Bicycle accidents can occur due to roadway hazards, defective parts and mistakes made by the rider. Many injuries, however, involve a car or other motor vehicle.

Driver negligence or recklessness is often behind car-bicycle accidents. In some instances, drivers pull out of a parking space without checking for approaching bicyclists.  Increasingly, bicycle accidents take place while drivers are distracted by talking on cell phones or texting messages. Other common mistakes made by motorists that lead to collisions with bicycles include:

• Turning in front of a bicycle;
• Inattentiveness while passing a bicyclist;
• Failure to yield right of way at an intersection or running a stop sign or red light;
• Failure to look both ways at a stop sign;
• Failure to signal;
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
• Opening the door of a parked vehicle without looking for cyclists.

When motorists fail in their duty to keep a proper look out for bicyclists, they can be held liable for the damage and injuries that they cause. Even when a bicyclist’s actions contribute to the accident, a motorist has a responsibility to watch the road in front of them and obey traffic laws, such as speed limits, that are intended to protect other road users. Our lawyers who concentrate in bicycle accidents investigate each case to expose driver negligence, speeding and other factors that contributed to the accident.

If you have been injured while riding a bicycle due to the negligence of someone else, you may be entitled to compensation for current and future medical bills, as well as lost wages and pain and suffering.  Bicyclists have the same rights as any other person on the road and they deserve an aggressive lawyer to fight for those rights. Our Florida bicycle accident lawyers have helped hundreds of victims and their families recover from injuries in car, truck and bicycle accidents.

If you or someone you love has been injured by a motorist in a bicycle accident, we urge you to contact one of our Florida bicycle accident lawyers to protect your rights. Gilman Law LLP is a Florida personal injury law firm here to help. Please fill out our online form, or call 1 800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636) to discuss your case with one of the experienced bicycle accident lawyers at our firm.