Clearwater Bicycle Accident Attorneys

What Kind of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?

After a bike accident, you may already know that you can pursue compensation for financial losses such as: 

• Medical bills (both past and future), 
• Lost wages, 
• Lost earning potential, 
• And other incidental expenses (such as the cost of home care services) 

These are called “economic damages.” However, not all the consequences of a bike accident are strictly financial. For example, maybe your injuries limit your mobility or stop you from participating in certain activities you once enjoyed. Or, they could prevent you from helping raise your children, being an attentive spouse, and more. 

Non-economic damages compensate for your personal, non-financial losses after an accident. 

You may also be able to recover other compensation for your injuries, including: 

• Pain and suffering 
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement or scarring
• Inconvenience 

Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Bicycle Accident?

Florida is a modified comparative fault state with a 51% bar to recovery. You can still recover damages if you’re partially to blame for an accident, as long as you aren’t mostly to blame. However, your damages will be reduced to account for your share of blame. 

Insurers will often try to argue that a victim wouldn’t have been injured but for their own negligence. For example, an insurer might claim your accident occurred because you failed to signal a turn.

Such accusations aren’t always based in fact. If an insurer or at-fault party is falsely accusing you, rest assured, our bicycle accident lawyers can defend you.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All Your Bicycle Accident Injuries

Bicycles don’t protect accident victims the way the steel frames of cars or other vehicles do. Your injuries resulting from a bicycle accident have the potential to be quite severe.

Common bicycle accident injuries include:

• Broken or fractured bones
• Lacerations
• Road rash
• Head trauma, which can impair cognition or cause emotional difficulties
• Spinal cord injuries, which may result in paralysis
• Disfigurement
• Internal organ injuries

We’ll account for all your injuries when determining how much compensation you should request following a Clearwater bicycle accident. Our goal is to help you recover what you’re owed.

What Causes Most Bicycle Accidents?

Research from the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization reveals that intoxication often plays a role in bike accidents throughout the county. 

Other common causes of bicycle accidents include:

• Drivers failing to see bicyclists, as bicycles can be more difficult to spot than larger vehicles
• Distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Speeding
• Drivers failing to obey traffic lights or signs
• Drivers failing to yield the right-of-way to bicyclists
• Hazardous road conditions
• Motor vehicle defects
• Drivers changing lanes without checking blind spots
• Drivers making turns in front of bicyclists

It’s important to work with qualified Clearwater bicycle accident attorneys to determine what caused your accident. When it’s not immediately apparent who was negligent, our dedicated team will identify those responsible for compensating you.

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Bicycle Accident ?

To recover compensation after a Florida bicycle accident, you must prove that another party’s negligence caused the accident. Proving negligence involves gathering evidence of fault with the help of your attorneys. 

You’ll need to show that:

• The at-fault party owed you a duty of care
• They breached this duty 
• Their breach caused your injuries
• You suffered damages

Our talented legal team will use different forms of evidence to show that the defendant was at fault. We may use:

• Dash cam or surveillance video footage
• Medical records
• Police reports
• Eyewitness testimony
• Expert analysis

If another driver caused your accident, rest assured, we’ll be prepared to prove it. Contact Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation today.

What Should I Do After a Bicycle Accident?

You can take the following steps to protect your legal rights and health after a bicycle accident:

• Get to safety
• Check yourself for injuries
• Calmly get the names and contact information of all others involved in the accident
• Call the police to report the incident
• Don’t discuss the accident with others at the scene (you might say something that could be used against you later)
• Get the names and contact information of eyewitnesses
• Take pictures of the scene and any visual evidence of your injuries

Then, immediately see a doctor. This is essential even if you don’t notice any signs of injury. The signs of an injury might not develop until days or weeks after the accident. You need a doctor to assess your condition in case you need treatment.

If you don’t seek treatment immediately, an insurance company could argue you failed to mitigate your damages and deny your claim. Don’t let that happen. Regardless of how you may feel, seeing a doctor after a Clearwater bicycle accident is imperative.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bicycle Accident?

The statute of limitations in Florida generally requires bicycle crash victims to file lawsuits within either two or four years of the accident. Accidents occurring on or before 3/23/2023 have a four-year deadline, and those taking place after that date have a two-year deadline. You’ll waive your right to compensation if you miss the deadline. Avoid this by contacting our personal injury lawyers sooner rather than later.

Contact Our Clearwater Bicycle Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you need representation from Clearwater bicycle accident lawyers who consistently deliver results. That’s exactly what you’ll find at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers. 

To learn more about what we can do for you, call us at (727) 591-3354 or contact our lawyers online. Your initial consultation is free.