Our lawyers at Attorneys Jo Ann Hoffman and Associates, P.A. have over 95 years of combined experienced representing people injured in all types of vehicle accidents in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area, including hit-and-run accidents. Whether you were injured by a hit-and-run driver while driving in your car or merely walking alongside the road as a pedestrian, Attorneys Jo Ann Hoffman and Associates, P.A. are here to protect your legal rights and help you seek compensation for your injury. Even if you were injured in Fort Lauderdale while visiting from out of town, it does not matter. We represent people injured in hit-and-run accidents in the State of Florida, regardless of where they live or move.
Approximately 40% of all accidents nationwide in which a vehicle hits a pedestrian occur at or near intersections. As compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), following is a breakdown of the various scenarios in which pedestrians are hit by vehicles at or near intersections:
25.9% occur when the vehicle is going straight and the pedestrian is not crossing the roadway at a designated crosswalk (that is, the pedestrian is "jaywalking").
18.5% occur when the vehicle is going straight and the pedestrian is crossing the intersection at a designated crosswalk.
16% occur when the vehicle is going straight and the pedestrian is darting into the roadway other than at a designated crosswalk.
8.6% occur when the vehicle is turning left and the pedestrian is crossing the intersection at a designated crosswalk.
6.2% occur when the vehicle is turning right and the pedestrian is crossing the intersection at a designated crosswalk.
3.7% occur when the vehicle is going straight and the pedestrian is walking along the edge of the roadway (that is, the pedestrian is walking on the asphalt instead of on the shoulder of the road or on the sidewalk) other than at the intersection.
2.5% occur when the vehicle is going straight and the pedestrian is darting into the intersection at a designated crosswalk.
2.5% occur when the vehicle is backing up in or near the intersection.
1.2% occur when the vehicle is going straight and the pedestrian is walking near the roadside (such as on the shoulder of the road or on the sidewalk) other than at the intersection.
1.2% occur when the vehicle is going straight and the pedestrian is playing or working in the roadway other than at the intersection.
Note: The remaining 13.7% of such accidents occurring at or near intersections have not been broken down into more specific categories by the NHTSA.
Given these above figures, Attorneys Jo Ann Hoffman and Associates, P.A. ask all Florida drivers to always be mindful of the potential for pedestrians to be walking alongside or even in the roadway, especially at or near intersections. Of those accidents listed above, did you know that an average of 17% of them are hit-and-run accidents? If you are driving and unfortunately collide with another vehicle or a pedestrian, please call 911 immediately and remain at the scene until the police arrive. In Florida, a conviction for a hit-and-run is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.
If you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident, please call 911 immediately to receive proper medical attention and to alert the police to the accident. A police report is the first step to the successful resolution of a personal injury claim resulting from a hit-and-run accident. There may be no other way to prove that the accident actually occurred since the other vehicle left the scene. Why do some drivers choose to abandon the scene of an accident? They may have been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving without automobile insurance, or driving without a license, and they hope to avoid being criminally or civilly penalized for the consequences of their actions. If you have uninsured motorist coverage as part of your own automobile insurance policy, that coverage will protect you.
If you have been the victim of a hit-and-run accident in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area, please call our lawyers at Attorneys Jo Ann Hoffman and Associates, P.A. at (954) 772-2644 today. We make it our goal to answer your questions promptly. Do you think you have a case? If so, please complete our CONTACT US form and email it to our office. Please remember that we accept all of our cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that we never charge you any fees or costs unless we recover monies from the insurance companies. Additionally, our consultations are always free. We await your call and look forward to representing you.
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