West Palm Beach Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
As traffic congestion continues to grow in Florida, so too do the number of pedestrian accidents. In 2022, there were 636 pedestrian crashes in Palm beach County alone reported to the Florida Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles. There were 54 reported deaths in these accidents, with 522 people suffering serious injuries.
Pedestrian accidents are often the result of motorist negligence. A skilled West Palm Beach pedestrian accident lawyer can review your case and advise you of your right to compensation. Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather is a team of experienced Florida personal injury lawyers who represent pedestrians throughout Palm Beach County who are recovering from a serious accident involving a car, truck, bus, or other vehicle.
Driver Negligence Is a Common Cause of Pedestrian Accidents in Palm Beach County
A pedestrian is obviously no match for any motor vehicle. That is why motorists have a legal duty to drive safely and keep an appropriate lookout for pedestrians at all times. Yet as we know, far too many drivers treat pedestrians as an afterthought at best and a nuisance at worst–and that attitude often leads to tragedy.
Some of the more common examples of driver negligence seriously injuring or killing a pedestrian include:
- Speeding. Traveling at excessive speeds, especially in excess of the posted limit, reduces a driver’s reaction time to come to a safe stop at an intersection or crosswalk where pedestrians are present.
- Drinking. It is never safe to operate any motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A substantial percentage of pedestrian accidents are directly attributed to drunk and impaired driving.
- Distractions. Too many drivers are looking at their phones, fiddling with in-vehicle electronics, or talking to passengers when they should be keeping an eye out for pedestrians.
The reality is that when a vehicle strikes a pedestrian, they are far more likely to be killed or suffer a life-altering injury than accident victims who have some degree of protection from their vehicle. Pedestrian accidents are often associated with traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, internal organ damage, and cuts that can become quickly infected without appropriate treatment.
Contact Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather Today
While you might assume a negligent driver will automatically “pay up” after hitting a pedestrian, the truth is that drivers and insurance companies often play hardball. Indeed, in many cases the defense will try to shift blame to the pedestrian for the accident. For instance, they might argue that the pedestrian “darted out into traffic” or failed to obey stop signals.
Such tactics are used because of Florida’s comparative negligence law. This law means that a victim’s damages can be reduced–or eliminated altogether–if the defense can prove the victim was partly or largely at-fault for the accident.
This is just one reason that it is important to work with an experienced West Palm Beach pedestrian accident lawyer who can help you in building the strongest past possible for compensation. So if you have been injured while walking on Palm Beach County’s streets and need legal advice on what steps to take next, contact Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather today to schedule a case evaluation.
