It’s disheartening that enjoying a stroll on a beautiful day in Boca Raton can pose dangers. Regrettably, each year sees numerous pedestrians enduring severe injuries, all attributed to accidents caused by negligent drivers. These incidents not only mar the tranquility of a pleasant day but also significantly harm pedestrians, highlighting the ongoing hazards pedestrians face due to the recklessness of some drivers in Boca Raton.
Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer David Fuchs can help if a car hits you while you are taking a walk. The professionals with The Law Offices of David I. Fuchs, Injury & Accident Lawyer, P.A., will strive to ensure you receive the maximum compensation.
Why Choose Our Firm?
David I. Fuchs, Boca Raton Pedestrian Accident Attorney
David Fuchs has more than three decades of experience in personal injury cases. He knows Florida’s pedestrian accident laws, and he also knows how to put that knowledge to use for his clients. David has obtained millions of dollars for people injured by the negligence of others.
When you have questions, David will be available to answer them. As a Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer who prioritizes communication, David will keep you updated throughout your case. He is also skilled in negotiations with insurance companies and will have the truth on his side when demanding every dollar you deserve under the law.
David’s office is near Florence C. Hardy Park at eight Southeast 8th Street in Fort Lauderdale. His number is (954) noswap568-3636.
How Much Money Will You Receive?
Whenever someone contacts Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer David Fuchs, this is typically one of the first questions they’ll ask. While it’s understandable you’d want to know how much compensation you can obtain, you must realize many factors determine how much you’ll receive.
If any Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer immediately states you’ll get a specific amount of money, choose someone else. No attorney should ever make that promise without having all of the facts.
What kind of compensation can you receive?
Your attorney will strive to aid in recovering your financial losses or damages. When someone suffers an injury due to another’s negligence, they take legal action to obtain the following damages:
Medical Costs
Pedestrian accidents usually result in horrible injuries. The more severe an injury, the more extensive treatment is required. You might have needed surgery and had to stay in the hospital for several days. Doctors probably prescribed medications to ease your pain and protect you against infections. You might need physical therapy for months or even years in the future.
A Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer can secure compensation for all your current and future medical expenses. These damages can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds of thousands. You don’t deserve to bear that burden for an accident that wasn’t your fault.
Lost Income
A severe injury probably means you cannot return to work for a long time. You might be panicked because you’ve run out of vacation and sick days. Now, you’re losing money every week. Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer David Fuchs will do all he can to ensure you receive all your income.
However, some people get hurt, and they cannot work again. Or, they might have to take a lower-paying job due to their physical condition. A skilled Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer like David Fuchs will consider your current lost income and future diminished earning capacity when seeking compensation.
Intangible Damages
Medical expenses and lost income are tangible damages, easily proven with documentation. For example, you can provide hospital and other bills to prove your medical damages. You can provide pay stubs to prove your lost income.
But many people suffer more than physical harm when in a pedestrian accident. They often face mental and emotional harm as well. You’ve experienced a great deal of pain due to your injury. There’s a chance you’re going through emotional issues as well because you can no longer pursue the activities you love.
Not every Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer is adept at placing a dollar value on pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other intangible damages. That’s not the case with David Fuchs. He will know how much your non-economic damages are worth since he has more than 30 years of personal injury law experience.
Boca Raton Pedestrian Accident Hotspots
There were 646 crashes involving pedestrians in Palm Beach County. These accidents resulted in 527 severe injuries and, tragically, 59 deaths. Nearly 92 percent of pedestrians hit by a car in Florida either die or suffer severe injuries.
Cars struck a combined 81 pedestrians and bicyclists in Boca Raton in recent years. Two people died in these accidents, and eight people were severely hurt.
Many Boca Raton pedestrian accidents occur in some of the several hotspots throughout our city. Why do they tend to concentrate in these areas? Several reasons include traffic congestion, speeding, and poorly designed roads. Some of the most dangerous locations for pedestrians include the following:
- The area between Florida State Highway 808/Glades Road intersections and Florida 845/Powerline Road.
- Palmetto Park Road.
- North Military Trail between Clint Moore Road and the Florida 794/Yamato Road intersection.
- US Highway One between Spanish River Boulevard and the intersection of Mizner Boulevard and 8th Street.
Local Efforts to Improve Pedestrian Safety
City officials are well aware of pedestrian accidents in Boca Raton. They’ve taken steps in recent years to address the issue.
For example, Boca Raton moved the El Rio Trail crosswalk at Spanish River Boulevard due to the opening of the Interstate 95/Florida Atlantic University interchange. There were far too many encounters between pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists, so the city moved the crosswalk closer to NW 6th Way.
In addition, the Florida Department of Transportation installed RRFBs, or rectangular rapid flashing beacons, at the crosswalk. RRFBs warn drivers they’re approaching a crosswalk and must yield to walkers and riders. Pedestrians and riders activate RRFBs when crossing sensors.
The City of Boca Raton also recently installed four pedestrian crosswalks to accommodate increasing foot traffic in the downtown area. Officials approved the installation of the crosswalks along the stretch of Palmetto Park Road between Federal Highway and the Intracoastal Bridge.
What You Need to Know About Boca Raton Pedestrian Accidents
You might be surprised to learn pedestrian accidents come in many forms. Most of them occur at crosswalks. Drivers often ignore signs and signals because they’re in a hurry. Motorists also commonly fail to yield the right of way to walkers at intersections, often with terrible results.
Unfortunately, even sidewalks offer little protection. Impaired or distracted drivers can run on a sidewalk and strike an unsuspecting walker. This is one of the reasons pedestrians should always walk facing traffic, if possible, to avoid oncoming vehicles.
Parking lots are also notorious for pedestrian accidents. Motorists who are more concerned with finding a parking spot than the safety of those around them can cause horrible accidents.
Reasons Why Cars Hit Pedestrians
There are many ways a negligent driver can cause a pedestrian accident. The following are some of the more common causes:
- Speeding – Drivers who care more about reaching their destination than watching for pedestrians will often plow through crosswalks and intersections.
- Impairment – When impaired due to alcohol or drug use, drivers can’t react quickly enough to their surrounding environment. Unfortunately, innocent pedestrians are often the victims.
- Distractions – There are far too many motorists who can’t take their eyes off their smartphones when behind the wheel or keep from talking to a friend. Other examples of distracted driving include daydreaming, adjusting the radio knob, and eating and drinking.
Injuries Caused By Pedestrian Accidents
It doesn’t take much of an imagination to see how much damage a 4,000-pound vehicle can do to the human body. The consequences of motorist negligence can be devastating, leading to catastrophic injuries. These injuries include:
- Ligament, muscle, and tendon damage
- Traumatic brain injury and concussions
- Internal injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Broken bones and fractures
Let Your Boca Raton Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Fight the Insurance Company
You’ve already suffered enough. You don’t need to worry about dealing with insurance company hassles. Hiring a Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer can relieve you of a lot of stress.
Insurance Adjuster Tricks
There’s a good chance someone representing the at-fault driver’s insurer has tried to reach you. That person, in all likelihood, was an adjuster. Insurance companies assign their most skilled adjusters to cases like yours. They have one goal–saving their employers as much money as possible.
Adjusters have a lot of ways to do precisely that. In many cases, for instance, they’ll contact an injury victim and act as if they’re concerned about the victim’s health. The adjusters will ask seemingly innocent questions regarding how the accident occurred and try to get your permission to record your conversation.
Unfortunately, this tactic traps you into saying something you’ll regret later. Adjusters often ask misleading questions of victims, preying on their pain and emotional state. They design these questions so that, no matter how the victim answers, it will look like the victim assumes at least partial responsibility for the accident.
When this happens, the insurance company wins. They’ll play that conversation back in court, severely damaging the victim’s chances of getting the money they deserve.
The good news is you don’t have to suffer this fate. If you hire a Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer, they can field an adjuster’s questions for you. All you need to do is rest and recover from your injury. Let your attorney deal with the insurance company.
Negotiating With Insurers
Another way your Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer can help is by negotiating with the insurance company. David Fuchs will know exactly how much money you deserve, thanks to his thorough accident investigation and collection of evidence. When he demands money on your behalf, he’ll have solid proof showing you deserve it.
Going to Court if Needed
Even though settling is in everyone’s best interests, some insurance companies are stubborn. They’d rather spend much on lawyers than give you what you have coming. The vast majority of personal injury cases settle out of court. But there are exceptions. If that happens to be the case in your situation, Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer David Fuchs will be ready.
Again, the cornerstone of any pedestrian accident case is evidence. David Fuchs will have that proof and use it to make a compelling argument in court. He also has access to expert witnesses, such as accident reconstruction specialists. These professionals can make your case even more compelling to the court.
Protecting Your Health and Case After a Boca Raton Pedestrian Accident
The aftermath of a pedestrian accident can be painful, confusing, and stressful. But if you take the right actions, you’ll significantly increase your chance of achieving a positive outcome.
The most important thing to do is to get medical help and follow your treatment plan to the letter. If you do neither, you’ll play right into the insurance company’s hands. They’ll say you’re not badly injured or already hurt, and you’re trying to get the at-fault driver to pay for your medical expenses.
Also, please contact a Boca Raton pedestrian accident lawyer immediately. An attorney must investigate the accident to gather critical evidence. This evidence can disappear quickly, so victims need to take fast action. Rain or road construction can alter the accident scene, and footage from surveillance cameras can disappear. The faster you get a lawyer, the better the chances they can get the proof you need to win your case.
Please bring your medical bills and treatment records to your initial consultation. Also, bring pay stubs to show your lost income. If possible, bring the police report and any other accident-related invoices.
Contact Boca Raton Pedestrian Accident Lawyer David Fuchs Right Away
Boca Raton personal injury attorney David Fuchs is ready to put his skill and experience to work for you. Call or contact The Law Offices of David I. Fuchs, Injury & Accident Lawyer, P.A., for a free case review.