Central Florida is a great place for children and adults to spend time on their bicycles. The roads are relatively flat, and the weather is decent for most of the year. However, even the most cautious cyclist could get into an accident. Distracted or reckless drivers pose a significant threat to cyclists’ safety.
When someone gets into a bicycle accident with a vehicle, the driver almost always bears some responsibility. A Mount Dora bicycle accident lawyer could review the incident and explain the options before you. Working with a local personal injury attorney allows you to pursue all the compensation you are entitled to while allowing the time and space to heal from your injuries.
Most cyclists are well aware of how vulnerable they are in a potential collision with a motor vehicle. They try to be cautious, wear bright colors, keep to the far side of the road, and obey traffic laws. Even with these precautions, collisions between cyclists and vehicles happen frequently.
Drivers often focus on the road ahead and do not notice a cyclist on the shoulder. A cyclist’s narrow profile means an inattentive driver might miss them and make a turn into a cyclist’s path, even when the bike has the right of way. A bike could be obscured in a large vehicle’s blind spot. Some drivers still text and drive or drive while impaired, despite the known dangers.
A Mount Dora bike injury attorney could investigate a specific accident to pinpoint its cause. When they identify the negligent acts that led to the incident, they could assert a claim holding the negligent party liable for the cyclist’s injuries.
Every accident is unique, and a cyclist’s injuries will depend on how the crash occurred. A Mount Dora accident attorney represents bicycle riders with serious – even permanent – injuries to get them the help they need.
Cycling accidents cause road rash, or severe abrasions and friction burns resulting from the skin dragging along the rough road surface. Fractures are common—the wrist bones, clavicle, ribs, and lower legs are especially vulnerable in cycling accidents. Cyclists might suffer facial injuries, lose teeth, and damage their eyes. Back and spinal cord injuries can also occur.
Collisions with cars often propel a bicycle rider over the handlebars and onto the ground or into the path of another car. The forceful impact could cause a skull fracture or traumatic brain injury (TBI), ranging from a mild concussion to severe TBI, which could leave a cyclist in a permanent vegetative or near-vegetative state. Florida Statutes § 316.2065 requires any cyclist or passenger under 16 to wear an approved helmet. Adults should consider wearing a helmet too, as they reduce the risk of death and severe head injuries. However, a helmet might not offer complete protection in a forceful collision.
Drivers must be attuned to their surroundings and use extra care when children, cyclists, and pedestrians are in the area. Failing to do so is negligence, and a party is liable to pay compensation to an injured person if their negligence was a direct cause of the injuries. An injured person seeking compensation must prove another party’s negligence caused the accident.
Police accident reports often provide evidence of negligence. It is strong evidence if the driver received a citation or the police attributed fault in the accident to the driver. Video footage from security or surveillance cameras, dashcams, and even a cyclist’s GoPro could show how the accident occurred.
Once a Mount Dora attorney establishes a driver’s negligence, they must prove the cyclist’s losses. In addition to any property damage, a negligent driver must reimburse the cyclist’s medical treatment, lost wages, and incidental costs. The negligent driver also must pay the cyclist to compensate for their mental trauma, scarring or disfigurement, temporary or permanent disability, physical pain, and other non-economic losses they suffered due to the accident.
Bicycle accidents can be physically and emotionally traumatizing. When a driver’s carelessness or recklessness caused your injuries, the law holds them responsible for your losses. Do not allow a negligent driver to get away with the harm they caused: discuss your situation with a Mount Dora bicycle accident lawyer today.
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