Many cyclists are regularly drawn from all over the country to ride the Withlacoochee State Trail. While Florida provides a beautiful landscape for outdoor recreation, as with all things, bicycling is not without its dangers.
Bicyclists who survive crashes with motorists will likely face painful and expensive recoveries. They may have questions about how they will pay medical bills and support their families if they cannot work. We have answers. If a reckless motorist injures you, our dedicated personal injury attorneys will work tirelessly to get you compensation and hold the at-fault driver accountable for their actions. Call an Inverness bicycle accident lawyer today to begin reviewing the details of your event.
Negligence Causes Bicycle Accidents
Motorists owe a duty to everyone they encounter on the road to behave responsibly. This standard of care is equal for trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians, and cyclists. Those who act below the standard of responsibility by breaking traffic laws or engaging in careless behavior while behind the wheel are breaching their duty to others. If injuries result from these acts, motorists can be held liable and made to compensate those they harm. Some bicycle accident scenarios caused by negligence include:
- Bicyclists legally crossing in intersections when motorists fail to yield and crash into them
- When a motorist does not see an approaching bicyclist and opens their vehicle door while parked, causing a bicyclist to slam into it
- A tailgating motorist intimidates a bicyclist who crashes into another car
- A motorist driving while distracted hits a cyclist due to not having their full attention on the road
A savvy attorney could study all aspects of a bicycle wreck in Inverness to determine its cause and who should be held liable for the resulting injuries and damages.
Compensation After a Bicycle Crash
The premise of personal injury law states that an at-fault party compensates someone harmed by their irresponsible behavior. Once negligent behavior is established, the jury will consider the plaintiff’s injuries and award compensation accordingly. Compensation includes economic losses, such as medical bills and lost wages.
Non-economic damages are also considered. These are subjective forms of loss, such as pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of the enjoyment of life. A skilled Inverness attorney could work to understand the ways a bike accident has impacted an injured person’s life and use this information to craft a settlement demand that accurately reflects their needs for recovery.
Comparative Negligence
An important factor to keep in mind while pursuing damages is that Florida has adopted pure comparative negligence as their model for compensating parties injured in accidents. This means the courts will assign a percentage of blame to all parties involved and award damages based on that percentage. For example, if the jury determines the motorist is 80 percent liable for a wreck and an injured cyclist is 20 percent at fault, a $100,000 award will be reduced by 20 percent, making it $80,000. Additionally, under pure comparative negligence, an injured bicyclist can recover damages even if they are more than 50 percent responsible for the accident.
Let an Inverness Bicycle Accident Attorney Advocate for You
Whether you are riding for exercise, for sport, or as your primary method of transportation, Florida is a bicyclist’s paradise. Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy your time on the city’s historic roads without incident. However, if a collision does occur, our team could help. Contact a tenacious Inverness bicycle accident lawyer to explore your legal options.