Bicycle accidents are more common than they should be in the state of Florida. Cycling accidents can be deadly or lead to serious lifelong disabilities and ailments. These kinds of accidents have been happening more frequently in the United States, and negligence may be at the root of many of them.
The causes of cycling accidents
According to a report published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, bicycle accidents resulting in death have been increasing at a steady rate. To understand why this is happening, it helps to understand the common causes of bicycle accidents, which include:
- Distracted drivers
- Speeding
- Impaired drivers
- Driver fatigue
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Failure to yield
- Improper lane merging
- Reckless driving
Cycling accident personal injury lawsuits
Most bicycle accidents are not caused by the cyclist. Instead, they are the result of the drivers of cars and trucks. As such, these kinds of motor vehicle accidents can result in personal injury lawsuits.
Cycling accident damages
One of the reasons that bicycle accidents often go to court is because they can cause serious damages for the cyclist. These damages can exist in monetary form in regard to medical bills that must be paid for surgeries, treatment, medication and therapy needed to recover from such injuries.
Even if the cost of the medical bills is minor, your bike will still probably need repairs and may need to be replaced. If other big-ticket items were damaged in the crash, such as your laptop or cellphone, you may be able to recover the cost of those items as well.
In many such cases, however, these injuries lead to permanent disabilities. These will require a lifetime of medical treatment. Furthermore, they could degrade a person’s quality of life. Assessing the value of these changes in quality of life is often considered part of calculating damages.
