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NEW PORT RICHEY BICYCLE ACCIDENTS AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Florida is known for its year-round outdoor activities. One of the most enjoyable of those, for many, is riding bicycles. While many roads have designated “bike lanes” on the shoulders, accidents frequently occur. Because the bicyclist is not driving an insured vehicle, the insurance process works a bit different in these situations.
Florida law places a high burden on motorists to avoid collisions with pedestrians, including those traveling on bicycles. If a motorist fails to use due care to avoid accidents with pedestrians, that motorist can be found liable for damages. This holds true even if the bicycle rider was negligent in some way.
HOW FLORIDA BEING A “NO FAULT” STATE IMPACTS BICYCLISTS
Florida is a “no fault” state when it comes to automobile accidents. That means if you are involved in a car accident, the Personal Injury Protection insurance from YOUR policy applies first to cover your initial medical bills regardless of whether you were at fault for the accident or not.
When a motorist strikes a bicyclist, however, that pedestrian does not have PIP insurance on the bicycle. Accordingly, Florida law dictates that the motorist’s PIP coverage must apply not only to cover any injuries to the motorist, but also to the bicyclist.
LIMITATIONS ON PIP COVERAGE
Personal Injury Protection coverage, however, is very limited. It covers only 80% of the first $10,000 in medical bills. If the injuries are serious, the PIP will not be enough. In that case, an additional claim may be pursued against the driver of the vehicle in the event he or she is deemed at fault for the accident.
Most people in Florida are not aware of the many laws that protect Florida bicycle drivers.
Consult with Fowkes & Hasanbasic, Accident and Insurance Lawyers About Recovery For Your New Port Richey Bicycle Accident Case
Located in Trinity, the Fowkes & Hasanbasic, Accident and Insurance Lawyers, represent injured people throughout Florida. We offer you a free claims evaluation and we handle your case on contingency, so you do not owe us lawyers’ fees unless we recover damages. We have a 24-hour call back policy so you can speak to us at any time throughout your case.
Our main office is located in Trinity, FL (Pasco County), but we handle cases throughout the Tampa Bay area and all of Florida.