Even if you follow the law, wear a helmet, and do everything else a responsible bicyclist should, you still take a risk every time you ride. It is possible that someone else around you might be irresponsible in a way that leads to you getting into a wreck. Even worse, your helmet and pads may not do much to reduce the trauma that a multi-ton motor vehicle could impart onto your body. It is critical to have a skilled personal injury lawyer on your side.
The steps you take immediately after your crash can have a huge impact on your finances and your ability to move on from this incident. If you were hurt in a serious bike wreck, guidance from a Eustis bicycle accident lawyer could help get you the money you need to account for all of your losses.
While motor vehicle drivers involved in bicycle accidents are certainly less likely to suffer serious injuries compared to the bicyclists they collide with, that does not mean state courts will automatically assume a driver is the one to blame for an incident. Instead, the injured bicyclist will have the burden of proving that driver was legally “negligent.” In other words, they must show the motorist broke a traffic law, failed to pay attention, or otherwise acted irresponsibly in a way which directly caused injury to the bicyclist.
Furthermore, injured bicyclists often have to prove that they did not contribute to causing their injuries through negligence of their own. For example, turning without signaling, darting out into traffic, or riding without wearing a helmet could be proof of bicyclist negligence. Otherwise, the defendant may argue that the injured person should be denied a percentage of the compensation they are asking for based on the percentage of total fault the bicyclist holds for causing their own damages. A Eustis bicycle accident attorney could explain how fault works in these cases and determine the best way to address it.
Assuming no issues with “comparative fault” as defined above, a bicyclist injured by someone else’s negligence can demand compensation for both economic and non-economic forms of harm caused by the accident. Importantly, it is possible to recover not just for losses that have already happened at the time of filing, but also losses that the injured person can reasonably expect to affect them in the future. That is especially true for catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain damage, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, or 3rd-degree burns.
A comprehensive lawsuit or settlement demand may factor in damages like:
Once again, a qualified lawyer could provide more specific information about what losses might be recoverable in a bicycle crash claim in Eustis.
Bicycling should not be a risky activity, but it can become a dangerous and even deadly one if someone else around you does not give you the space and respect you are entitled to under Florida law. Fortunately, anyone who injures you by acting in this way can often be held legally liable for their misconduct through personal injury litigation.
A Eustis bicycle accident lawyer could help you make effective use of your legal rights after a serious bike wreck. Call today to learn more when you speak with The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorney.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
