--- title: "Tampa Pedestrian Accident Lawyer | Hancock Injury Attorneys" description: "Hit by a car while walking in Tampa Bay? Learn how PIP, UM coverage and Florida's right-of-way rules apply to you. Free consultation: (813) 915-1110." url: "https://novacock.carlosarias.com/practice-areas/pedestrian-accidents" --- Practice Areas # Pedestrian Accidents Legal help for people struck by vehicles while walking in Tampa Bay, including hit-and-run victims and families of pedestrians killed in crashes. [Call (813) 915-1110](tel:+18139151110) [Free Case Consultation](/contact/) ## Tampa Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Who Know the Roads and the Rules A person on foot has no protection against a car or truck. When a driver fails to yield, looks at a phone or speeds through a crosswalk, the injuries are often severe. We help injured pedestrians sort out the insurance, prove what the driver did wrong and recover what they need to move forward. ## Why Walking in Tampa Bay Carries Real Risk Many of Tampa Bay's busiest roads were built to move cars. Crossing Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Fletcher Avenue, Dale Mabry Highway or US-19 on foot often means covering several lanes of fast-moving traffic, sometimes far from the nearest signal. National research reflects the danger. Smart Growth America's Dangerous by Design report ranked Florida the second deadliest state for pedestrians and placed the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater area fourth among U.S. metro areas, with 559 pedestrian deaths over the four-year period it studied. ## What Drivers Owe People on Foot Florida law places clear duties on drivers. Among other things, drivers must: - Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks - Never pass a vehicle that has stopped to let someone cross - Watch for pedestrians when turning at intersections and pulling out of driveways and parking lots - Use due care to avoid hitting any pedestrian, even one outside a crosswalk, and take extra care around children Many pedestrian crashes trace back to a driver who ignored one of these duties: someone distracted or impaired, someone speeding to beat a light, or someone turning right on red while looking only for oncoming cars. ## What Pedestrians Are Expected to Do Pedestrians have duties too. Under section 316.130, Florida Statutes, people on foot are expected to: - Use the sidewalk where one is provided - Where there is no sidewalk, walk on the shoulder on the left side of the road, facing traffic - Obey pedestrian signals - Yield to vehicles when crossing outside a crosswalk, and use the crosswalk when crossing between two adjacent signalized intersections Insurers often point to these rules to blame the person who was hit. Breaking one does not automatically end your claim. Florida uses modified comparative negligence (section 768.81): your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, and you are generally barred from recovering only if you are found more than 50% at fault. A driver who was speeding or looking at a phone still answers for that choice. ## Who Pays After a Pedestrian Accident Being on foot does not take you out of Florida's no-fault system. Coverage usually works like this: - Personal Injury Protection (PIP). If you own a car with PIP or live with a relative who has it, that coverage generally pays first, even though you were walking. If no one in your household has PIP, the PIP of the vehicle that hit you may apply if you are a Florida resident. PIP provides $10,000 in benefits, but you must get initial medical treatment within 14 days, and benefits can be limited to $2,500 unless a qualified provider determines you had an emergency medical condition. - The driver's liability coverage. Beyond PIP, you can pursue the at-fault driver's bodily injury coverage for the rest of your losses. - Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage. UM coverage is optional in Florida (section 627.727), but it often protects you as a pedestrian when the driver has no insurance, too little insurance, or drives away. ### Hit-and-run crashes If the driver fled, call 911 and report it right away. A police report supports a UM claim, and early action improves the chances of finding video from nearby businesses and traffic cameras before it is recorded over. If the driver is identified later, we pursue them as well. ## A Real Result: Pedestrian Hit on Bruce B. Downs Our client was struck while crossing Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Tampa and suffered multiple leg fractures, rib fractures, a collapsed lung, shoulder and cervical fractures, and head trauma. The result: $600,000 (Pedestrian Hit by Car in Tampa, FL). Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ## What to Do After Being Hit by a Car - Call 911 and get checked by a doctor right away, and in any case within 14 days so PIP is available. - If you can, photograph the scene, the crosswalk, signals, lighting and your injuries. - Get the driver's information and the names of any witnesses. - Keep the clothes and shoes you were wearing. - Don't give a recorded statement to the driver's insurer before speaking with a lawyer. Our guide on what to do after an accident covers these steps in more detail. Most pedestrian injury claims must be filed within two years. Exceptions exist and some deadlines are shorter. If a dangerous road design or broken signal played a role, a government agency may be involved, and those claims carry pre-suit notice requirements. ## How We Help Injured Pedestrians We start by locking down evidence: video, the crash report, vehicle damage and signal timing. We handle the PIP paperwork and the calls from adjusters so your medical bills keep moving while you recover. Then we build the full picture of your losses, from surgery and rehabilitation to lost wages, scarring and the activities you can no longer enjoy. Mike Hancock spent years defending insurance companies before founding our firm in 1996. He knows the arguments insurers make against pedestrians, and we prepare for them from the start. If a crash took the life of someone you love, we also help families with wrongful death claims. ## Get a Free Consultation Talk with us about what happened and what coverage may be available. There is no fee unless we recover for you. Reach out online or call (813) 915-1110. Our phones are answered 24/7. ### Hit While Walking? We'll sort out which policies apply, from PIP to uninsured motorist coverage, and deal with the insurers while you heal. [Free Case Consultation](/contact/) [(813) 915-1110](tel:+18139151110) ## Helping Injured Pedestrians Throughout Tampa Bay We represent pedestrians hurt on busy corridors like Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Fletcher Avenue, Dale Mabry Highway and US-19, and on neighborhood streets and parking lots across the region. - Tampa - Carrollwood - Northdale - Lutz - Town ’n’ Country - Brandon - Temple Terrace - New Tampa - Wesley Chapel - Land O’ Lakes - Zephyrhills - Odessa - Spring Hill - Brooksville - Hudson - New Port Richey - Hillsborough County - Pasco County - Hernando County ## Frequently Asked Questions Who pays my medical bills if I was hit while walking? Usually your own PIP coverage pays first, or the PIP of a relative you live with, even though you were on foot. If no one in your household has PIP, the striking vehicle's PIP may apply if you are a Florida resident. Get initial treatment within 14 days to preserve PIP benefits. What if the driver who hit me drove away? Report the crash to police immediately. Uninsured motorist coverage on your own policy, or a household member's policy, can often cover a hit-and-run. We also look for video that may identify the driver. Can I still recover if I wasn't in a crosswalk? Often, yes. Drivers must use due care to avoid pedestrians even outside a crosswalk. Your recovery may be reduced by your share of fault, and you are generally barred only if you are found more than 50% at fault. How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim? Most claims must be filed within two years of the crash. Claims involving a government entity, such as a dangerous road design, have pre-suit notice requirements, so call promptly. What if my loved one was killed in a pedestrian accident? The family may have a wrongful death claim, brought by the personal representative of the estate. Learn more about wrongful death claims or call us to talk it through. ## Related practice areas [### Car Accidents What to do after a Florida car crash, how PIP and the no-fault rules work, and how a former insurance defense attorney protects your claim. Learn more](/practice-areas/car-accidents/)[### Bicycle Accidents Representation for cyclists and e-bike riders hurt by careless drivers, dooring, right hooks, or dangerous paths and sidewalks across Tampa Bay. Learn more](/practice-areas/bicycle-accidents/)[### Wrongful Death Compassionate guidance for Tampa Bay families who lost a loved one through someone else's negligence, so you can grieve while we handle the claim. Learn more](/practice-areas/wrongful-death/) ## Practice Areas - Personal Injury - Car Accidents - Truck Accidents - Motorcycle Accidents - Slip & Fall / Premises Liability - Catastrophic Injuries - Wrongful Death - Boat Accidents - Pedestrian Accidents - Bicycle Accidents - Golf Cart Accidents - Insurance Disputes Speak with our team ### Let’s talk about your next step. - (813) 915-1110 · answered 24/7 - 1317 W Fletcher AvenueTampa, FL 33612 - 2224 Ashley Oaks Circle, Suite 102-EWesley Chapel, FL 33544 - 10485 Heley StreetSpring Hill, FL 34608 - No recovery, no fee [Free Case Consultation](/contact/) [**Mike Hancock**Founding Attorney · Since 1996*Former insurance defense attorney*](/about/attorneys/mike-hancock/) Here when you need us ## Let’s talk about what happened. One conversation. Clear answers. A team that takes your case personally. [Call Hancock Today**(813) 915-1110**](tel:+18139151110) Free consultation No recovery, no fee