Central Florida Bicycle Injury Attorney
Bicycling through and around the beautiful lakes in Lake County, Florida is a great way to take in the scenery, weather and get a work out. However, it can be dangerous and every year there are accidents when a bicycle collides with a vehicle, pedestrian or other rider. If you were injured as a result of the negligence of another person while on your bike, a Central Florida bike injury lawyer may be able to assist you in getting fair compensation for your injuries.
Bicycle enthusiasts from around the country come to Central Florida every year to get out of the cold weather. Florida has hundreds of miles of state trails. We have the Van Fleet trail (which I ride at least once a month), which you can pick-up on State Road 50 in Mabel and ride down to Polk City. We also have the West Orange, which we can pick up in Clermont and ride to Apopka. We also have the hills in Clermont, Heavenly, and multiple lakes to ride around.
My preference is always to always trail ride but sometimes it isnt convenient so I ride on the roads. Central Florida bicycle accident lawyers, like myself, can attest that sometimes the roads are just not friend to cyclists. A big problem is that drivers of motor vehicles are not aware of state laws and/or etiquette when traveling near or around cyclists.
Although cyclists have the right to share the roadway with vehicles, they are at a disadvantage because they are harder for drivers to see and hear than cars. Many times drivers look right through or past cyclists because they are not in a vehicle.
When an accident happens, bicyclists just like motorcyclists are far less protected than folks who are in a motor vehicle.
If a cyclist is injured in an accident with a vehicle, pedestrian or other cyclist, you may believe that there is enough insurance to cover the cost of the injuries. Many times, this isnt true, and cyclists are in the position to have to pay their expenses out of pocket because they decided to go through the process alone instead of hiring a Central Florida bicycle accident lawyer.
Insurance companies are known for offering little to nothing to injured cyclists. To add insult to injury, there is a bias amount the general public and law enforcement, that if a cyclist is injured, it is because she was not paying attention or acting in an unsafe manner.
Because cyclists are usually severely injured, they are typically not at the scene when law enforcement investigates the accident so the first persons story the officer gets is the driver of the motor vehicle. This adds to the officers confirmation bias and many times they write things and report findings in the Crash Report, which are untrue. When the insurance company gets this information, the adjuster waives it around like a badge of honor attempting to deny or undercut the claim.
An experienced cyclist and bicycle accident lawyer can help you prove your claim and show that the other driver was at fault for the accident. To do so, the bicycle accident attorney has to get out to and document the scene immediately. He also has to interview witnesses, and determine inconsistencies in the Crash Report and reconstruct the event.
Of course a Central Florida bicycle accident attorney sees other types of accidents aside from those involving motor vehicles. These may include problems with the roadway and/or sidewalk that causes the cyclist to lose control.
With that being said, some cyclists act like jerks and ride their bikes without safety in mind. On the street, motor vehicles are traveling faster than bikes; however, on trails its a different story. Many of Central Florida trails have people who are walking, roller blading and jogging. If a cyclist is tearing through an area at 20+ MPH and hurts a pedestrian or rollerblader, he can be responsible for his negligence.
Many victims of bicycle related injuries, mistakenly underestimate the extent of their injuries and damages. If they settle for a low insurance payment or walk away from the insurance company because it seems to difficult, they can blow their chances of receiving full and complete compensation for their injuries.
Whether you are a resident of Central Florida or just visiting, you deserve to be able to share the road with others in a safe manner without being injured. If you or someone you know has been injured in a Central Florida bicycle accident, give me a call. With every passing day, evidence disappears and witnesses memories fade.