The warm weather and scenic landscapes in Pompano Beach, Florida, make it a wonderful place for cyclists. Whether as a means of commuting to work or simply exploring, riding also helps reduce congestion on the roads.
The unfortunate reality, though, is that the city’s infrastructure isn’t always adequate to support cyclists, which means accidents can (and do) happen. When they do, getting assistance from the top rated Pompano Beach bicycle accident lawyers at Schilling & Silvers’ injury and accident law firm can make all the difference.
Our legal team is available 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week, and can be reached by calling 954.712.8877. If you have been injured in bicycle accident , don’t hesitate to contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Many residents aren’t aware but, Florida itself is the most deadly state for cyclists; in 2024 alone, the state saw a total of 196 bicycle fatalities.
The silver lining here is that, in the event that you are injured in an accident while cycling through the area, a bicycle accident attorney in Pompano Beach from Schilling & Silvers’ award-winning injury law firm may be able to help you recover compensation.
Bicycle accidents are fundamentally different from cases involving car accidents, making them tougher to work through. Still, a lawyer near Pompano Beach, FL, with the right experience can dramatically increase your chances of a favorable outcome.
There’s no singular cause behind the bike accidents that happen each day on Florida’s roads. Many drivers don’t look for cyclists, and a collision that might cause zero injury to a car driver could prove to be seriously harmful or even fatal to a bike rider.
Nevertheless, some of the most common scenarios that lead to accidents in Pompano Beach include the following:
Florida’s right-of-way laws require drivers making left turns to yield to oncoming traffic. Often, drivers who are making left turns will look for cars coming from the opposite direction. The problem is that they may not look carefully for cyclists. A vehicle making a left turn can easily hit a cyclist coming from the opposite direction, and depending on the circumstances of the crash, the cyclist may be flung into the air or run over altogether.
Unfortunately, it’s not just drivers making left turns who sometimes don’t see cyclists. If a driver and a cyclist are traveling in the same direction and the driver makes a right turn, they may cut off the cyclist’s path. These kinds of accidents, also called “right hook” accidents, sometimes cause a cyclist to hit the side of the vehicle; in other cases, the turning car may hit the cyclist directly.
These accidents often happen in areas with extensive street parking. As a cyclist is riding beside a line of parked cars, the occupant of a vehicle opens a door right in front of the rider. The cyclist has no time to react and hits the door. In some instances, the cyclist may be knocked into traffic and injured more severely.
Sometimes, vehicle occupants in these situations will try to blame the cyclist for hitting their car. Each case has its own unique set of circumstances, but in most situations, the vehicle occupant is at fault. Before exiting a vehicle, drivers and passengers are obligated to check for nearby cars, bicycles, and pedestrians.
Rear-end accidents, even at low speeds, can cause major injuries to drivers. And for cyclists, they can be outright catastrophic. These crashes are the most common cause of serious cycling accident injuries for a number of reasons, including:
Rear-end cycling accidents are more common at night. Drivers at these hours are often intoxicated, so there’s a significant possibility a drunk driver could rear-end a cyclist and immediately flee the scene.
Florida enforces a “three-foot rule,” requiring drivers to give at least three feet of clearance between themselves and any bicycle they pass. Some motorists, though, disregard the law and “buzz” cyclists, passing very closely at a very high speed. If a driver injures a rider such as yourself (whether by buzzing or hitting you directly), they must be held accountable.
To win a bicycle accident lawsuit against a driver, your Pompano Beach bicycle accident attorney must prove the four elements of negligence:
Here’s a closer look at how these elements often apply in a bicycle accident case:
A “duty of care” is an obligation to avoid causing harm. As such, it is the element that is arguably the easiest to prove. Courts generally accept that all drivers have a duty of care to other road users (drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike) to remain alert and obey traffic laws.
When a driver fails to fulfill their duty of care, they have “breached” it. Driving while intoxicated, failing to remain focused on the road, and failing to obey traffic laws are all examples of breaches of the duty of care.
As long as there’s sufficient evidence of the accident itself (like a police report or traffic camera footage), it isn’t too difficult to demonstrate how the driver’s breach of duty caused you harm.
For example, if a speeding driver makes a left turn and hits you, they have breached their duty of care by breaking traffic laws and not looking out for other road users. It’s clear that their breach of duty caused them to hit you and that the accident caused your injuries.
The term “damages” refers to compensation for losses you’ve suffered. For your lawsuit to be successful, you must be able to demonstrate these losses; your lawyer may be able to present your medical bills, pay stubs, and statements from your employer.
If you win your case, you can receive compensation to cover losses such as:
The compensation value you receive will depend on several different factors. A Pompano Beach bicycle accident lawyer can discuss the specific factors affecting your case, but some common ones are as follows:
If your actions contributed to your accident, you may still be able to recover compensation. Florida has modified comparative negligence laws that specify the following:
For example, if you were determined to be 20% at fault and a court was to award you $200,000 in damages, you would ultimately receive $160,000.
Most of the time, you will be compensated for all medical expenses and possibly receive compensation for non-economic losses like pain and suffering. Generally, the more serious and life-limiting your injury, the greater the compensation for these non-economic losses will be.
Unfortunately, the amount you recover is often limited by the kind and extent of the insurance the at-fault driver carries. If it isn’t enough to cover all of your losses (or if the driver has no insurance), you may have to pursue other recovery options.
If you have a car insurance policy with uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, you may be able to file a claim with your own insurance policy. You can generally file a claim even though you weren’t driving your car at the time of the accident.
In March of 2023, Florida amended its laws to shorten the statute of limitations from four to two years from the date of your accident. As such, you shouldn’t wait until that shorter deadline is closing in to talk to a Pompano Beach personal injury lawyer. The sooner you get in touch, the more time your lawyer will have to build a strong case.
Securing compensation after a bicycle accident is rarely as straightforward as it seems from the outside. You need an experienced, dedicated Pompano Beach bicycle accident attorney who understands how to handle bike accident cases.
The Schilling & Silvers team takes the time to understand each of our clients and develop a personalized strategy for recovering compensation. Working with us comes at no risk to you, either: Your initial consultation is free, and you pay absolutely nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Give us a call or get in touch online to book your consultation today!
Locations near me which Schilling & Silvers’ injury accident accident attorney serve include Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, Plantation, Coral Springs, and more.
Our Personal Injury Law Offices
Fort Lauderdale Office
1700 NW 64th St Suite 460
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
(954) 712-8877
Hialeah, FL Office
2300 W 84th St Ste 213
Hialeah, FL 33016
(954) 712-8877
