West Palm Beach Bicycle Accident Lawyer

The number of bicyclists has increased steadily over the last couple of decades in the United States, as has the average age of bicycle riders. While children once dominated the bicycle market, adults are now choosing to ride bicycles for exercise or pleasure as well as for environmental and economic reasons. With year-round warm weather, Florida is a welcoming state for cyclists. Unfortunately, Florida is also the deadliest state for bicyclists. If you were injured in a West Palm Beach bicycle accident, or you are the surviving family member of someone killed in one, compensation may be available to you from the at-fault party (or parties) for your injuries or your loss.

Injuries sustained in a bicycle accident are often serious and can be fatal. Victims frequently face financial hardship along with physical injuries and emotional trauma, while surviving family members experience unimaginable loss. If the negligence or wrongful conduct of another party (or parties) caused or contributed to a bicycle accident that resulted in injury or death, a West Palm Beach bicycle accident lawyer at Demand the Limits can help. Let us put our vast resources, extensive experience, and unwavering commitment to work for you to ensure that the at-fault parties are held accountable and that you are justly compensated for your pain, suffering, or loss. Contact us today by calling (561) 600-3555 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation.

What Are Some Common Bicycle Accident Injuries?

In 2022, there were 483 crashes involving bicycles in Palm Beach County that caused 442 injuries, including 14 deaths, according to the FLHSMV. Sadly, bicycle accident fatalities almost doubled from 2021 to 2022 in Palm Beach County. The lack of protection coupled with the size and weight differential means that cyclists often suffer serious injuries when involved in a collision with a motor vehicle, including:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI). A bicycle accident often causes the rider to be ejected from the bicycle. Even with a helmet on, a cyclist can suffer a TBI which can range in severity from a mild concussion to life-threatening swelling of the brain.
• Neck and back injuries. A cyclist’s back and neck are also at an increased risk of serious injury in a collision. Those injuries include things such as herniated discs, pulled muscles, and torn tendons and ligaments.
• Fractured and broken bones. Anything from a hairline fracture in a finger to a compound fracture in a vertebra or femur could happen in a bicycle accident.
• Spinal cord injury. The forceful impact of a collision can cause serious spinal cord injury to a bicyclist, up to, and including, paralysis if the spinal cord is severed.
• Injury to internal organs. Internal organs, most of which are vital to the human body, can be bruised or punctured, causing life-threatening bleeding in a bicycle accident.
• Disfigurement and scarring. Cyclists often have very little protection when they impact the concrete or asphalt following a collision. Consequently, victims frequently live with permanent scars and disfigurement.
• Death. Someone dies every month, on average, in a West Palm Beach bicycle accident.

What Causes West Palm Beach Bicycle Accidents?

Throughout most of the 20^th century, bicycle usage among adults slowly declined. Since the turn of the 21st century, however, cycling among adults has steadily increased. Unfortunately, so have bicycle accident fatalities. Throughout the United States, cyclist fatalities increased by almost 10 percent in a single year (2019-2020), according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Many of the factors that cause or contribute to bicycle accidents are the same as those that cause other types of traffic collisions. For example, alcohol is a factor in one out of every three bicycle accidents. One common cause of bicycle accidents, however, sets them apart from car accidents – failing to notice a bicycle. Despite efforts to educate motorists about the presence of bicycles, motorists frequently admit to not noticing a bicyclist just prior to an accident.

Florida Bicycle Laws

Florida Code Section 316.2065 governs bicycles on Florida’s public roadways. With few exceptions, Florida law imbues cyclists with the same rights and the same responsibilities as motorists have when operating a motor vehicle. As such, a bicyclist must obey the same rules of the road and respect the same traffic laws as the drivers of motor vehicles do. At the same time, it means that those motor vehicles are supposed to acknowledge and respect bicycles just as they would another vehicle.

Who Is Responsible for My West Palm Beach Bicycle Accident Injuries or Loss?

When a bicycle accident was caused, in whole or in part, by the negligent or wrongful conduct of another party, an injured cyclist may be entitled to recover compensation from that party. Negligence is a legal term that requires an injured victim to prove that the at-fault party breached a duty of care to the victim, causing injuries to the victim. Whether or not a party was negligent depends on the facts and circumstances; however, examples of negligence in a bicycle accident include:

• A driver who was driving under the influence.
• A bus driver who didn’t see the bicycle.
• A ride-share driver who was distracted by his/her GPS.
• A city that failed to repair hazardous road conditions.

What Compensation Am I Entitled to for My West Palm Beach Bicycle Accident?

When another party (or parties) is found to be legally responsible for a bicycle accident, the responsible party (or parties) may be required to compensate a victim for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages compensate a victim for the out-of-pocket expenses associated with a bicycle accident, such as:

• Repairing or replacing your bicycle
• Doctor and hospital expenses.
• Rehabilitation, therapy, and other care costs.
• Lost wages and income.

Non-economic damages compensate a victim for the subjective injuries suffered in a bicycle accident, such as:

• Physical and emotional pain and suffering.
• Diminished quality of life.
• Mental anguish.
• Scarring and disfigurement.

If you are a surviving parent or child of someone who was killed in a West Palm Beach bicycle accident, you may also be entitled to compensation in a Florida wrongful death lawsuit for things such as lost future earnings, pain and suffering, and the loss of guidance and companionship.

Get Help from an Experienced West Palm Beach Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you were injured or lost a family member in a West Palm Beach bicycle accident, you could be entitled to compensation for your physical injuries and psychological trauma. An experienced West Palm Beach bicycle accident lawyer can help ensure that the responsible party (or parties) is held accountable and that you receive all the compensation to which you are entitled for your injuries. Having an experienced West Palm Beach bicycle accident lawyer on your side is the key to:

• Helping you locate medical providers.
• Gathering evidence that is necessary to prove negligence.
• Conducting an independent investigation of the crash.
• Reaching a favorable settlement without needing to go to court.
• Fighting for you in court if an out-of-court settlement is not possible.

At Demand the Limits, our experienced West Palm Beach personal injury accident lawyers have extensive experience with bicycle accident cases. We will fight hard to defend the legal rights of all West Palm Beach injury victims. Call (561) 600-3555 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation. Don’t delay – the sooner you have an attorney fighting for you, the better protected your legal rights will be.