Bicycles are a fun and convenient method of transportation and recreation for many people in and around Orlando. Being involved in a bicycle accident, however, can be a life altering event. Most cyclists are aware of the dangers of traveling by bike and take precautions to prevent accidents. Nobody expects to be involved in a bicycle accident but, unfortunately, they still happen. Our Orlando bicycle accident attorneys can help. Call today to discuss your case with an experienced injury attorney on our team today.
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If you were hurt while riding your bike, you have likely suffered substantial injuries and damages, especially if your collision involved a motor vehicle. You need to do a few things right away to make sure your claim has the best chance of success.
Your immediate priority should be to see a doctor. You should get to an emergency room, urgent care facility, or even your primary care physician. Any delay in medical attention could compromise your claim for damages. Your well-being is at stake. We want to see you get to maximum medical recovery.
After you have received proper medical attention and if you’re able, collect evidence that you’re going to need to build a strong case. Take photos and videos. Get contact information from witnesses. If you are too injured to stay there to do these things, you can have a friend or family member come to the scene to help you. Even a bike accident lawyer can come to the scene to collect evidence in some instances.
Do not get rid of your bike, regardless of how destroyed or beyond repair it may be. It is a piece of evidence in your case.
Lastly, do not give the insurance company a statement if they call looking for one. They will try to use what you say against you to throw away your claim or reduce what they owe you.
Bicycle accidents typically result in serious and catastrophic injuries. Determining the true cause of a specific crash and holding all responsible parties accountable is often the key to full compensation for our clients. That’s why our Orlando attorneys extensively investigate the true cause of bike accidents to obtain all the evidence they can about how and why they occurred.
Pieces of evidence we typically help collect in bicycle crashes include:
A bicycle rider who suffers an injury after hitting a pothole may have a valid claim for compensation. Establishing liability for a pothole-related bike accident injury requires a great deal of investigation, making it crucial to hire a lawyer who has been there and done that before.
The maintenance of the roadways in Orlando is the city and the government’s responsibility. An attorney can make a public records request to obtain records into all the maintenance that has been done on a particular road, including the last time someone was out there to inspect and how often it’s maintained. That allows a lawyer to show that the city was on notice of this dangerous condition which then injured the bicyclist. It’s because of our experience and background that you should reach out to us if you or a loved one is injured in a bike accident. We’re here to help.
A lot of factors go into how long a case takes. Every case is unique and has its own specific set of facts. The time it takes for an Orlando bike crash case to resolve is going to depend on the extent of the injuries, for one. Minor injury cases can be resolved much quicker than those involving serious injuries. We have to evaluate and determine the full extent of the injuries before we can possibly recommend resolving the case for its true value.
Second, if we are forced into litigation and a case ends up going to a jury trial, it can take 18 months to two years to resolve. Minor bicycle accidents can be resolved in six to eight months from the time that we obtain the case. Because every case is unique and has its own specific set of facts, it’s very important to hire a knowledgeable and experienced bike accident lawyer to look at yours.
Many factors go into determining the value of a biking accident case. The extent of the injuries is the most important (i.e., physical, emotional, and mental injuries, pain and suffering, how long they last, etc.). If a cyclist makes a quick recovery from a minor injury, the value of their claim is going to be low. On the other hand, if a cyclist suffers a permanent injury, that has significant value. All of these injuries and effects are factored into the value of a bike wreck claim.
Other factors that can impact the value of a bicycle collision case include:
Because all these factors are unique to every single case, it’s important to hire a knowledgeable and experienced trial lawyer. Our Orlando lawyers are here to help should you have any questions regarding your bicycle accident claim.
The most important difference between bicycle and auto accident claims relates to the severity of the injuries involved. When you’re on a bicycle, you are not as protected as you are in a car, so the injuries can be much more significant and catastrophic.
Secondly, when a bicycle accident case gets to a jury, there’s always an assumption that the person on the bicycle did something wrong and was at fault for the accident – and the insurance companies know this. They rode out in front of the car, for example. That is where it is extremely important to have a knowledgeable, educated, and well-trained trial attorney by your side.
If you own a car and have auto insurance, that is going to cover you if you are struck by a motor vehicle while riding a bike, regardless of whether the at-fault party has insurance. Assuming you have uninsured motorist coverage, it will cover you if the at-fault party does not have insurance. If the at-fault party does have insurance, you’re still going to be covered by your personal injury protection benefits here in Florida, and the at-fault driver’s insurance company would step in for money above and beyond that.
Insurance questions can be very tricky, so it’s important to speak to a knowledgeable attorney about what insurance may apply in which situations. We are here to help should you have any questions regarding these issues when involved in a bicycle wreck.
Florida is a pure comparative fault jurisdiction, which means even if an individual is 75 percent at fault for causing a bicycle collision, they can still recover 25 percent of their damages from the other party that contributed to the accident.
It’s very important to hire a lawyer who can evaluate and address this comparative fault issue to make sure an injured cyclist recovers the full value of their claim. If you or a loved one were involved in a bicycle crash, even if you believe you are partially to blame, please contact us.
The experienced Orlando attorneys of Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law can provide you with security, guidance, and advice after you have been injured in a bicycle accident. They could negotiate a claim with the driver’s insurance company on your behalf and help you navigate the road to recovery. Our team could also file a lawsuit on your behalf and aggressively represent you in court should the driver’s insurance company fail to offer you fair and adequate compensation for your bike crash related injuries.
Hiring an experienced attorney after a bicycle collision offers you the best chance of getting the money you deserve. Our firm offers free, confidential consultations to discuss what legal options you may have. After suffering an injury in a bicycle accident, you should work with experienced lawyers with a proven track record of obtaining successful outcomes for their clients. Never hesitate to ask the Orlando biking accident attorneys at Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law for a reference from past clients.
Contact Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law today to schedule a free consultation and case evaluation with one of our experienced Orlando bicycle accident lawyers. We will answer and questions you have with no obligation to hire our firm. We can explain and help you understand the compensation available to you under the law and what to expect from the legal process.
We are experienced in addressing the points of contention that involve the insurance companies and the defense lawyers trying to push the blame on the person riding the bicycle. If you or a loved one have been involved in a bicycle crash, please reach out to us. We’re here to help.
