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When facing the physical, emotional and financial challenges of a bicycle or pedestrian accident, choosing the right legal representation can be a crucial decision. At Kanner & Pintaluga, we’ve helped hundreds of clients pursue just compensation for their bicycle or pedestrian accident case and are ready to help you. We’ll fight tooth and nail for the fair compensation you’re owed for your medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering you’ve endured.
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Being involved in a bike or pedestrian accident with a motor vehicle can be a traumatic experience, leading to physical injuries, emotional distress and financial burdens.
What can make this even more arduous is the complexities of determining liability. Our Hollywood law firm has extensive experience handling bicycle and pedestrian accident cases and will help you nail down the facts of your case. Our experienced lawyers are committed to maximizing the claim payment in your case during negotiations with insurance companies and in court if necessary.
Our attorneys have won over $1 billion in recovered settlements for our clients and will work hard to give your claim the same success.
Because pedestrians have the right-of-way at marked crosswalks and intersections, drivers are legally required to yield to them. However, pedestrians should use sidewalks when available and only cross the road using designated crosswalks.
Florida law treats bicycles as vehicles, which means riders must follow the same traffic rules, including obeying traffic signals and signs, yielding the right-of-way when appropriate and refraining from riding under the influence. Cyclists are also encouraged to use bike lanes where available and ride in the same direction as traffic.
Florida law mandates that cyclists younger than 16 wear helmets while riding. While not mandatory for adults, wearing helmets is strongly recommended to reduce the risk of head injuries in the event of an accident. Failing to wear a helmet can potentially complicate your efforts to receive fair payment in the event of suffering a head injury during an accident.
When driving alongside, behind or passing a cyclist, drivers need to keep at least three feet of distance between them.
Bicycles operated between sunset and sunrise are required to have front and rear lights visible from 500 feet and reflectors visible from 600 feet to enhance visibility and safety.
While sidewalk riding is legal in Florida, cyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians.
Even though Florida is a “no-fault” state, compensation for certain damages can still be sought through the at-fault party’s insurance policy or, in cases of hit-and-run or underinsured drivers, the victim’s uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. In a situation where a bike rider or walker doesn’t have their own insurance, filing a claim against the at-fault driver may be your only option for receiving fair compensation.
Most often, motorists who fail to follow traffic laws, drive under the influence, speed or engage in distracted driving behavior are found at fault in auto accidents involving cyclists or pedestrians. In rare cases, government entities may be held liable if they fail to provide safe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, including poorly maintained roads, inadequate signage or malfunctioning traffic signals. The same applies to property owners or managers if an accident occurs due to uneven sidewalks, lack of proper lighting or other hazardous conditions on their property.
However, cyclists or pedestrians might not be free from fault. If they failed to follow traffic rules, crossed against signals or engaged in generally reckless behavior, they may be deemed partially responsible, which will affect their total compensation. In fact, because of Florida’s comparative negligence laws, they might not receive any compensation if they are found more than 50 percent liable.