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If you were injured in an accident as a pedestrian, you could quickly find yourself facing a mountain of medical bills. While your health insurance might cover a portion of these bills for you, if your health insurance policy is like most, you will still have to pay a significant amount out of pocket. Your injuries could leave you facing various other financial and non-financial costs as well. As a result, regardless of what happened, we strongly recommend that you speak with a Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney.

When you speak with a Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney about your case, your attorney will be able to explain all of your options for seeking just compensation. While most pedestrian accident cases involve insurance claims, you need to make sure you file the right claim (or claims) in order to seek the compensation you deserve.

Common Types of Insurance Claims Involving Pedestrian Accidents

As the victim of a pedestrian accident in Florida, you could potentially have access to a variety of types of insurance coverage. However, every situation is unique, and not all types of coverage will be available in all cases. With this in mind, some examples of potential insurance claims after a pedestrian accident in Florida include:

Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) Insurance (A Claim Under the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Policy or the Vehicle Owner or Employer)

If the driver who hit you or the owner of the vehicle or the employer has bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance under his or her auto insurance policy, your Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney may be able to help you file a BIL claim. Filing a BIL claim requires proof of fault, so it will be important for you to hire an attorney to conduct an investigation as soon as possible.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance (A Claim Under Your Insurance Policy)

If you have auto insurance, we can help you file a claim under your policy as well. Even though you were not driving when you got hit, since you were involved in an auto accident, your auto insurance still applies.

At a minimum, you should be able to file a personal injury protection (PIP) claim with your insurer. This is mandatory auto insurance in Florida; so, if you have auto insurance, you have PIP. Even though PIP is “no-fault” insurance (meaning that your insurer is supposed to pay regardless of fault), securing coverage can prove challenging—and this may not be the only claim you are eligible to file. As a result, you will want to seek advice from a Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney even if you will be dealing with your own insurance company during the recovery process.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Insurance (Another Claim Under Your Insurance Policy)

If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) insurance under your auto insurance policy, your attorney may also be able to help you file a UIM claim. These are similar to BIL claims in that proof of fault is required. Additionally, since UIM policy limits are usually much higher than PIP limits, you may need to file both types of claims in order to seek full coverage for your accident-related losses. Along with gathering the evidence needed to prove liability, your attorney can assist with documenting the losses you are entitled to recover—and then your lawyer can negotiate for a fair insurance settlement on your behalf. 

Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance (A Claim Against Another Party that is Responsible for Your Injuries)

In some cases, victims of pedestrian accidents will have claims against other parties that are responsible for their injuries. For example, some victims will have claims against:

• The at-fault driver’s employer
• The at-fault driver’s rideshare or delivery company
• A road construction contractor

Most companies carry commercial general liability (CGL) insurance that protects them in the event of a personal injury lawsuit. If you have a CGL insurance claim as a result of your pedestrian accident, your attorney can deal with the at-fault party’s insurance company for you while you focus on your recovery.

5 Tips for Maximizing Your Chances of Filing a Successful Insurance Claim After a Pedestrian Accident in Florida

Regardless of the insurance claim (or claims) you can file for your pedestrian accident, you will need to be proactive about protecting your legal rights. With this in mind, here are five tips for maximizing your chances of filing a successful insurance claim:

• Keep All Photos and Videos You Took with Your Phone – If you took any photos or videos at the scene of the accident, keep all of them to share with your attorney.
• Take Detailed Notes About Your Pedestrian Accident – Write down everything you can remember about your pedestrian accident—no detail is too small.
• Follow Your Doctor’s Advice (or Seek a Second Opinion) – Make sure you understand your doctor’s medical advice, and follow it to the letter (or seek a second opinion, if necessary).
• Be Very Careful if You Contact Your Auto Insurance Company – If you contact your auto insurance company, be very careful to avoid saying anything that could be used against you.
• Schedule a Free Consultation Promptly – Hiring Fort Myers Personal Injury Attorney Randall Spivey in this situation costs nothing out of pocket, and you will want to schedule a free consultation as soon as possible.

Discuss Your Case with a Fort Myers Pedestrian Injury Attorney for Free

Were you injured in a pedestrian accident in Florida? If so, we can help, and we encourage you to contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. promptly. To discuss your case with Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney Randall L. Spivey, give us a call at (239) 337-7483, toll-free at 888-477-4839 or request a free consultation online at SpiveyLaw.com today.