your loss. We know that money can never replace your family member, but a wrongful death lawyer can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages to help you cope financially after a fatal pedestrian accident.
Expect More, Receive More: Legal Support That Feels Like Family
Lost Wages Compensate for Your Missed Work
If you missed time from work or school due to injuries sustained in the pedestrian accident, you may be able to recover lost income as part of your damages claim. A lawyer from Viles & Beckman can help document:
- Number of days or weeks missed immediately following the incident and during recovery periods for treatments.
- Any lost overtime, commissions, or bonuses due to partial or full absence.
- Potential long-term effects on earning capacity if the injuries cause permanent disability.
- Impacts on future occupations if education or training had to be postponed.
Data like pay stubs, tax returns, and letters from employers help substantiate specific wages lost and the total amount to request. Compensation for lost household services may also apply if usual domestic duties cannot be performed. Demonstrating various kinds of lost income can strengthen the case for fair compensation.
Pain and Suffering Are Recoverable Damages For Pedestrian Accident Victims
In addition to economic damages like medical costs and lost income, pedestrian accident victims may seek compensation for non-economic losses, often called general damages or pain and suffering. Even after physical injuries heal, as a victim, you still have to endure the experience of the accident, treatment of injuries, possible scarring, or disability. A court can award monetary damages intended to compensate these kinds of impacts, which include:
- The physical pain you endured from the accident and during recovery.
- Mental anguish related to injuries, limitations, and trauma of the event.
- Loss of enjoyment of life from inability to participate in prior activities and hobbies.
- Emotional distress like depression, anxiety, and fear resulted from the incident.
- Disfigurement or embarrassment caused by lasting scars or limitations.
Establishing things like the severity and duration of injuries, lifestyle changes incurred, and medical reports of suffering assist in placing an appropriate value on general damages for the pain and suffering you experienced. For example, if you were hit by a car as a pedestrian, you might have more severe injuries and be eligible for a higher pain and suffering award. This compensates you for negative impacts that cannot be precisely calculated.
A free consultation with a pedestrian accident lawyer can help determine what additional damages you could recover after your accident. We can give you an estimated settlement amount as well.
How Do You Recover Damages From a Pedestrian Accident?
The process of getting compensation for your injuries can be challenging without the proper legal representation. Here’s an overview of how you can recover compensation as an injured pedestrian:
Reach Out to a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
The first crucial step is contacting a pedestrian accident lawyer in Fort Myers as soon as possible after the incident. Seeking legal counsel promptly helps ensure your rights are protected and full compensation is pursued.
Meet with prospective attorneys to evaluate their experience handling pedestrian cases locally. Look for a lawyer who will guide your recovery process and advise on the next steps, like evidence preservation.
Working with an attorney from the outset provides key benefits. We can assist with gathering evidence and guiding negotiations or litigation.
Gather Relevant Evidence
Obtaining evidence is necessary to clearly establish who was at fault in causing the accident. Documentation like police reports, photos of the scene, and witness contact details help provide an accurate depiction of events. Evidence collection immediately following an incident captures details before they fade from memory.
You should also gather your medical records and bills to quantify the resulting injuries and treatment costs. Ongoing impacts like lost work time or long-term disability may require further documentation. A lawyer can ensure evidence preservation and help determine what documentation is most pertinent as your case develops.
File Your Claim Within the Statute of Limitations
Florida’s two-year statute of limitations for pedestrian injury claims requires submitting a demand for compensation to the at-fault party within this period. After this deadline, you forfeit your entitlement to damages regardless of fault or injury extent.
With an attorney, you can file a lawsuit to stop the clock if the negligent party denies liability or negotiates in bad faith as your claim deadline approaches. However, meeting early with a lawyer allows more strategic case planning and buildup to satisfy the legal timeline for maximum potential recovery.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Learn More About What Damages Pedestrian Accident Victims Can Recover
As a pedestrian accident victim, knowing what damages you might be eligible for can help you build a strong case to show the liable party’s negligence. A pedestrian accident attorney from Viles & Beckman can help you figure out what damages you’re eligible for in a free consultation.
Contact us today to learn more about what damages you can recover after suffering injuries in a pedestrian accident.
Call or text (239) 334-3933 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form