Tallahassee Bicycle Accident Lawyers
According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2015 alone, approximately 467,000 bicyclists were injured in bicycle accidents. The most serious bike injuries often involve an accident involving a biker and a motor vehicle. When a bike accident involves a motor vehicle or driver, drivers could be held liable for the injuries they cause riders. Drivers are required to share the road with bicyclists and riders are likewise required to follow the rules of the road. Bicycle accidents can leave victims suffering a range of serious injuries including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, broken bones, internal injuries, sprains, strains, and other injuries. If you’ve been hurt in a bike accident in Tallahassee, Florida, and a motor vehicle driver was at fault, you may be entitled to seek damages for your medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. Have questions about your rights after a bike accident? Reach out to Smith & Vanture and speak to one of our Tallahassee bicycle accident lawyers. Call 800-443-4529 for a FREE consultation.
Steps to Take After a Bicycle Accident in Tallahassee, Florida
What steps can you take after a bicycle accident to protect your rights? The first thing you should do is call for help. If you or another person are injured, you may be required by law to call or seek medical attention. Some injuries may be difficult to detect. If you hit your head, you may not know right away if there is bleeding in your brain. So, if you hit your head in a bicycle accident, you may want to seek medical attention right away. If it hurts to breathe or if you feel tenderness in your abdominal region after a bike accident, you may want to seek medical attention. Internal bleeding can sometimes be tough to detect, so seeking medical care after a serious bike accident may be the wisest first choice.
Always call the police and make an accident report. If you later need to seek damages from the driver for your injuries or from their insurers, having an accident report of what happened can help you should you need to make a claim. If you can, exchange information with the other driver. Get their contact information and their insurance information. If you have your phone handy, it can also be helpful to take photos of your bike, your injuries, damage to the vehicle, and the configuration of your bike and the other car. Finally, if you have been seriously injured, are facing medical costs, or have suffered a disability in your accident, you may have the right to seek damages for your losses. Smith & Vanture is a bicycle accident law firm in Tallahassee, Florida that may be able to assist you with your claim.
Can I Seek Damages if I Wasn’t Wearing a Bike Helmet in Tallahassee, Florida?
You may still have the right to seek damages for your bike injuries even if you weren’t wearing a bike helmet in Tallahassee, Florida. Not wearing a helmet can impact your claim, but only in certain cases. For example, if you suffered a head injury in your bike accident and were not wearing a helmet, this might have an impact on your claim because the driver might claim that your failure to wear a helmet is the cause of the severity of your injury. However, if it is determined that you would have suffered a head injury whether you were wearing a helmet, then your damages may only be reduced in severity, but you may still be entitled to make a claim if you were not wearing a helmet. Finally, if your injuries didn’t involve your head, and you weren’t wearing a helmet, your failure to wear a bike helmet may not even be relevant to your claim.
At the end of the day, if you are a bicycle rider, you should always wear a helmet. It can protect your head in the event of a serious bike accident. But if you’ve been in a bike accident and were not wearing a helmet, you may still have important rights under the law. The Tallahassee bike accident lawyers at Smith & Vanture can review your situation and may be able to help you seek damages for your losses.
Protect Your Rights After a Bicycle Accident in Tallahassee, Florida
Bike riders have rights if they have been hurt in a bike accident in Tallahassee, Florida. You may have the right to seek damages for your injuries, medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Smith & Vanture is a bike accident law firm in Tallahassee, Florida that may be able to assist you with your claim. Yet, you may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim under the law. Call 800-443-4529 for a FREE consultation and seek help today from one of our Tallahassee bicycle attorneys.