Walking around Florida should not be dangerous or fatal, but it sometimes is.9,450 pedestrian crashes occurred in the Sunshine State in 2021. These crashes resulted in 7,285 pedestrian injuries and 817 deaths.
If you suffered injuries in a pedestrian accident, then you’re likely facing costly medical bills. Consulting with a Tampa car accident lawyer can help you identify the appropriate source for compensation and navigate the legal process to cover your medical bills and other related costs. Depending on your situation, you can seek compensation for your losses from either of the following sources:
- Your own insurance coverage
- A family member’s insurance coverage
- The at-fault party’s insurance plan
Insurance Policies That May Cover Your Pedestrian Accident Medical Bills
When you own a motor vehicle in Florida, you must carry and maintain personal injury protection or PIP coverage and other required auto insurance coverage. If you are a vehicle owner and have PIP insurance, the first insurance policy that must cover your medical expenses would be your PIP benefits. The insurance policy must also cover you even if you were a pedestrian and your vehicle wasn’t involved in the crash.
If you don’t own a vehicle or have PIP coverage, then a family member’s PIP coverage may cover your bills. If this isn’t possible, you can use your own health insurance or disability payments, if you have them, to cover the costs of the medical expenses you incurred in the pedestrian crash. These options also apply if you exceed the medical benefits part of your PIP coverage.
It’s also worth noting that health and disability payments may not cover all the costs related to your injuries. Even when they do, they might not be enough to cover everything. This may be the case especially if you suffered serious or catastrophic injuries.
If you don’t have the insurance coverage options mentioned above or have exhausted them up to their limits, then you may seek compensation from the at-fault party’s PIP insurance coverage. This option may also apply if you suffered a catastrophic injury due to a pedestrian crash.
Limits to PIP Coverage
Keep in mind that if you sustained severe or catastrophic injuries, PIP coverage would not be enough to cover your medical costs. It’s also common for auto insurance providers to try and limit or deny payouts to injured victims. They do this to avoid paying out a lot of money.
In these situations, you should talk with a Tampa pedestrian accident attorney. As a lawyer, he or she will be able to look at the facts of your claim and give you advice on the best options moving forward. Your attorney will also be able to calculate your medical costs and other damages related to your injuries. By doing so, they’ll ensure that you’re properly reimbursed for your losses.
Talk To An Experienced Tampa Pedestrian Accident Attorney Now
Because there may be many insurance policies involved in your case, it’s best to work with an experienced Tampa pedestrian accident attorney. Your lawyer can analyze your case and determine which insurance policies you can recover from. Moreover, he or she will ensure that you get fair compensation for your injuries.
Contact the Hancock Injury Attorneys and schedule your free case consultation with our Tampa pedestrian accident attorney by contacting us online or calling 813-915-1110.