Frequently Asked Questions
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How Do I Pay the Legal Fees for My Bicycle Accident Case? I handle your case on a contingency fee basis, so when your case settles our fee is a percentage of that settlement. You will never write us a personal check. Instead, we write a check to you when your case settles or when we win your case at trial.
Have You Been Injured In A Bicycle Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Florida bicycle accident you should speak with an experienced bicycle injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.
Here are some other questions you might have about your cycling accident:
If I Hire You as My Lawyer for My Bicycle Accident, Will It Cost Me Money Up Front?
Are There Any Hidden Lawyer Fees?
Why is it Important to Hire an Experienced Cycling Accident Lawyer?
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Are There Any Hidden Attorney Fees I Should Know About? There are never hidden fees. You are never charged for lawyer or staff time, or for phone calls. Our fee is a percentage of your settlement, nothing else. We clearly spell it out in our fee agreement.
Have You Been Injured In A Bicycle Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Florida bicycle accident you should speak with an experienced bicycle injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.
Here are some other questions you might have about your cycling accident:
If I Hire You as My Lawyer for My Bicycle Accident, Will It Cost Me Money Up Front?
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If I Hire You as My Lawyer for My Bicycle Accident, Will It Cost Me Money Up Front? No. I work on your case without charging you a dime unless and until we recover money for you. I tell clients “you will receive a check, you will not write a check.” We advance any required costs to prove your case, giving every client a fair opportunity to achieve the best settlement possible. If your lawyer is not willing to advance the costs in your case, he or she may not be adequately advocating for your interests.
Have You Been Injured In A Bicycle Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Florida bicycle accident you should speak with an experienced bicycle injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.
Here are some other questions you might have about your cycling accident:
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I was in a Bicycle Accident and the Driver Who Hit Me Doesn't Have Insurance... Can I Still Be Compensated for My Injuries? If you have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your auto policy, it covers you on your bicycle if your injury involves a vehicle. UM is a small price to pay on your auto insurance for the extra protection it offers while you ride, protecting you from drivers with little or no insurance. If you’re unsure about the extent of your insurance coverage, send me a copy of your policy declarations sheet and I’ll review it for you.
Have You Been Injured In A Bicycle Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Florida bicycle accident you should speak with an experienced bicycle injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.
Here are some other questions you might have about your cycling accident:
Who Pays for My Broken Bicycle After a Florida Accident?
Will Pursuing My Bicycle Accident Case Take Up a Lot of My Time?
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Can I Be Compensated for My Injuries if I was Cycling and the Car Never Hit Me? Yes. People believe you cannot recover without an actual collision between a vehicle and your bicycle. That’s not true. If you take evasive action to avoid a collision and wind up crashing, you may still be able to recover as long as the driver’s lack of care is the reason you were hurt.
Have You Been Injured In A Bicycle Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Florida bicycle accident you should speak with an experienced bicycle injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.
Here are some other questions you might have about your cycling accident:
What are the Most Common Ways Cyclists are Forced Off the Road?
If I Hire You as My Lawyer for My Bicycle Accident, Will It Cost Me Money Up Front?
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Should I Call an Attorney Even if I want to Handle My Own Bicycle Accident Case? Absolutely. I can advise you on crucial time limits and how to talk with your insurance adjuster without harming your claim. Settling a personal injury claim can be very complicated. I’m always happy to help fellow cyclists recover for your injuries or for the damage to your bike, even if you choose not to hire me. I’ll even send you information to help you understand what’s involved in settling your own case.
Have You Been Injured In A Bicycle Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Florida bicycle accident you should speak with an experienced bicycle injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.
Here are some other questions you might have about your cycling accident:
Why is it Important to Hire an Experienced Cycling Accident Lawyer?
If I Hire You as My Lawyer for My Bicycle Accident, Will It Cost Me Money Up Front?
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Will I Actually Talk to an Attorney When I Call Your Office? Absolutely. When you initially call, you’ll speak to someone from our terrific support staff and they will take down your information for me. If I’m out of the office or not able to talk to you immediately, they will set a time for us to talk later that day or the next day at the latest.
Have You Been Injured In A Bicycle Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Florida bicycle accident you should speak with an experienced bicycle injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.
Here are some other questions you might have about your cycling accident:
Why is it Important to Hire an Experienced Cycling Accident Lawyer?
If We Meet at My House to Discuss My Cycling Accident Case, Who will Come?
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So Your Lawyer Insists on You Seeing Their Doctor… Is this a Good Idea? It is common for people injured in accidents to be confused and not know where to get help. Many times they run to an attorney before seeing a doctor. Some believe it is best for their case if a lawyer sends them to “their lawyer’s” doctor.
It’s really not, let me tell you why.
The law in Florida has always provided that if a witness is shown to be biased it can damage his or her believability even if they may be telling the truth. In a case decided in 2014 the court expanded the ability to look into the potential for bias in doctor/lawyer relationships during a case.
The court reasoned that lawyers in a civil suit have a limited ability to look into how much money an expert has been paid by the party who hired them. But the rules do not prevent discovery of potential bias of the witness.
This allows attorneys to investigate potential bias of treating doctors by looking into direct referrals to and from law firms including the percentage of income the doctor earned from the relationship.
The theory behind this is that a physician’s financial stake in treating patients referred by law firms could create a bias to provide favorable testimony for their patients so the physician gets more referrals from law firms.
While many attorneys have a long list of objectives and well trained doctors they could recommend to you without harming your case, you must be wary of attorneys that insist on helping you find treatment or will not take your case unless you use their doctors. This kind of “service” can kill the value of your case if it turns out every case the lawyer gets is referred to a certain doctor.
If your lawyer insists on you only seeing “their doctor,” beware.
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What are the Most Common Ways Cyclists are Forced Off the Road? There are three different ways this can happen.
Probably the most common way a cyclist is forced off the road is by a driver who collides with them, but stops and remains at the scene of the accident.
The second way it happens is when a vehicle strikes a cyclist but does not stop. This is what we refer to as a hit-and-run accident. People leave the scene after causing an accident for many reasons. Often times, the driver does not have a valid license, he or she has been drinking and wants to avoid a DUI, or already has a warrant out for his or her arrest.
Fleeing the scene after an accident in which the cyclist was injured is a cowardly thing to do. The driver may be the only person who knows the cyclist has been hurt. When they fail to call for help, they put the cyclist’s life in danger. It is also a felony in Florida.
There are also crashes caused by phantom vehicles. That would describe a driver who comes so close to a cyclist that the rider is forced off the road to avoid a collision and the driver keeps going. It is almost as if the driver were never there, hence the term ‘phantom vehicle.’ These accidents can be fairly tricky to handle because the driver may not realize that he or she caused an accident and can be difficult to locate.
Anyone that suffers a serious injury as a result of any of these types of collisions should contact an experienced bicycle lawyer to understand what can be done to seek compensation for your injuries and have your medical bills paid.
Have You Been Injured In A Bicycle Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Florida bicycle accident you should speak with an experienced bicycle injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.
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What are the Penalties for Hit and Run Drivers in Florida? In 2014 the Florida legislature stiffened the penalties for drivers who flee the scene of an accident involving an injury. The new law was the result of the outcry after the death of Aaron Cohen, a cyclist, who was killed by a hit and run driver in Miami in 2012.
The law created increased penalties for someone convicted of leaving the scene of an accident in which someone was injured. There are four levels of penalty:
- First, fleeing from an accident with injury which is not serious bodily injury is punishable by up to five years in prison (a third degree felony).
- Second, if the victim suffered serious bodily injury, the penalty is increased to up to fifteen years (a second degree felony).
- Third, if the victim was killed, the penalty increases to up to thirty years of incarceration (a first degree felony) and there is a four year mandatory minimum sentence.
- Fourth, if the driver was driving under the influence at the time, they are subject to a four year mandatory minimum sentence as well.
The law also imposes requirements for restitution to the victim or their family and a required driver’s license suspension.
These enhanced penalties are designed to give the sentencing judge greater discretion to impose longer jail time after a conviction, especially when there are aggravating circumstances involved.
If you have questions about a hit and run injury accident in Florida we would be happy to help you.
Have You Been Injured In A Car Accident?
If you've been hurt in Florida car accident you should speak with an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 727.446.0840 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation.