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St. Petersburg Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Protecting the rights of injured pedestrians in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg’s bustling streets and vibrant neighborhoods are meant to be enjoyed on foot, but not every walk in the city ends safely. Far too often, drivers fail to watch out for people crossing the road, leading to injuries that disrupt every aspect of the victim's life. When you turn to our legal team, you get advocates familiar with how these collisions happen and what it takes to hold careless drivers and insurance companies accountable here in St. Pete. We focus on being helpful from the very first time you call.
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How we can help you
- What MattLaw Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can do to assist with your pedestrian accident case in St. Petersburg
- How common are pedestrian accidents in St. Petersburg, FL?
- Potential value of your St. Petersburg pedestrian accident claim
- Can I receive compensation if I’m partially at fault for a pedestrian accident in St. Petersburg, Florida?
- Common causes of pedestrian accidents in St. Petersburg, Florida
- How can I demonstrate that a driver was negligent in a Florida pedestrian accident case?
- How much time do I have to sue after a pedestrian accident in Florida?
What MattLaw Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can do to assist with your pedestrian accident case in St. Petersburg
Navigating what comes after a pedestrian accident can make anyone feel lost. When it counts, MattLaw Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers gives you confidence and clarity. We know how to build a strong case and how to help you. Here's what sets our firm apart:
- A legal team that has won cases totaling over $250 million for injured people.
- Matt Powell, our founder, is triple board certified – specifically, he is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer by the Florida Bar, and he is both Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Board Certified in Civil Practice Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
- 35 years of experience handling personal injury cases
Trying to reason with insurance companies on your own after a pedestrian accident can leave you with less than what you're owed. Let us help you. Reach out to MattLaw today to schedule a free consultation.
How common are pedestrian accidents in St. Petersburg, FL?
St. Petersburg, which sits in Pinellas County, continues to struggle with serious pedestrian safety issues. In 2020, the county saw 438 pedestrian crashes resulting in 30 deaths and 361 people injured.
Between 2019 and 2021, Pinellas County had the highest percentage of pedestrian-related crashes and deaths in Florida, seeing 1,509 pedestrian-involved crashes.
Recent numbers remain troubling. In 2024, there were 481 pedestrian crashes in Pinellas County, with 32 deaths and 405 individuals hurt. 2025 wasn't any better - there were 479 pedestrian crashes and 29 pedestrians killed, in addition to those injured.
Potential value of your St. Petersburg pedestrian accident claim
If you've been involved in a pedestrian accident in St. Petersburg, the value of your claim depends on several important factors, including the severity of your injuries, the medical care required, and the other impacts on your daily life.
Settlements can range from thousands to much larger amounts when there is long-term or permanent disability, scarring, or an extensive recovery process. Insurance coverage, the strength of your evidence, and each party’s degree of fault will also influence what you may recover. To get the most accurate picture, it helps to have your specific situation reviewed by a Board Certified Civil Trial lawyer.
Recoverable damages in your claim
After a pedestrian accident, the law allows you to pursue compensation, called damages, for both the financial costs and the personal losses you’ve suffered. Damages relate not only to what you've already lost, but what you might continue to lose in the future. Typically, these claims might include:
- Payments for all medical expenses (hospital bills, rehabilitation, prescriptions)
- Costs of ongoing or future medical care
- Compensation for lost wages if your injuries keep you from working (now or in the future)
- Property damage (such as a broken phone or damaged personal items)
- Awards for pain and suffering
- Payment for emotional distress, trauma, or decreased quality of life
Every claim looks a little different based on how your injuries changed your life and what kind of evidence you have.
Can I receive compensation if I’m partially at fault for a pedestrian accident in St. Petersburg, Florida?
If you’re partially at fault for a pedestrian accident in Florida, you can still recover compensation in many cases. Modified comparative negligence covers accidents in Florida since a rule change in 2023.
Under this law, you can recover damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Your damage award will then be reduced proportionately based on your percentage of liability. If you’re more than 50% responsible for the accident, you won’t be able to recover anything.
If your accident occurred before 2023, the rules may be different. Make sure you speak with a lawyer right away to determine what you could be entitled to.
Common causes of pedestrian accidents in St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, with its mix of busy beaches, downtown streets, and residential neighborhoods, sees a range of walking-related accidents every year. Because the city is known for both high local and tourist foot traffic, collisions often cluster at crosswalks, major intersections, and well-traveled corridors like Central Avenue and 4th Street North. Some of the most frequent risk factors include:
- Drivers failing to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks or intersections
- Speeding on neighborhood or downtown roads
- Distracted or impaired driving
- Vehicles turning without looking for people walking
- Poor visibility at night or during bad weather
- Illegal jaywalking outside of marked crossing areas
- Construction zones triggering unusual traffic or blocked sidewalks
Because so much of St. Pete is walkable, a single mistake can lead to an accident and severe harm.
How can I demonstrate that a driver was negligent in a Florida pedestrian accident case?
To hold a driver accountable after a pedestrian accident in Florida, you'll need to prove they were negligent, meaning they behaved in a way that caused your accident, and you suffered injuries and damages from that accident. While each collision is different, you generally need to prove the following:
- Duty of care: The driver owed you a duty of care. In Florida, all drivers must obey traffic laws and watch out for pedestrians sharing the roadway.
- Breach of duty: The driver breached that duty. This could mean they sped through a crosswalk, failed to yield, drove distracted, ignored a traffic signal, or broke another safety rule meant to protect people walking.
- Causation: That breach directly caused the accident. You need to show a clear link between what the driver did (or didn’t do) and how the collision happened.
- Damages: You suffered damages because of the accident. These can include your medical bills, lost income from missing work, property damage, pain and suffering, and other expenses connected to your injuries.
Proving these elements with evidence, such as police reports, witness statements, photos, and your medical records, will help make a strong case against the negligent driver.
How much time do I have to sue after a pedestrian accident in Florida?
Florida has strict deadlines - called statutes of limitations - that dictate how long you have to file a legal claim after a pedestrian accident. You generally have up to two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit, which was reduced from four years in 2023. This new two-year window applies to any pedestrian accident that happened on or after March 24, 2023.
If your accident occurred earlier than that, you may still fall under the older four-year deadline. Missing these legal due dates could block you from ever recovering damages, so it’s smart to check with a pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible.
Schedule your no-cost consultation with a St. Petersburg pedestrian accident lawyer
No one expects to get hurt crossing a street or walking down their own block. The unfortunate reality is that it happens far more often than you might realize. If a driver’s actions caused you or someone you care about to get injured in St. Petersburg, you do not have to face the next steps alone. Our legal team offers guidance so you know what to do next. Contact our team today to schedule your free consultation with a St. Petersburg pedestrian accident lawyer. Call today or complete our online contact form to get started.