If you’ve been hurt in a bicycle accident in St. Petersburg, Florida, it’s time to reach out to the award-winning legal team at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers. Even though you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries, the road to recovery can be tough. Our experienced St. Petersburg bicycle accident lawyers can help you force the negligent motorist, their insurance company, or another liable party to make things right.
Choosing us puts a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney and award-winning Florida litigators with over 50 years of combined experience in your corner. Our determined, unwavering defense of our client’s rights has helped us win more than $120 million in financial awards.
Now, we’re here to help you make the most of your bike accident lawsuit. We offer a complimentary case evaluation with a St. Petersburg bicycle accident attorney, so contact our St. Petersburg, FL, law office today at (727) 787-2500.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Helps Bike Accident Victims in St. Petersburg, FL
When you’re hit by a car while riding your bike in St. Petersburg, FL, the consequences can be catastrophic. You’ll need time to recover from your debilitating injuries, but you’ll also need to take advantage of the opportunity to seek compensation for your medical bills, disability, and other crash-related damages.
You can’t focus all of your energy on both. Fortunately, you don’t have to. When you hire Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, you’ll be able to invest all of your time into getting back on your feet. One of our experienced St. Petersburg personal injury attorney will handle the rest.
Count on our St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys to:
- Work closely with forensic specialists, medical specialists, rehabilitation professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, and other expert witnesses as we investigate your accident and build your personal injury claim
- Evaluate medical records, accident reports, witness statements, property damage, dashcam footage, photographs of damaged property and the scene of the accident, and other pieces of evidence obtained during discovery
- Assess your damages and carefully calculate what your bicycle accident case is worth
- Determine the best strategies for dealing with claims of comparative negligence
- Actively pursue a top-dollar settlement for you during negotiations with the at-fault driver, the insurance company, or another third party
- Have an award-winning Florida trial attorney bring your bike accident lawsuit to a Pinellas County jury, if necessary
Our St. Petersburg bicycle accident attorneys represent crash victims on a contingency fee basis. You’ll pay absolutely nothing unless we win compensation for your bicycle accident case.
Contact us today to set a time for a free initial case evaluation. Members of our team are standing by to answer your call 24 hours a day.
Are Bicycle Accidents Common in St. Petersburg?
Even though St. Petersburg has considerably better bicycle infrastructure than other cities in Florida, traffic accidents involving bicyclists are still an all-too-common occurrence.
In fact, St. Petersburg and surrounding cities in Pinellas County consistently rank among the most dangerous for bicyclists.
According to the state’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 652 bicycle accidents in Pinellas County in 2023. At least 12 of these bicycle accidents were fatal.
That’s nearly two bicycle accidents every day and one bike accident fatality a month.
Who’s Liable for a St. Petersburg Bike Accident?
Bicycle accidents can happen for a lot of different reasons.
Depending on how and why your bike accident happened, liable parties might include:
- The driver of a passenger car
- Bus driver
- Truck driver
- Bicyclist
- Pedestrian
- Uber or Lyft driver
- Transportation company
- Bicycle or equipment manufacturer
- Vehicle manufacturer
- Negligent party’s employer
- Property owner
- Government agency
At the end of the day, anyone whose negligent or wrongful actions play a part in causing a bicycle accident can be liable for resulting damages.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for My Bicycle Accident?
Under Florida’s modified comparative fault law, liability is shared proportionately to fault. Anyone – including a victim – will be liable to the degree they’re responsible for causing a bike accident. As a victim, this also means that your ability to recover compensation can be jeopardized if you caused your bike accident in any way.
You won’t be able to recover compensation from a third party if you’re 51 percent or more at fault for the bicycle accident.
Damages can be awarded on a reduced basis if your liability is less than 51 percent. For instance, sharing 20 percent of the blame for a bicycle accident in St. Petersburg will lead to a 20 percent reduction in your settlement or jury award.
Our St. Petersburg bicycle accident attorneys will be ready to challenge any claims of shared fault that might be raised by the defense. Many times, these allegations are made without substantial evidence backing them up. We’ll work hard to make sure that your role in the crash – if any – is minimized.
What Causes Most Bicycle Accidents?
Some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding
- Illegal turns
- Road rage
- Aggressive driving
- Running red lights
- Rolling stops
- Failing to yield the right of way at intersections
- Failing to signal
- Dooring
- Unsafe passing
- Vehicle defects
- Road defects, including poorly lit bike lanes, obstructed signage, and damaged pavement
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand the importance of getting to the bottom of why and how a bike accident happens. When we take your case, we’ll waste no time launching a full-scale investigation into your collision to get the answers we need to help you win.
How Much Money Is My Bicycle Injury Claim Worth?
Every bicycle accident is different. Every injured bicyclist will have a different experience in the days, weeks, and months after their crash.
So, there’s no standard valuation for bicycle accident claims.
However, certain factors will always be relevant when determining how much money an injured bicyclist might be able to recover through a personal injury claim:
- What types of physical injuries did you suffer in the bike accident?
- What medical care will you need to treat your injuries, and for how long?
- Can you still work?
- Has your income (or ability to earn an income) changed?
- How old are you?
- Are you disabled?
- How has being in a bicycle accident changed your quality of life?
- Did you do anything to mitigate your damages?
- Did the accident aggravate a pre-existing medical condition?
- Do you share some of the responsibility for the bike accident?
The extent of your injuries will be the most influential factor. After all, the more serious your injuries, the more of an impact they’ll have on your life – physically, emotionally, and financially.
On the other hand, some factors – like shared fault or a failure to mitigate damages – can drive down the potential value of your bicycle injury claim.
Knowledge is power, especially when you’re going up against a powerful insurance company. Empower yourself by speaking with an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in St. Petersburg about your crash today. We can review your situation, help you understand what your legal claim might be worth, and then help you fight for the best possible results.
What Damages Can Be Awarded to Injured Bicyclists?
If your bike accident happened because someone else was negligent, you’ll have the right to seek economic damages and non-economic damages for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Physical therapy
- Property damage
- Funeral expenses
- Chronic physical pain
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Embarrassment
- Disfigurement
- PTSD
In some cases, punitive damages might also be awarded. In Florida, juries have the discretion to order a defendant to pay these additional damages when there’s clear evidence of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.
Helping You Seek Compensation for All of Your Bicycle Accident Injuries
Bicyclists involved in St. Petersburg car accidents are likely to suffer:
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Crush injuries
- Chest injuries
- Concussion injuries
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Thoracic injuries
- Neck injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Paralysis
- Eye injuries
- Burn injuries
- Road rash
- Amputation injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help you seek compensation for any injuries you’ve suffered in a recent St. Petersburg bike accident. Report your crash to the local police, seek prompt medical care, and then reach out to our legal team to get a jump-start on your fight for compensation.
How Long Will I Have to Sue After I Get Hurt in a Florida Bicycle Accident?
Most often, injured bicyclists in Florida have two years from the date of their traffic accidents to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Similarly, families have two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit if a bicycle accident in St. Petersburg, FL, is fatal.
Once the statute of limitations passes, a bike accident victim loses the right to seek compensation from an insurance company or another responsible party.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced St. Petersburg Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Don’t navigate the aftermath of your bike accident on your own. Don’t settle for less than you deserve. Focus on your recovery and trust Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to handle the rest.
Our St. Petersburg bicycle accident lawyers have over 50 years of collective experience handling tough personal injury cases like yours. We’re recognized as Tampa Bay’s Top Trial Lawyers and AV Preeminent litigators by Martindale-Hubbell because of our proven track record of success.
Contact us at our law office in St. Petersburg, FL, today to put our top-rated legal team in your corner. Your first consultation is free.
