Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

A Dania Beach school bus accident injured a bicyclist on July 13, 2011. 21-year-old Maurice Burrel, from Fort Lauderdale, suffered a knee injury after his bike was struck by the school bus.

According to statistics from the Department of Transportation, there were a total of 2,252 deadly bus accidents between 1999 and 2005. Of those accidents, 857 involved school buses. According to the report, approximately 63,000 buses of all types are involved in accidents each year, resulting in about 375 deaths of people including bus drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

National School Bus Safety Week is officially in October, but it is important for people to practice bus safety year-round. To learn more about "Stop on Red, Kids Ahead," and read about bus safety tips from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, click here.

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Police are investigating a hit-and-run accident in Oakland Park, Florida, that caused the death of a 22-year-old man in April 2011. Authorities have collected DNA samples from the vehicle suspected in the bicycle accident that killed Michael James Martin.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, 4,380 people were injured as a result of a bicycle accident and 118 bicyclists were killed in Florida in 2008. Because a bicycle does not provide as much protection as a car or truck, bicyclists are often subject to serious personal injuries if involved in a crash. Some of these injuries can include traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury, broken bones, damage to the internal organs, in and some cases, death.

Oftentimes, a bicycle accident is caused by the negligence of another driver. Drivers who fail to follow traffic laws, are inattentive, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, put bicyclists at risk on the roads.

When a negligent driver causes an accident resulting in the death of another person on the roadway, be it pedestrian, bicyclist or another motorist, the family of the victim has the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver that caused the accident. Wrongful death cases are complex legal matters that should be handled with the help of an experienced wrongful death lawyer. Such cases arise from a variety of incidents, including auto accidents, motorcycle crashes, bicycle accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents and construction accidents.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Wrongful Death Lawyer on Hit-and-Run Accident that Killed Oakland Park Man" »

Last weekend, a Coral Springs man became the victim of a fatal bicycle accident that took place on Sample Road. Coral Springs police are still investigating the accident, which involved bicyclist Michael Fish, and the driver of a 2008 Infiniti, Anthony Pennachio, who has not been charged.

As Coral Springs bicycle injury lawyers, we are very familiar with the dangers that bicyclists face on our Florida roads. Bicyclists face risks of serious personal injuries and, in some cases, death, when riding for leisure or to their workplaces. While there are a number of reasons bicycle accidents occur, they are, in some cases, caused by negligent car drivers or defective bicycle manufacturing.

Unfortunately, bicycle accidents occur way too often in Florida. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, Florida has been one of the top 3 states for bicycle accident fatalities since 2001, and had the highest number of bicycle accident deaths in the nation in 2007 and 2008. In 2008 alone, there were 4,380 accident injuries involving bicyclists and 118 deaths.

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Florida bike riders suffered the most bicycle accident deaths in 2007 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  Approximately 119 to 121 deaths resulted from 4,847 bike crashes in Florida in 2007.  Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach County ranked amongst the highest death totals, with 6, 12, and 10 bicycle accident deaths, respectively.  Nationally, Florida had more bike deaths than California and New York.

There are many suspected contributing factors behind Florida's dubious ranking.  One such factor is the year-round biking season which provides more opportunity for potential bike accident deaths and injuries.  Other such factors, however, include the multitude of Florida automobiles, a lack of necessary bike lanes, and a lack of safety education on the part of both auto drivers and bicyclists.

Bicycle safety is key for both the bike rider and the automobile driver when traveling on South Florida roads.   All too often, drivers fail to keep a proper lookout for bicyclists either sharing the roadway or traveling in designated bike lanes.  The NHTSA suggests that drivers give three feet of clearance when passing bicyclists, yield to cyclists at intersections, and to be mindful of cyclists' presence when turning, opening doors, and pulling out of parking spaces.  Likewise, bicyclists should wear proper safety equipment, obey the rules of the road, and increase their visibility by wearing bright colors and equipping their bikes with reflectors and lights.

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