How to Avoid a Bicycle And Pedestrian Accident In South Florida

In South Florida, most of the pedestrian and bicycle accidents are caused by negligence from a motorist or a driver who is distracted. Crashes into a pedestrian or cyclist are common. Sometimes, drivers are not able to yield at an intersection that leads to accidents. Some accidents occur while passing a runner, pedestrian or driver. Some pedestrians get careless and do not see both ways after a stop sign. Many accidents occur due to an overdose of alcohol or drugs. Some accidents are caused by street defects and vehicle collisions. Some of these collisions take place due to defective parts of the vehicle that do not function or malfunction!

What are the common types of injuries caused by bicycle and pedestrian accidents?

Most of the injuries caused by bicycle and pedestrian accidents can be severe. A worst case scenario is permanent disability!

Usually, wearing a helmet is not required in South Florida. However, most health insurance companies make it compulsory for policyholders to get one. However, wearing a helmet does not guarantee 100% safety! Some of the injuries cannot be prevented due to other larger vehicles being involved.

Some common bike accident injuries include damage to soft tissues head injuries, including skull fractures Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and injuries to the face.

What are some of the safety precautions that can be taken to avoid such accidents?

Drivers as well as pedestrians need to be extra careful. They should be aware of safety precautions. Some of the common safety measures include:

• Wearing a helmet
• Respecting traffic laws
• Avoiding busy roads
• Avoiding distractions like cellphones and listening to music
• Using your turn signals
• Looking carefully before making a turn
• Using bike lights

What precautions should cyclists take?

Cycling has become overly popular in South Florida. Cyclists and drivers need to adjust their driving to heightened traffic. The vehicle speed needs to be lower when there are many bicycle and pedestrians on the road. Thus, drivers need to be more careful. There are certain streets that have been built to accommodate a high volume of traffic. However, some communities do need an update in the coming years.

What to do if injured in a bicycle or pedestrian accident?

 Right after your accident, you must seek medical treatment. Try to know the exact nature of your injuries. This way you can end up getting the right amount of treatment. Also, you can return to normal health in a relatively short period of time. You must know about any future claims that you may have for compensation. Most importantly, you will have to demonstrate that the injuries were a direct outcome of the accident in question. In case you fail to seek treatment, the opposing party's insurance companies might try to defend against your allegations.

Once you get proper medical treatment, try to reach out to an experienced South Florida personal injury lawyer to start preparing your claims. Your lawyeris the right person who can represent your interests in negotiations with the other party. Most importantly, he/she can help you recover the compensation you truly deserve. Usually, insurance companies know exactly what your claim is worth. They will try their best to avoid paying these amounts. Here is when your South Florida personal injury attorney acts as your savior! He/she will ensure that the insurance companies do not take advantage of you at such a crucial time.

When you are a driver, you need to take care of some important things. Here are some of the top safety precautions that drivers or bicyclists should take:

Knowing about Bicyclist and Pedestrian Rights
When you are a driver, you must know about bicyclist and pedestrian rights at the time of sharing the road. Also, you must understand the rights and responsibilities as well as the rules and regulations. Look into the rules that are applicable to bicyclists and pedestrians on the roads. This can help you to predict how cyclists and runners act when out on the road. Also, you learn how to react to bicyclist and pedestrian behavior.

Look into the blind spots
You mustcheckyour blind spots in order to prevent accidents. This is important for any driver. But, many drivers check their blind spots to see other cars only. They should look for pedestrians and cyclists as well!

Be aware and alert
There are some drivers who tend to go on autopilot the moment they approach their homes. They do the same when they lose their focus while driving. This causes great danger to pedestrians and bicyclists alike. While driving, you must remember that you must stay alert at all times. It does not matter how familiar you are with the locality! Also, you must stay awake while driving! Do not drive when you are overly sleepy! Just go for a short nap and then continue driving once the nap is complete.

Take pedestrians’ speed into account
Many car-bicycle accidents occur at intersections. The main cause is drivers’ failure to predict the speed at which a cyclist or runner is traveling. Make sure to err on the side of caution. You must give riders a good deal of time and space.

Do not open your door randomly
You cannot just open your car door into the path of a runner or bicyclist! In case your car is not moving, keep in mind that the door can still block a cyclist’s path. This can pretty much stop them all of a sudden. And, this might cause an accident! Also, it can injure a runner, putting them off balance. When you are a driver, you need to stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Being a driver, you must check for pedestrians before entering or exiting a driveway. Make sure to wear sunglasses to avoid glare if the sun is reflecting on vehicles. Also, make sure to keep your windshield clean. Being a driver, you must watch for pedestrians coming out from between parked cars.

Slips and Falls Are No Joke: Five Good Reasons to Hire a Slip and Fall Lawyer

A majority of slip and fall accidents tend to occur for various reasons. They may be caused due to poor property maintenance or by certain weather conditions. If the property is not well-maintained, the owner may be held liable. If the weather is at fault, it is not that likely that the owner will be held negligent.

Some hazards cannot be avoided. Various owners might try to keep up with various slippery conditions. If they make a strong effort to keep things safe, they may not be liable for injuries that tend to take place. There are certain circumstances under which an owner is responsible.

How can a slip and fall lawyer help?

The main goal of a personal injury lawyer is to prove negligence. While doing so, the lawyer shows the defendant is legally responsible for your set of injuries. A lawyer may discover that the sidewalk was in disrepair for several months and that the owner has had certain other incidents/injuries that take place as a result. This type of info can clearly establish fault. Also, it can get you the compensation you truly require. If a claim is settled out of court or goes to trial, a personal injury lawyer offers crucial counsel as well as support. 

Here are the top 5 reasons to hire a slip and fall lawyer:

You have to pay the lawyer only when you are compensated

Like other lawyers, slip and fall injury lawyers tend to receive payment when you receive your compensation. This is known as a contingency payment. A contingency payment indicates that your lawyer will get paid only when you get reimbursed. If your insurance does not get you compensated for your injury, then you do not owe your slip and fall injury lawyer a penny! Thus, you have nothing to lose. So, you should just go ahead and hire a slip and fall, injury lawyer. That way your chances of getting fair compensation for your slip and fall case will be high.

It just seems fair since when you get rewarded, your lawyer gets rewarded too.

You can decide to rest a bit

At the time of hiring a slip and fall injury lawyer, keep in mind that he will take care of all of your legal troubles. Thus, you are likely to have more time to rest. You can make use of the time to get recovery from your set of injuries. Just relax! Keep in mind that your lawyer is there to help you. He will make sure to get the best compensation deal for you too.

You must try to take advantage of the resources you have. Never worry about other things. Your slip and fall injury lawyer will handle all of the rest. If you are trying to get recovery from a severe injury and you wish to take care of your legal issues, things are likely to get extremely tough. Your insurance adjuster will make sure to deal with wants to provide you a little amount of compensation for your injury. You can simply let your lawyer deal with the insurance adjuster. Meanwhile, you can just focus on your recovery stage.

Your lawyer knows the law well

A slip and fall injury attorney are one who is experienced in his/her field. They are specialized in dealing with various slip and fall cases on a daily basis. Most of them are familiar with all of the laws. These laws include handling issues such as reimbursing your personal health insurance etc. Thus, you will be able to rely on your lawyer since he/she will know exactly how to handle your situation. This is mainly based on certain previous slip and fall cases that he/she has taken on.

At the time of calling your health insurance to negotiate a settlement, you would not know the right things to say. You are not likely to have an idea as to which the right questions are that need to be asked. After all, you will not know enough about injury laws. Therefore, the insurance company may not wish to help you since they know that you are not familiar with the way things tend to work.

When you have the support of your own slip and fall injury lawyer, he/she will be able to fight the legal battles for you. He/she will be able to get you the compensation that you truly deserve.

You are more likely to get reimbursed

When you have a South Florida slip and fall lawyer, he/she will give you a good chance of getting reimbursed for your bills that are related to your injuries. Because your lawyer is aware of the laws and the industry, he/she will work hard to provide you a reimbursement. Also, health insurance is less likely to take advantage of your lack of knowledge. If you decide to hire a slip and fall injury attorney, your injury issue will be taken seriously. After all, it should be!

You can make the workplace a safe haven

If you slipped and fell and got yourself injured on someone’s property, it could be considered that a specific person’s fault for negligence. You will require a lawyer to help you prove the negligence of the property owner. Your case will also provide a good deal of attention to the property owner’s negligence plus the hazardous environment. This way the owner will be required to update the safety at the workplace.

Due to your case, the set of safety improvements will tend to prevent a good number of employees from getting injured. Hiring a South Florida Slip & Fall Lawyer for making a case about safety hazards is a good way to make a basic difference at your working place. Keep in mind that severe injuries can take place in the workplace. If this happens to you, you deserve proper compensation for your injury. In order to get the best settlement offer that you can, go ahead and hire a slip and fall lawyer.

How Long Does It Take for a Car Accident Case to Close?

There are many factors that affect the length or duration of a car accident case. Cases that have clear liability and a well-established and understood injury usually settles in few months without any delays. Other cases are not clear at all. Most of the other cases require patience and perseverance to investigate, develop, and complete. Here are some factors that can lengthen the timing of an accident claim:

Involvement of injuries

There are often many questions surrounding the injuries. These queries and questions can keep a claim in limbo for weeks or months at a time. In the initial phase, a physician may not know the recovery period for an injury or the extent of treatments needed to bring an accident victim to maximum recovery levels. A car accident attorney should have this crucial information. This helps him to accurately outline damages for the injury.

There are certain injuries such as whiplash, chronic generalized pain, and soft-tissue injuries. These injuries can raise questions with insurance companies involved in the claim. Insurance adjustors carefully scrutinize claims involving these injuries. This is mainly because many fraudulent claims involve generalized injuries.

The extent of your injuries matter a lot. You certainly do not want to settle a car accident injury claim until you recover completely or reach a point of maximum recovery. Thus, you will know the full extent of your injuries and feel confident that you won’t face additional problems or a future surgery. Your recovery might take six months or more. This certainly adds time to your case. However, it is in your best interest to wait until you know the cost of your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.

Co-operation from insurance companies

Insurance companies usually take their time to respond to conduct investigations and communicate with claimants. However, they need to adhere to certain time limits.

Once the insurance company makes an offer or denies a claim, the injured individual needs to decide on a path forward. A claimant might appeal a denial, accept a claim offer, or reject it and either negotiate settlement terms or file a civil claim for compensation. Communication with the insurance company is the key here. Effective communication may bring the claim closer to or further from resolution.

There are certain insurance companies that are more willing to be flexible than others when it comes to negotiating a settlement. Usually, larger insurance providers have a legal team dedicated to lowering the cost of a claim and negotiating with a plaintiff’s attorney. Insurers who are relatively smaller, may have a large volume of outstanding claims. They take longer for each claim to be addressed by an adjuster. There are other insurers who require several layers of internal review and approval by multiple parties.

Legal proceedings

In case an insurance company does not offer a fair settlement, a plaintiff might initiate the civil claims process. Most of the car accident cases and lawsuits involve a discovery period and additional out-of-court negotiations. When the two parties still cannot reach a satisfactory offer, the case is expected to go to trial. Every stage of the legal process takes extra time to complete.

Usually, cases that involve serious injuries, questionable liability, or a potentially high settlement value will take longer to successfully resolve than straightforward claims.

In case you decide to pursue a car accident injury lawsuit, there are certain steps you’ll need to take. Once the lawsuit gets filed and the other party gets 30 days to answer, the discovery phase of the case begins. This is where each side gets to ask questions in an effort to collect information from each other about the case. Depositions are taken then. The witnesses and medical providers will also be deposed. This process can be lengthy. It is then that the court will typically require mediation.

Additional time leading to a better settlement offer

Most of the seriously injured victims may need ongoing care and support for months or years after a car accident. If they decide to take the time to develop and fight for a fair settlement, it can pretty much improve a claimant’s financial stability after an accident.

Offset legal fees

Many personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This implies that they receive a percentage of the settlement. A greater settlement benefits both claimants and attorneys involved in the case.

Level of awareness

There are certain claimants who pursue cases to raise awareness of particularly negligent driving behaviors and hold careless drivers accountable. When the lawsuit is lengthy, it can force insurance companies to follow good faith practices and prevent other drivers from making reckless driving mistakes.

Case details

When there are gaps in the documentation of the crash, the case may take longer to settle. Additionally, an accident involving a commercial trucking company, delivery truck, or other major corporation may require an extensive investigation. This adds to the overall timeline of the case.

Percentage of fault

It might be a bit tricky to establish liability in your case. So, you need to be patient throughout this process. After all, liability is a major factor in the amount you may receive in your case. A claimant’s settlement will be reduced by his percentage of fault for the accident. If a party is more than 51 percent at fault, he will not be entitled to any damages.

Things to consider prior to settling your case

Keep in mind that a settlement is only one way to conclude your case. In case you are not satisfied with the amount you are offered, you might decline the settlement and take your case to trial. When the insurer makes a strong case to the jury, you may be denied any amount at all for your injuries. If you are successful at trial, the defendant has the ability to appeal the decision, forcing you to go through the process all over again. Thus, many victims would rather accept a settlement that will provide for their losses than go to trial.

Personal Injury Attorneys and Legal Rights of Victims

PERSONAL INJURY LEGAL TEAM OF ATTORNEYS

We are dedicated to helping people who have been hurt or injured due to the negligence of others and those who have been wronged obtain justice. Our successful and respected team of personal injury attorneys represent more than 30 years of experience in difficult lawsuits and negotiating full and fair compensation for all kinds of personal injury cases involving but not limited to, auto accidents, construction accidents, electrical shock incidents, slip and falls, wrongful death accidents, general negligence cases, product liability and special negligence cases.


Legal Rights of a Personal Injury Victim in Case they are Not a Resident of Florida
 
You will definitely have legal rights to a financial recovery, but that would depend on the nature of your crash and the specifics and facts of your accident. Whether you are in an auto accident   down the street from your residence or a few miles away from your home, you should still be covered by your insurance policy. Most policies extend across the country to cover drivers even when they are in out-of-town accidents.
In order to know what your legal rights are after a car crash, you should review your accident and ask yourself some hard-hitting questions. Did your own negligence or distraction cause the accident? Was another driver at fault for the crash? If you were responsible for the accident, it is more than likely that you won’t have a claim against the other driver and his/her insurance company. But your own car insurance coverage will cover your damages and medical bills. If the other driver was at fault, you should have the same legal rights to compensation as Florida residents have. You can pursue a personal injury claim to make a financial recovery for your medical bills, loss of income, pain and suffering and other damages.
Regardless of who is a fault in the crash, it is important that you tend to your medical needs immediately, even while you’re visiting from out-of-town. If you fail to obtain medical attention, the insurance company will question the validity of your claim and will attempt to settle for a lower amount.

Defective Car Tire – Who is At Fault?
 
A tire blow-out while driving your car can be scary, especially if there are no visible signs as to why it happened. The tire may be in a bad condition, mangled or shredded with no other signs, which will make you believe that it was defective.

In worst cases, a tire blow out can make a vehicle lose control and cause serious injuries or even death to those in the car as well as others on the road. If the defective tire is the cause of the blow-out, it is important that you contact a personal injury lawyer who has the essential experience in handling defective tire cases and other car accident injury claims.

Have your tire inspected by a professional who can find out if the tire was defective. An inspection will ensure you are better equipped to pursue a claim.

If you find out your tire was defective after the inspection, a skilled personal injury attorney such as Mark Schiffrin P.A. will help you recover damages from the tire manufacturer, retailer or dealer who sold you the tire. Damages may include financial compensation if you were injured, loss of income, medical fees and more.

Choosing a Lawyer for Your Personal Injury Case
 
It can be a mind-boggling experience to try and choose the right lawyer for your case. In order to know if you are choosing the right person to handle your claim, the lawyer you speak to must meet with a series of questions. Asking questions will help you learn more about the lawyer and be able to determine if you think they’re suitable to deal with your case.

Questions you may ask your lawyer:
•    Do you currently handle cases which are like mine?
•    Which verdicts or settlements have you obtained in similar cases?
•    Are you representing me or passing on the case to someone else?
•    Since when have you been practicing personal injury law in Broward County?
•    Please describe your background in detail?
•    What is your experience as a trial attorney?
•    Will my case settle or go to trial?
•    Will you obtain my medical records from doctors/meds?
•    Do you visit the accident scene?
•    Do you take assistance from investigators and medical experts?
•    How much are the fees you charge? Do you accept cases on a contingency basis?
•    Who is my point of contact and how often will I hear from your law firm?

There are various questions you may ask a lawyer to find out how long he has been practicing law, if he has the experience to deal with your claim, the expertise you are seeking and if you are comfortable with him.

Time it takes to achieve a Successful Outcome for a Personal Injury Case
 
It really depends because a personal injury case for one person will not be the same for another person. There are many factors involved such as extent of injuries, disabilities and if a doctor has released you from medical care. If someone has been severely injured in a car accident, their case might take longer than someone with minor injuries.

Once an experienced South Florida accident attorney reviews your case and the particulars, speaks to your doctors, evaluates and studies medical records, he/she will be able to determine the length of how long your personal injury case should typically last.

Types of Personal Injury Claims that can be brought against an individual or entity include:
•    Road traffic accidents
•    Tripping accidents
•    Assault claims
•    Accidents at work
•    Accidents at home
•    Product defect accidents
•    Holiday accidents

Contact us for a free consultation today!
You can also chat with us online @ www.schiffrinpa.com  or additionally, can call us at 954-961-2082.
You can also email us at schiffrinlaw@bellsouth.net for more information or to discuss your case further.