Pedestrian
Accidents

Miami Pedestrian Accident & Injury Attorney

Florida drivers have a responsibility to watch for pedestrians, especially in crosswalks, near playgrounds and school zones, residential streets, parking lots, and other areas where people gather. Unfortunately, when a driver fails to follow the rules of the road, it is always the pedestrian who suffers a severe injury.

At Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein, LLP in Miami, we are here to hold careless drivers and their insurance companies accountable for the harm they cause. Genuine, caring, and experienced representation has earned our law firm a reputation for providing exceptional personal service and attention at a time you need it the most. To arrange a free attorney consultation, call 305-371-2692, 800-610-9491, or complete our online contact form. Our lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars of compensation for injured people throughout South and Central Florida. We also represent family members in cases of pedestrian fatalities.

Contact Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein today

You Deserve Justice

305.371.2692 800.610.9491

Common Pedestrian Injuries

Abrasions & Scars

After being hit by a vehicle, a pedestrian can skid across the asphalt, damaging any exposed areas of skin. One of the worst abrasion injuries is “road rash,” which describes a condition where layers of skin are literally peeled off the body. Abrasions can lead to scarring and infection.

Brain Injuries

Unlike motorcyclists or bicyclists, pedestrians are not wearing helmets at the time they are hit. Consequently, they can slam their head on other vehicles, the curb, or other objects. Brain injuries are very common, and they can be devastating.

Some of the worst injuries cause bleeding in the brain, which increases the pressure that must be relieved. Other people will suffer symptoms of a concussion, such as a loss of consciousness, difficulty talking and remembering impaired movement, and personality changes.

Brain injuries warrant immediate medical intervention. Pay attention to headaches or cloudiness that you feel after an accident and get to a hospital immediately.

Fractures

Many pedestrians suffer broken arms, legs, hands, and feet. They can also fracture ribs when they fall. Fractures are painful on their own, but they can raise a host of complications including pressure on nerves and damaged soft tissue, like muscle and ligaments. Some bones will slice through arteries and lead to uncontrolled internal bleeding.

The most obvious signs you have a broken bone are pain and any deformity of the affected limb. A doctor can order imaging tests to identify the full extent of the damage.

Internal Organ Damage

Pedestrians can suffer traumatic injuries to internal organs, such as their lungs and kidneys. Abdominal pain is a key sign that you might have hurt organs.

Spinal Cord Damage

The vertebrae surrounding the spinal cord can shatter or fracture, leading to pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that branch off from it. Sometimes the traumatic impact from the vehicle itself is enough to cause damage, whereas other pedestrians are injured when they are flung against the curb or cars. Some pedestrians will never walk again after a collision.

It is dangerous walking in Miami. Pedestrians are totally exposed if they are struck by a car, and they can suffer some of the worst injuries that our lawyers see. If a vehicle struck you while you were walking, please contact Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein today. One of our Miami pedestrian accident lawyers will help you understand your legal rights and whether or not you have a case.

Holding Aggressive and Negligent Drivers Accountable

In the aftermath of a car-pedestrian collision, police officers often hear the driver’s version of what happened. The pedestrian is usually too injured to say anything. Our lawyers work with accident reconstructionists and other experts to build the strongest possible case of negligence against the driver or operator.

There are very few excuses for striking a pedestrian. In the majority of cases, the driver was either fully or partially at fault. Examples of driver negligence in pedestrian accidents include:

Striking a pedestrian in a crosswalk
Striking a pedestrian when turning
Failing to watch for pedestrians in areas where children and others may gather, such as residential streets, parks, and playgrounds
Striking a pedestrian in a parking lot
Texting or using a cellphone while driving
Drunk driving

Even if you were partially at fault, we can hold the driver accountable for his or her percentage of fault.

What Factors Affect the Severity of a Pedestrian Injury?

Speed of the Vehicle

How fast a vehicle was driving prior to a collision is one of the most important factors in determining how severe resulting injuries will be for any pedestrians who are involved. Generally, as speed increases, pedestrian accidents become much more dangerous for non-motorists, as the impact of the collision will also increase exponentially, resulting in more severe blunt force trauma-related injuries, like broken bones, head injuries, and internal injuries. Some studies have even found that at collision speeds of 30 mph, the risk of fatal injury for a pedestrian is eight times higher than at a speed of 20 mph.

Unfortunately, low speeds are not always a good indicator of how severe a pedestrian’s injuries will be. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), for instance, has found that even when a car is traveling at less than 20 miles per hour, a collision with a pedestrian can still cause serious injuries, some of which could even prove fatal.

Age of the Victim

Age is also an important risk factor in determining the severity of a pedestrian injury. Pedestrian collisions, for instance, are the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related fatalities among children between the ages of 5 and 14 years old. This is largely due to the fact that children are much more likely to suffer from traumatic brain injuries and chest and abdominal injuries in pedestrian accidents, which are often fatal. Adults who are involved in pedestrian accidents, on the other hand, are more likely to sustain musculoskeletal injuries, like fractures, which are more easily treated.

Youthful pedestrians are not the only individuals who are at risk of serious injury if involved in a collision with a motorist, as pedestrians who are 65 years of age or older have a lower tolerance to physical trauma and so also tend to sustain more serious injuries than younger victims who were involved in comparable crashes.

Size of the Vehicle

Injury severity for pedestrians is also linked to the size of the vehicle that struck them. The risk of severe injury or death for pedestrians is, for instance, much higher for those who are struck by trucks or vans than by passenger cars. In fact, taller vehicles are generally more dangerous for pedestrians, as they tend to strike a pedestrian above his or her center of gravity, meaning that a person is more likely to be thrown forward and then actually run over by the driver, causing more extensive injuries.

Experienced Pedestrian Injury Lawyers

Collisions between pedestrians and motorists are some of the most dangerous in which a person can be involved, as they almost always result in devastating injuries for the pedestrian. The type and severity of these injuries do, however, depend on a few different factors, some of which can affect liability. To learn more about these factors and how their application to your own case could affect your claim, please reach out to one of our dedicated Florida pedestrian injury lawyers today.

Contact Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein today

You Deserve Justice

305.371.2692 800.610.9491

Trusting Words From Our Clients

“I have used Manuel Dobrinsky and he is more than excellent. Great communication. More than effective. It was a fantastic support for me having him during my process. Also I can say the best Lawyer I ever had.”
J. Cordero

“I was not able to get anyone on the west coast of Florida to look at my case. Manny Dobrinsky took my case and won a settlement for me. He was very thorough and worked hard for me. His assistant Dameris was always there to help me and answer my questions. I was very pleased with this group.”
Susan Curtis

“I endorse this lawyer's work. Manny is one of the brightest trial attorneys that I know. He is an incredibly hard worker and always strives to achieve the best results for his clients. He excels in the Courtroom as well. I would recommend him without reservation.”
A. Weinstein