Bicycle helmet laws were enacted to help keep you safe. Wearing a helmet could save your life. Additionally, it protects your right to recover full compensation if you are injured in a bicycle accident. Read on to learn what you should know about Florida bicycle laws.
If you are injured in a bicycle accident caused by someone else, whether or not you were wearing a helmet, we want to help you. At Rosen Injury Law, our bicycle accident lawyers have helped secure over $125 million in client compensation, and we are committed to helping you recover maximum compensation for your damages.
Call (954) 787-1500 or complete the short form on our contact page and schedule a free consultation to discuss your Florida bicycle accident claim.
What You Should Know About Florida Bicycle Helmet Laws
Florida law requires all bicycle riders and passengers under the age of 16 years to wear an approved helmet that fits correctly and is securely strapped. The helmet must comply with federal bicycle helmet safety standards, identified by its labeling.
The fine for a minor not wearing a helmet is $15. However, the fine is often waived if the person can demonstrate that they have purchased a compliant bicycle helmet. Anyone over the age of 16 is not required to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle in Florida.
How Not Wearing a Helmet Can Impact Your Personal Injury Claim
Florida Statute 768.81(6) provides:
“In a negligence action to which this action applies, any party found to be greater than 50 percent at fault for his or her own harm may not recover any damages.”
So, if you suffered a head injury in a bicycle accident, the insurance company and defense attorneys will try to shift more than 50% of the blame to you to avoid paying you anything.
If you are found to be 50% or less at fault for your injuries, you can still recover damages, but your compensation will be reduced by the amount of fault assigned to you. For example, if you are found to be 30% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you could still recover $70,000 after deducting your percentage of fault.
At Rosen Injury Law, our injury lawyers in Fort Lauderdale will fight hard to avoid having any fault assigned to you and to minimize any fault that is assigned to you, to help maximize your compensation.
Why You Need a Florida Bicycle Accident Lawyer
If you are injured in a bicycle accident in Florida that another party caused, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages. However, insurance companies and defense attorneys will try to deny or devalue your claim and shift as much burden as possible to you.
If you were not wearing a helmet and suffered a head injury, they may try to argue that you are more than 50% at fault to avoid paying you anything.
Whether you were wearing a helmet or not, you need an experienced Florida bicycle accident lawyer to protect your rights and help you secure maximum compensation for your injuries.
Your Fort Lauderdale bicycle accident attorney can investigate your accident to help establish causation and liability, collect essential evidence to prove your claim, have your current and future damages accurately valued, and negotiate a fair settlement of your case. When a fair settlement is not reached, they can take your case to trial to secure the compensation you deserve.
Consult a Florida Bicycle Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in a bicycle accident caused by someone else, we want to help you secure maximum compensation for your damages. Call (954) 787-1500 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation.