Bernstein & Maryanoff

Miami & Statewide Florida Bicycle Accident Attorneys

When a person is injured in a bicycle accident, it is typically due to a collision with a motor vehicle. The law in Florida is very specific when it comes to responsibility in a car-bike collision. The careless driver of a motor vehicle is legally responsible for any damages—physical, emotional, and economic—caused to the bike rider.

The lawyers and staff at Bernstein & Maryanoff have the financial resources and experience to help you pursue the maximum compensation available for your injuries or loss in a bicycle accident. From our principal office in Miami and numerous other offices across Florida, we represent clients throughout the state.

Fault in Bicycle Accidents

Bicycles are subject to the same traffic rules as motor vehicles. However, there is an additional responsibility for drivers of motor vehicles to be extra careful when there is a bicycle rider in the area. If there is any doubt whether a car is going to collide with a bike, the car driver should honk their horn to make the bicyclist aware that there is a vehicle close.

Under Florida law, drivers of motor vehicles have a duty to be aware of children in the area, especially in residential areas, near schools, or in other areas where children might dart out into traffic. When bike riders are in the area, the driver of the car must be extremely careful and slow down to avoid accidents. Florida law even provides that a jury must be told of this responsibility when a child on a bike is struck and injured by a car.

Many bicyclists are hit because the driver of car did not keep far enough away from the bicycle when passing them. When a car is about to pass someone on a bike, the driver must move far enough away so there is no danger of striking the bicyclist. If there is any danger that a bicycle and car are going to collide, the driver of the car is in a much better position to slow down or stop to avoid the bike. If the two vehicles collide, it is the bicyclist who is going to be hurt, not the person in the car.

Bicycle Accident Injuries

Bike accident injuries are generally of a severe nature, since the riders don’t have the protection of a motor vehicle surrounding them. In many car-bike collisions, there will be fractures and permanent scars from striking the pavement.

Your lawyer will need to carefully assess your bike injury case to determine what insurance coverage is available and how you can recover damages such as medical expenses and lost wages. If a family member of the victim has auto insurance, their automobile Personal Injury Protection (PIP) may cover economic damages, including medical bills and lost wages. In certain circumstances, the insurance company of the at-fault driver will be responsible for paying those expenses in advance of any settlement or jury verdict.

Free consultation: There is never a charge to talk to a bicycle accident attorney at the law firm of Bernstein & Maryanoff. With a principal office in Miami, numerous other offices across Florida, and the willingness to make house calls, our attorneys will be there when you need them. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis.

Learn more about bicycle accidents

Motor Vehicle Accident Information Center

Brain Injury Information Center

Wrongful Death