Many Floridians use bicycles for exercise, recreation, or as an environmentally-friendly form of transportation. Unfortunately, hundreds of West Palm Beach residents are injured in bicycle accidents each year, most often due to the negligent actions of other road users.
In many cases, injured bicyclists may be overwhelmed by their recovery and unsure about how to recover their expenses. After being injured in a bicycle accident caused by a reckless driver or another negligent party, you have the right to seek compensation for costs like medical bills, lost wages, and mental anguish in a bicycle accident lawsuit with the help of a personal injury attorney. Contact a West Palm Beach bicycle accident lawyer to discuss your case.
At Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh, we have built a reputation as adept negotiators who prioritize our clients and their needs. We take pride in our results-driven approach that has led us to recover millions of dollars in damages for our injured clients.
Our founding partners have a background in trial experience that has enabled us to successfully pursue fair settlements from powerful insurance companies for the last decade. Insurance companies will likely be more willing to favorably settle your bicycle accident claim at the negotiation table instead of in a lengthy trial process if they know your attorney is capable of taking them on in court.
If someone else’s negligence has cost you your health and financial stability, KMW Legal is prepared to apply our resources and expertise to help you recover the value of your damages in a bicycle accident lawsuit. We encourage you to reach out to our West Palm office to secure a free strategy session with our bike crash attorneys to discuss the benefits of our services and the damages you may be eligible to claim.
Florida is known as the most dangerous state for bicyclists. According to the FLHSMV, there were 373 bicycle accidents in Palm Beach County in 2020. A staggering 93% of those resulted in injuries, and 12 lives were claimed. While broken street lights, poor weather, heavy traffic, and low nighttime visibility may increase the risk of a bicycle accident, the main threat to bicyclists’ safety is a negligent driver.
When drivers fail to devote their undivided attention to the road or deliberately violate the rules of the road, they may swerve into bike lanes, open their door into a bicyclist, or fail to yield. This can result in serious or fatal injuries for the bicyclist, as they lack the protection of a car frame, airbags, or seat belt.
If a driver injures or kills a bicyclist while distracted, impaired, or otherwise negligent, they can potentially be found liable for the costs of the bicyclist’s damages in a bicycle accident lawsuit in West Palm Beach. The following are a few ways negligent drivers may endanger the health and safety of a bicyclist.
Bicyclists are vulnerable to a range of injuries from the impact of a car, being crushed or thrown, or falling off their bike. The CDC reports 130,000 bicycle accident injuries related to crashes in 2020, which translated into $23 billion dollars in damages like medical bills, lost wages, and loss of quality of life. Even in the case of a broken arm or back sprain, you may have to attend physical therapy, wear a brace, and perform modified duties at your job while you heal.
In the case of severe bicycle accident injuries, you may develop permanent deficits, disabilities, or life-threatening conditions. Many bicycle accident victims with severe injuries experience a coinciding decline in their mental health, as their injuries can be painful and isolating. An injured bicyclist could sustain:
It is important to get your injuries checked out by a medical professional, even if they seem minor. This can prevent insurance companies from using your delay to suggest that you deserve a smaller settlement because you exaggerated your injuries.
Seeking medical assistance is also important because what may appear to be an insignificant injury may spiral into life-threatening conditions if left untreated. This is especially true of head injuries, which are the leading cause of death among injured bicyclists. Wearing a helmet can substantially mitigate the risk of serious head injury or death in a bicycle accident by offering an extra layer of protection. A lawyer in West Palm Beach will account for all injuries in a bike collision claim.
After a bicycle accident, it can feel like your life is spinning out of your control. In some cases, the treatment for your injuries may be expensive enough to exceed insurance coverage, require invasive procedures, and force you to take time away from work, adding additional stress to your life.
In addition to the costs of economic damages like hospital bills or medication, you are also eligible to recover less tangible costs in a bicycle accident lawsuit, like loss of quality of life or pain and suffering. A practiced bicycle accident lawyer in West Palm Beach will be able to evaluate the impact your injuries have had on your ability to work, lifestyle, and comfort in order to calculate the damages to claim in your bicycle accident lawsuit.
Insurance companies are motivated to offer the lowest settlement possible in order to avoid cutting into their bottom line. Unfortunately for injured bicyclists, this will mean facing off against a team of lawyers who are trained to poke holes in your bicycle accident claim. That is why you need an experienced bicycle accident lawyer on your side who is familiar with the tactics insurance companies use.
A skilled bicycle accident lawyer in West Palm Beach is your most valuable asset. They will take over managing communication between you and any bill collectors, insurance claims adjusters, and law enforcement so you can focus on your recovery.
Meanwhile, they will collect evidence like medical records, security camera footage, pictures, witness testimony, and police reports to build a solid case for a bicycle accident claim. When it is time to negotiate, they will advocate on your behalf in order to recover the full value of the losses you have endured.
At Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh, we have handled a variety of bicycle accident lawsuits and successfully negotiated fair settlements for our injured clients over the last decade. Our clients appreciate our meticulous attention to detail and straightforward approach.
As a practice, our Tampa attorneys will keep in close contact with you about the progress of your bicycle crash lawsuit so you do not feel blindsided or left out of the decision-making process. You can depend on our award-winning negotiating skills and unique trial experience to secure you maximum compensation in your bicycle accident lawsuit.
The coastal city of West Palm Beach has a population of 117,415 residents and serves as the county seat for Palm Beach County. It has a lauded arts scene and close ties to historic Florida developers like Henry Flagler. With stunning beaches and a warm climate, many West Palm Beach residents enjoy riding their bikes along the coast.
KMW Legal has dutifully supported injured West Palm Beach bicyclists throughout the claim process in order to recover maximum compensation for damages. Our clients trust us to provide insightful counsel that respects their dignity and rights, and we consistently deliver.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a bicycle accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may feel like you have nowhere to turn for help. The physical pain of an injury is often just the beginning of the loss to come for bicycle accident victims, but they do have the right to seek damages in a bicycle accident lawsuit.
We want you to know that you are not alone in this process.KMW Legal has supported many bicycle accident clients through their painful recoveries and watched first-hand how the weight of medical debt, lost wages, and mental health issues burdened their families.
For the last decade, we have dedicated ourselves to protecting injured bicycle accident victims by applying our relentless work ethic and sharp legal insight to recover maximum compensation at the negotiating table and at trial with great success. Reach out to our West Palm Beach bicycle accident lawyers today to schedule a no-cost, no-commitment strategy session. Join us to discuss your story and receive personalized legal advice.
