St. Petersburg Bicycle And Pedestrian Accident Attorneys
Helping Individuals Injured while Cycling or Walking in St. Petersburg
If you were injured by a negligent driver while walking or driving in Florida, contact Jones Law Group today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Crash Statistics
It can be terrifying to get into an accident when you’re a pedestrian or bicyclist. These accidents differ greatly from car accidents as you’re more vulnerable to the oncoming car. You may suffer injuries similar to someone who’s been in a car accident, or worse.
The most important thing you can do while walking or biking on busy streets is be as safe as possible. That means looking both ways before crossing a street, wearing your helmet when you ride your bike, wearing reflective gear, and paying attention to your surroundings. However, sometimes that’s just not enough. When the negligence of another party causes your accident, you’ll want to hire an experienced attorney to help you win your case and receive the compensation that you deserve for your accident.
While these types of accidents aren’t as common as car accidents, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center states that there were over 6,000 pedestrians and 857 bicyclists killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2018. In the entire United States, 73% of pedestrian accidents and 58% of bicyclist accidents occur at non-intersections.
Meanwhile the Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety Administration states that these statistics are on the rise, with a 3.4% increase in cyclist fatalities from 2017 to 2018. They also stated that an overwhelming percentage of cyclists involved in accidents were male, at about 85%. These accidents can cause severe injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury, and even paralysis.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
There are many different causes of bicycle accidents, but the main cause usually involves driving recklessly in some way. This can include distracted driving, speeding, riding too close to a bicycle lane or emergency lane, improper merging, and not paying attention at intersections. Crashes can also occur when someone is driving under the influence. Distracted driving includes texting while driving, talking on the phone, eating, or doing anything that causes a driver to not pay attention to the road.
Because bicyclists and motor vehicles share the road, distracted driving is a common cause of accidents. If the driver is not paying attention, they may not see the cyclist at all. It’s important to keep a safe distance from cyclists at all times to avoid accidents. Any of these causes can be considered negligence. This means that if the driver who hit you was doing any of these things, you may have a lawsuit against them.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents tend to have causes that differ greatly from bicycle accidents, as pedestrians don’t share the road in the same capacity as cyclists. For example, lane changes and merges are not a huge cause of pedestrian accidents.
However, driving under the influence is a much larger cause, as drivers who are under the influence may not see a pedestrian crossing the street or walking on the side of the road. Rolling stops are also a large cause of these accidents, as well as reckless driving, speeding, poor intersection design, distracted driving, passing a school bus, and even pedestrian negligence. Pedestrians—in this case—can also include skateboarders and rollerbladers.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bicycle or Pedestrian Accident?
Liability can be placed on anyone who may have been negligent and caused the accident to take place. Negligence refers to any act that someone may have done either by accident or intentionally. Negligence could look like texting while driving, driving under the influence, speeding too fast, not paying attention, or any other causes listed above.
In special cases, liability could also be placed on a manufacturer or technician if the car crashed because of a malfunction with the car. However, this is rare and most often these accidents will occur because of a driver’s negligence stemming from distracted or reckless driving.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents involving Children
Bicycle accidents involving children are unfortunately common. Every year about 100 children are killed because of bicycle related accidents. Additionally, over 250,000 are injured in these accidents annually. Accidents are most common in boys aged 12 to 14 on the road during the hours of 3pm to 5pm. Rush hour is also at this time, making for a higher volume of bicycles and cars on the road.
Accidents involving children can be more severe, causing greater injuries than an adult injured in a similar accident. It’s vital that children wear their helmets at all times to prevent traumatic brain injuries in case of an accident.
Damages in a Bicycle Accident
After a bicycle accident, you may be stressed about the amount of medical bills and lost wages you may have incurred. However, when filing a lawsuit against a negligent party, you’re entitled to receive compensation back. This compensation can cover various damages, including medical bills, pain and suffering, present and future wages lost, and loss of earning capacity. This compensation will not make up for everything that occurred. However, it may help to ease your mind and get you focused on feeling better.
Getting Help from a St. Petersburg Bicycle and Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
An experienced lawyer is the right choice in helping you file a lawsuit for your bicycle or pedestrian accident. An attorney can help be your voice. Not only will they argue your case but also speak to insurance companies and deal with negotiations on your behalf. Having an experienced attorney is essential for these types of cases. Jones Law Group has the experienced and hardworking attorneys that you’re looking for. For more information, or a free case evaluation, please contact us by calling 727-571-1333, by filling out our online contact form, or by using our Chat feature below.