Palm Harbor’s excellent weather offers many people a chance to ride their bikes around town. In fact, the many bike paths and dedicated bike lanes now make riding a bicycle a viable way to ride to work as well as to get some exercise.
Unfortunately, public information campaigns and the local news are always full of example of drivers not giving cyclists the respect they deserve on the road, and collisions remain common. These collisions tend to result in very serious injuries for these bike riders.
A Palm Harbor bicycle accident lawyer may be able to help you if you have been injured while riding a bike. Once retained, your skilled personal injury attorney could work with you to identify all potential defendants, gather the evidence needed to show that a defendant was negligent, and pursue fair payments for your injuries and losses.
The Rights of Bicycle Riders on Palm Harbor’s Roads
A bicycle rider, regardless of the presence of a bicycle lane, has all the same rights and responsibilities as other travelers on the street. This means not only that bike riders must obey all traffic control signals, yield when appropriate, signal a pending turn, and refrain from distracted riding, but also that all other motorists must extend them the same courtesies by law.
As a result, a bicycle rider who suffers an injury in an accident has the same right to demand compensation from at-fault defendants. However, this only applies if an injured bike rider can prove that another driver’s negligence caused their injuries. A Palm Harbor bicycle accident attorney could provide insight into a bicyclist’s rights under state law.
Proving a Defendant Was Negligent
Because most collisions between bike riders and other vehicles are accidents, a plaintiff must be able to prove that a defendant was negligent when demanding compensation for their injuries. All drivers must take appropriate action to protect other people on the road, so a driver who speeds, texts while driving, or runs a stop sign may be found legally negligent if this action results in an accident.
However, all accident claims for damages are subject to the state’s laws concerning comparative negligence. According to Florida Statutes §768.81, every accident case must evaluate the actions of all parties to assign blame. If a jury believes that a plaintiff contributed to the accident, that jury may reduce a plaintiff’s award by that percentage of blame.
While evidence that a defendant violated a rule of the road can certainly be powerful evidence in favor of a plaintiff, it does not guarantee success. A dedicated bicycle accident lawyer in Palm Harbor could work with an injured plaintiff show that a defendant driver is responsible for the accident.
A Palm Harbor Bicycle Accident Lawyer May be Able to Help
Any collision between a car and a bicycle is likely to result in severe injuries for a cyclist. A Palm Harbor bicycle accident lawyer could help with the complex claim process and work to protect your claim from aggressive insurance companies while fighting to bring you the compensation you need. Call today to start exploring your options.
