Florida roads are dangerous places for motorcycle riders for many reasons. The Sunshine State’s scenery and weather attract bikers from around the world. But the state’s natural beauty also attracts year-round tourists, bringing traffic and congestion and, unfortunately, more opportunities for bike crashes.
When motorcycle riders get into accidents, people often assume the rider is at fault. However, in many cases, another party is responsible. If you’re an injured rider or your loved one suffered fatal injuries in an accident, the Florida motorcycle accident lawyers at Freidin Brown, P.A. will identify all liable parties and hold them responsible for your losses. Let our personal injury lawyers fight for you. Call us for a free consultation today!
Our Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Will Fight for Your Full Recovery
When you entrust your case to our Florida injury attorneys, we will give it the full time and attention it deserves. Our attorneys carefully select the cases they handle to ensure they can devote their time and resources to you and your case.
With smaller caseloads, we get to know our clients and how they wish to be represented. We also document every detail and have two attorneys oversee each case’s planning and strategy development.
How Our Florida Motorcycle Legal Team Can Help Your Case
When you hire our legal team to lead your Florida motorcycle accident case, we will dedicate more than 100 years of combined experience to your case. While you recover from the accident, we will:
- Investigate the crash and identify all liable parties who owe you damages
- Collect and assemble evidence that proves your case, including police reports, witness testimony, expert testimony, photos, and video footage
- Consult medical experts to gauge compensation needed for current and long-term health implications
- Document accident damages, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and other losses
- Lead negotiations with insurers for settlement awards that cover your losses
- Fight for your financial recovery at trial if we cannot settle your case
- Ease all legal burdens so you can focus your energy on healing from the accident
We will take care of your entire case, handling the legal paperwork, communications with all parties, and keeping you updated on all case developments. You can call us about your questions and concerns and expect a prompt response.
Our Florida Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Get Results for Our Clients
We are serious about recovering the maximum compensation for our clients. Our team of attorneys has over 20 verdicts among our case results that total more than $1 million.
In one case, our Florida motorcycle accident lawyers secured $1.475 million for the family of the victim of a fatal motorcycle collision. The victim was safely operating his motorcycle when he was struck by a driver making a left turn.
The at-fault party’s defense lawyers claimed the victim had been speeding at the time. However, our injury attorneys retained a top accident reconstruction expert who proved the victim was not speeding before the collision occurred.
Florida Motorcycle Crash Lawsuits Must Meet Florida’s Deadlines
Motorcycle crashes can leave injured riders with expenses for years to come, so they will need monetary compensation to pay them. We will fight to win your maximum award based on your case’s unique circumstances. The sooner you call us about your case, the sooner we can advise you on the next steps.
Florida’s statute of limitations limits the time injured parties can sue for damages after a motorcycle wreck. You generally have two years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit or a wrongful death lawsuit, per Florida Statutes § 95.11.
How Driver Negligence Causes Motorcycle Accidents in Florida
According to crash dashboard data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), 9,270 motorcycle accidents resulted in 7,941 injuries and 622 deaths in 2022. Driver carelessness is one of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents.
The most common examples of how driver negligence can lead to catastrophic and even deadly Florida motorcycle crashes include:
- Failing to yield right-of-way to motorcycle riders
- Overlooking shoulder checks for hard-to-see bikes
- Distracted driving errors like texting while driving
- Reckless driving and excessive speeding
- Tailgating motorcycles
- Impaired driving from alcohol, cannabis, or medications
- Aggressive acts like illegally cutting off a motorcycle’s lane position
- Fatigued driving mistakes like falling asleep at the wheel
- Ignoring weather hazards by following too closely during rains
If you ride a motorcycle, you are already carrying enough risks due to your lack of the protection a car offers. You should not have to worry about negligent drivers’ careless, dangerous decisions. You also should not pay the bills for a wreck that wasn’t your fault. Florida motorcycle accident lawyers from Freidin Brown, P.A. can hold the responsible parties accountable.
Mistakes to Avoid During a Florida Motorcycle Accident Case
Injured bikers in Florida should avoid these common mistakes when pursuing injury compensation after an accident:
- Failing to call the police. Never leave the scene without police documentation, which aids credibility even for minor crashes.
- Not seeking medical treatment. Completely detail all health complaints to doctors, no matter how trivial anything seems initially. Symptoms can worsen over time.
- Accepting a quick settlement offer. Wait until the full health implications and costs become clear before settling or signing any release. Your attorney can handle this to ensure you don’t accept a settlement that falls short of your needs.
- Not following up on medical care. Promptly treat with recommended procedures since postponing medical treatment risks insurers arguing injuries got worse from patient negligence.
- Relying on the guidance of the at-fault party’s insurance. Remember that insurance adjusters represent their client’s interests, not the biker’s best. Never take their legal or medical advice at face value without scrutiny.
Avoiding these common errors can give you the strongest path forward in motorcycle injury cases. Florida motorcycle accident lawyers at Freidin Brown, P.A. will protect your rights by advising you on what you should do and avoid as you navigate your claim.
How Insurance Companies Blame Riders in Motorcycle Accidents
Insurance carriers can deploy several tactics to blame motorcyclists rather than drivers after collisions to minimize payouts and hold onto their profits. They may allege recklessness on your part or say you inherently accepted more risk by choosing to ride, so crashes remain mostly your responsibility.
In Florida, helmet non-use is also an issue. According to Florida Statutes § 316.211, adults over the age of 21 are not legally required to wear a helmet as long as they carry at least $10,000 in medical insurance coverage. So even though it is legal, if you weren’t wearing a helmet at the time of the wreck, it could be used against you if you sustained head injuries.
Victim of a Motorcycle Crash in Florida? Our Lawyers Are Here to Help!
Florida Motorcycle Accident Claim FAQs
What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Florida?
In any motorcycle accident, you may end up filing a claim or lawsuit. You should keep this in mind if you are in a motorcycle wreck because what you do in the immediate aftermath can lower the value of your compensation – even before you’ve contacted a lawyer to start a case.
To protect the value of your potential insurance claim or value after a motorcycle accident in Florida, you should:
- Call 911 and seek immediate medical care as soon as you can.
- If possible, take pictures of damage, conditions, license plates, and insurance details from all involved drivers.
- Get contact details for police/paramedics at the crash scene plus any witnesses for later reference.
- Save all accident-related bills and records.
- Contact your health and motorcycle insurance carriers regarding the accident and imminent claim.
You may also want to consult a Florida personal injury attorney about your legal rights and options to recover damages. Freidin Brown, P.A. will handle the claim investigation and negotiations so you can focus on your recovery.
How Much Compensation Do You Get for a Florida Motorcycle Accident?
There is no single average amount people receive in Florida motorcycle accident claims. Settlements and court awards can range from lower compensation for cases involving less serious injuries into the millions for cases involving catastrophic or fatal injuries. In general, the more serious the injuries, the higher the damages and the higher the compensation.
Other factors affecting your settlement include the other driver’s insurance policy limits and whether you share some responsibility. In these cases, the rider’s compensation will be reduced based on their percentage of fault.
What Is the Time Limit to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
After a motorcycle crash in Florida, injured riders generally have up to two years to take legal action, per state law. In most cases, if you fail to sue within these two years, you risk losing your right to pursue compensation.
If you wait until the last minute to file a motorcycle accident claim, you also risk losing the key evidence you need to prove your case. Meeting the two-year cutoff protects your chance to pursue reimbursement for medical bills, lost income, and other costs that are related to your motorcycle accident injuries.
Call Us for a Free Consultation – Our Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Represent You
Dealing with injuries in a motorcycle wreck is difficult enough without fighting insurance battles. Our Florida motorcycle accident lawyers stand ready to advocate for your right to fair compensation. With decades of experience representing injured bikers across the state, we know how to build strong negligence cases against at-fault drivers.
At Freidin Brown, P.A., our contingency-based fees mean legal help costs nothing up front. Let our experienced legal team shoulder this fight for you. Learn more about how we can help you after a motorcycle accident during a free consultation. Call us today or contact us online.