An Increase in Miami Pedestrian Accidents

Now that summer vacation is in full swing, Miami pedestrian accidents are happening more often since the influx of vacationers to the city. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles* reports that about 200 pedestrians are killed and over 2,600 are injured out of the 3,500 pedestrian accidents that happen in South Florida each year. A majority of these Miami pedestrian accidents happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Downtown Miami Pedestrian Accidents & Safety

Now that school is out, the downtown areas of Miami are being overrun with tourists visiting the Art District and Miami Beach. Teen drivers out on the road must be more careful around these areas that have increased pedestrian activity. Speeding in these areas can lead to car accidents that end in pedestrian deaths.

It is important to inform your teen drivers about the potential pedestrian accidents that can happen if they aren’t paying attention! They should never hit and run in the instance of a Miami pedestrian accident as well. Staying on the scene and providing assistance will help the injured person receive proper medical attention for their injuries.

As a pedestrian, it is imperative for you to follow all traffic safety laws for pedestrians in these areas:

• Crossing at crosswalks instead of jaywalking will lessen the chance of being hit by a driver.
• If you are walking along the Miami Beach area, be sure to be on the lookout for potential drunk drivers.
• Walk on the sidewalks provided at all times. If a sidewalk is not available make sure you are not taking up too much space on the road.

Miami Pedestrian Accident Protection

Miami pedestrian accidents occurring are not a surprise if you live in the Miami area or in a city, in general, where walking to places is normal. In Florida, personal injury protection (PIP) is an insurance coverage required since Florida is a no-fault state. PIP covers medical bills, lost wages, and death benefits.

For medical bills, out of the $10,000 provided by PIP, only 80% is covered. This will include an ambulance ride, medical treatment and medication, any surgeries, and rehabilitation. Lost wages are 60% covered by PIP up to the $10,000 limit. For death benefits such as funeral and burial costs, the policyholder’s next of kin is entitled to $5,000 to cover these costs.

For out-of-state vacationers, it would be beneficial to make sure you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage in the case that your state is not a no-fault state and doesn’t offer PIP. UM will protect Miami pedestrians involved in a hit-and-run accident or the driver that hit them has no car insurance. It is important to report the accident to the police regardless if it was a hit-and-run.

Our Miami pedestrian accident attorneys will be able to assist all injured victims involved in an accident. In a city for pedestrians, our Miami attorneys know how to provide their clients a free consultation and proper legal representation and get the compensation they deserve from the insurance company.

Injuries That Can Happen After a Pedestrian Accident

Since pedestrians have no protection from cars, the injuries are more severe. Pedestrians in Miami-Dade county can suffer injuries such as:

1. Internal injuries
   • Internal bleeding, broken bones, and muscle injuries fall into this category.
   • For these injuries, it can be difficult to know if you are suffering from them right after the accident. Seeking medical attention after the accident to be assessed by a doctor is important.
2. Spinal injuries
   • When a pedestrian is hit by a car going 35 MPH or over, there is a higher chance of pedestrians being flung either up and over the car or away from the car.
   • Spinal injuries can lead to temporary or permanent disabilities.
3. Brain injuries
   • Injuries to the brain can happen when the pedestrian is flung either into the car or on the ground, the head can bash on the pavement or car.
   • Brain swelling or lacerations to the head are most common.

Compensation is available for all these types of injuries. Medical bills and expenses are most important when you seek a settlement against the negligent driver since the injuries can be costly. Loss of source of income, lost wages, and rehabilitation services are all eligible to be compensated when filing your Miami pedestrian accident claim.

However, you can collect compensation for non-economic damages as well. Non-economic damages are damages that do not have a monetary value assigned to them but can be given a monetary value. Things like pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of a loved one, don’t have any monetary value that can be calculated.

The way non-economic damages are calculated is by looking at the compensation for the economic damages and using the multiplier method. Basically, the amount of compensation for economic damages is multiplied by a number 1 to 5 (degree of severity) and that number will be used to compensate for the non-economic damages.

* Source: https://www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/crash-dashboard/