Bicycle Accident Lawyer In
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Bicycle accidents can have serious physical consequences for the cyclist – and serious legal consequences for the driver of the vehicle. If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident with another vehicle such as a car, truck, or motorcycle, you might be eligible to compensation for your injuries and other inconveniences.
Call today for a free consultation.
Reach out to a bicycle accident lawyer such as Distefano Law LLC. We offer bicycle accident attorney services in Fort Lauderdale, FL, to ensure that you receive compensation for your losses after the accident, which may include:
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
The injuries resulting from a bicycle accident can have a lasting impact on your life. If the accident wasn’t your fault, you shouldn’t be on the hook for the financial repercussions. When you work with a bicycle accident attorney from Distefano Law LLC, you’ll have an aggressive legal representative who will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
Call (954) 572-8000 today to schedule a consultation at our Fort Lauderdale, FL, office.
Legal Protection for Cyclists in Florida
Negligence is the leading cause of all traffic accidents in the United States, from drunk, distracted, or aggressive drivers to faulty car parts and poor, yet preventable, road conditions. If injured in a bicycle accident, you may be eligible for compensation to pay for medical expenses, loss of income, and other damages too, such as pain and suffering or emotional distress.
Florida law protects those who lose loved ones, as well. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles , 3.9 percent of all road fatalities in the state during 2009 were cyclists. A shocking 38 percent of these crashes occurred in broad daylight. Thirty-three percent happened under illuminated streetlight, and only 16 percent in the dark.
If you lose someone close to you in a bicycle wreck, the reckless driver responsible may be legally accountable for his or her wrongful death. In addition to lost income, pain and suffering before death, if any, medical bills and related damages, you may also be able to claim burial expenses too. No compensation can return a loved one to you, but it does protect your family from financial collapse.
Preventable Causes of Bicycle Accidents
A bustling cycling community exists in Florida. Its roads and cities are among the friendliest to bicycles in the country. There are paved trails and bicycle lanes crisscrossing the state, and increasingly, companies are investing in healthier employees by providing them with changing rooms, showers and bicycle racks. Even so, bicycle accidents occur far too frequently, often lethally, and for these inexcusable reasons:
Passing Too Close
Rude drivers are everywhere, endangering everyone. Some show utter disregard toward cyclists by pushing them off the road. They do not give sufficient space, passing too close and forcing them to swerve dangerously. This mainly happens on congested roads free of bicycle lanes, but many impatient drivers try to pass other cars in the bicycle lane, injuring and killing cyclists in the process.
Opening Car Doors
Drivers and their passengers do not always look around before opening car doors. In fact, they seldom do. Sometimes, an unsuspecting cyclist is passing by at just that moment and he or she has no time to avoid it. These head-on collisions are often very serious, and although people only open car doors when parked, the cyclist is usually peddling fast.
Turning
Many bicycle accidents happen because drivers turn directly into their path, usually without even seeing the cyclist until impact. Even if the cyclist was in the driver’s blind spot, he or she has a legal obligation to check each one properly before turning or changing lanes. In these wrecks, the driver is always responsible. Anyone who neglects his or her blind spots is outright negligent under the law.
Bad Roads
Every city in Florida has a legal duty to maintain good road conditions. Potholes are the most common problem that cyclists face, but the city is liable for any street defect it knows about and has not fixed. The moment a city is aware of a problem, it has an obligation to warn motorists of it, clearly and noticeably. Hitting a pothole is seldom fatal, but injuries are frequently permanent and life changing .
Role of a Bicycle Accident Attorney in Florida
Because bicycles are not protective, cyclists suffer the worst injuries imaginable . Lifelong paralysis and disability is devastatingly common. Extensive tissue damage causes permanent scarring, as does road burn. Victims suffer traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and injury to their spinal cords. Many require home-care for the rest of their lives, and many do not survive.
A personal-injury lawyer can handle the legalities of your claim so that you can focus on recovery. You may be entitled to damages, including medical costs, loss of current earnings, and even future ones in the worst cases. He or she can negotiate the maximum settlement available to you under law , and if the guilty party does not comply, fight in court for it on your behalf. Call today for a free consultation.