Sarasota Magazine recently put out a list of “off the beaten path” bike trials from around town. It presents some great ideas for taking a loop around Gulf of Mexico Drive or pedaling through the Robinson Preserve or around Alafia State Park. These are definitely the recreational zones where you get in some serious laps for exercise. If you take a spill there, it might be your fault.
On the other hand, if you ride your bike to get to one of those trails and get slammed by an SUV, that might not be your fault. In that scenario, you’re entitled to seek compensation for your losses. Getting that compensation is not as easy as uploading a claim and waiting for the check in the mail. That check might not come unless you get a skilled Sarasota bicycle accident lawyer to be your advocate.
The Titan Law squad has a proven track record of success with these kinds of cases. We know the traffic laws and how they apply to cyclists. When we get behind a case, we bring the full force of our office to get the best outcome for our clients.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Sarasota
If you ride a bicycle in Florida, you are considered a driver; as a driver, you must follow traffic laws. According to the Florida Bicycle Association, those laws include the following:
- Stopping for stop signs and red lights
- Riding with the flow of traffic
- Using lights at night
- Yielding to pedestrians
- Yielding the right-of-way when entering a roadway
Just because you’re following the laws doesn’t mean you are vulnerable to getting banged up by a car. In most car versus bike accidents, the car driver is at fault. When you build your claim with a skilled Sarasota bicycle accident lawyer, you need to clearly establish what happened in your accident. Here are some of the common causes of bike accidents in Sarasota:
Being Hit with an Open Door
When pedaling, bicyclists “hug the curb.” That means they ride close to the outside of the traffic lanes or along the outside of a sidewalk. Those two spots make the bicyclist vulnerable if a car door is opened. It is safe to say that when getting out of a car, we rarely look behind us to see what might be coming. It just isn’t expected. But if a car driver or their passenger gets out in an area frequented by cyclists, there is a high probability that the door they’re opening can slam into one of those cyclists.
Intersection Accidents
An intersection will have two options for yielding the right-of-way: stop signs or traffic lights. With stop signs, the right of way is “first come, first serve.” If you’re first at the stop signs, then you are first to go through. Bicyclists have to obey those same rules, but too often, a car making a left or right turn doesn’t see the bicyclist who has gotten there first and has the right-of-way.
With traffic lights, the right of way is designated by the color of the light in your lane. Unfortunately, reckless motorists can ignore those lights, leading to severe accidents with cyclists.
Speak With a Sarasota Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Rear-Ending a Cyclist
A driver who takes their eyes off the road in front of them can often find themselves in a fender bender accident. A car can withstand a tap on the bumper. A tap with a bicyclist can send that cyclist sprawling on the asphalt.
How Cyclists Get Hurt
As any bicyclist will attest, they are always exposed to the elements. They are not surrounded by the protection of a 4,000-pound steel frame. The following injuries are common in bicycle accidents. Which ones have you suffered?
- Cuts and scrapes
- Road rash
- Bruises
- Broken bones
- Dislocated bones
- Fractures
- Broken teeth
- Eye injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Head and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
Latest News & Updates
Fighting for the Maximum Compensation
You might find that your personal health insurance covers a good portion of your medical bills for those injuries. Still, there is a limit to what an insurance company is willing to pay, especially when there is someone at fault for those injuries that is not their policyholder. In other words, your insurance company might tell you that you need to get paid by the person who slammed into you in their car.
When you reach those kinds of frequent obstacles to your accident claim, you will benefit from having a tough Sarasota bicycle accident lawyer take on those insurance companies to help you get what you’re due. Here are some of the items that you can be compensated for:
- Emergency room exam/treatment
- Follow-up doctor visit
- X-rays, MRI or CT scans
- Physical therapy
- Prescriptions
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Long-term care (if applicable)
- Rehabilitation costs
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
In the worst possible outcome of a bicycle accident, the cyclist will suffer a fatality. If that happens, the surviving family is entitled to seek the same level of damages as part of a wrongful death lawsuit. That is a burden the Titan Law team can take on for your family.
Working with the Right Sarasota Bicycle Accident Lawyer
The Titan Law team actives a wide array of skill sets to support our clients. That begins with establishing open lines of communication set up at our first free strategy session. If we find that your case has merit, we’ll direct our network of investigators to examine your accident and gather all the relevant information that will help determine liability.
Once we have all the information, we’ll negotiate with the insurance company. We know how these companies operate, and we know that their first offer isn’t always their last offer. We will fight hard to get the maximum compensation on your behalf. Before any of that support can begin, we need to hear from you. Call to set up your strategy session today.
Our team is ready to assist you.
Thank you for your interest! We are here to help.
Fill out the form below to request a consultation.