The law office of Leesfield & Partners has successfully handled bicycle accident cases in Miami and throughout Florida and has extensive experience and knowledge of relevant issues involved. If you have been injured in a bike accident, content one of our Miami Bike Accident Attorneys. We have the experience and skill to present a successful bike accident case in order to obtain maximum compensation for our clients. We can also have your damaged bike repaired or require the insurance company to pay you for a new bike.
Part of our personal injury practice is exclusively limited to representing bicyclists injured in bike accidents. Sometimes we will pedal the route of our injured clients or drive the route by car to get a better sense of how the accident happened. We use bicycle experts to testify about road conditions, cycling/car speeds and other factors related to each accident. The biggest challenge is to overcome people's prejudices about bicyclists. We dispel the public’s perception that bicyclists are somehow renegades on the highway and do not belong on the highway with autos.
When needed, our firm hires the most qualified bicycle experts for our clients, as well as obtaining the best medical experts and specialists available. We personally interview every individual who witnessed the incident and fully investigate every bike accident case. As cyclists ourselves, we are very sensitive to the claims of injured bicyclists. We know that our clients are not encased in 3,000 lb. steel cages with air bags and seat belts. Our clients are virtually unprotected while on their bicycles.
We know that oftentimes the cyclist is like a ghost out on the street. Motorists are staring right through us. As bike lawyers, we understand this and we are prepared to fight for our cyclist victims. We know what to do to present a successful case for the cyclist victim who has been hit by a car or truck.
Are you aware that it is common for bicyclists to get the short end of the stick from insurance companies? Recent studies show that settlements for injuries suffered in cars are up to 30% to 40% higher than for the same type of injuries suffered by cyclists.
In many cases, a bicycle accident results from a motorist's negligence or inattentiveness while operating his or her vehicle. The following are some common types of collisions that a cyclist may be injured in:
* A motor vehicle driver turning directly in front of a bicyclist;
* An automobile driver entering the street from a driveway or parking spot and pulls out into traffic in front of the bicyclist;
* A motorist's failure to yield at an intersection or running a stop sign or red light;
* A vehicle driver's inattention while driving past a bicyclist;
* An automobile driver's failure to look both ways when resuming travel after stopping at a stop sign;
* An automobile driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
In response, we will investigate and, where appropriate, closely analyze any damage that occurred to the bicycle, such as chipped paint, stressed metal, bent wheels and torn brake pads. We will examine the remains of a bike wreck and seek to counter a motorist’s typical claims that a cyclist was speeding or squeezed the brake levers too hard or swerved into traffic.
Due to the increase in bike traffic throughout the United States and Florida, many cities have constructed special bike lanes. Parks now have trails which are accessible to bicycles, and some vehicle manufacturers are even offering bike racks as standard equipment. However, many motor vehicle drivers do not respect the bicyclists' rights to share the roads and, more importantly, many cyclists have not been properly educated on how to legally and safely share the roads with automobiles.
Negligent automobile drivers and uneducated bicyclists have resulted in some staggering statistics.
* Every 6 hours a bicyclist is fatally injured;
* Approximately one million children are injured each year in bicycle related accidents;
* Nearly half of all bicycle fatalities occur to children under the age of 16;
* Head injuries account for about 75% of all serious injuries and fatalities from bicycle accidents;
* While collisions with cars account for only 1/3rd of all bicycle accidents, they account for the majority of catastrophic injuries and deaths.
Motor vehicle operators must be attentive to all bicycle riders. They must equate a bicycle with a motor vehicle and observe the same laws. For example: if you are sharing the right lane with a bicyclist and you are planning to turn right at an intersection, you must yield to the bicyclist. You may not drive in a designated bike lane unless you have immediate intentions to turn off the road. There are many "new" traffic laws concerning bicycles and ignorance of the laws will not protect you against negligence if you injure a bicyclist.
Under Florida law, bicycle riders are also subject to the same traffic laws as motorists. If you are riding a bicycle, you are also required to obey the traffic laws and you deserve the same protection by those laws as automobile drivers.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Bike Accident, it is imperative that you immediately contact an Aggressive and Successful Miami Bike Accident Attorney to begin immediately protecting your rights.