| Related Links: |
Pedestrians have the right to share the roadway with motor vehicles. Unfortunately, drivers of cars sometimes fail to pay attention to those traveling on foot—failing to yield to them. As a result, many pedestrians are struck by moving motor vehicles and suffer injuries.
While it may seem fairly straightforward to pursue a pedestrian accident claim, winning a claim of this nature isn’t always easy. In Florida, injured pedestrians have access to PIP benefits. However, if the injuries are serious and a pedestrian cannot work as a result of his or her injuries, the PIP benefits might not be enough to cover all the damages a pedestrian is due. This is why many injured pedestrians pursue personal injury lawsuits to collect the full compensation they are entitled to.
Because winning a pedestrian accident claim can be more complicated than it appears, injured pedestrians need to know what not to do after an accident in order to avoid damaging their case. Some of the biggest mistakes pedestrians make that they need to avoid include:
- Saying sorry or admitting any type of fault at the accident scene.
- Failing to call the police out to the scene of the accident.
- Not reviewing the police report or asking for a copy.
- Forgetting to take photographs of the accident scene, damages, and injuries.
- Failing to seek medical care within hours of the accident.
- Speaking with an insurance adjuster on the same day of the accident.
- Giving a recorded statement to the insurance company.
- Signing forms for the insurance company.
- Accepting a settlement offer from the insurance company too quickly.
- Failing to speak with a pedestrian accident attorney.
By staying clear of these mistakes, injured pedestrians will have a better chance of getting the most compensation possible. When pedestrians realize that the insurance adjusters aren’t their friends and don’t have their best interests in mind, they won’t make the critical mistakes that can ruin their claims. Because there are complex legal issues involved, pedestrians will be more successful when working with an experienced accident attorney.
Hopefully you found these tips helpful. If you did, we encourage you to share this information with others on Facebook so that they can avoid making critical mistakes that could be damaging to their pedestrian injury claims.
