Bicycle Accident Attorney Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is one of the most well-known cities in Florida. Beautiful beaches, vibrant attractions, and premier restaurants are just a few of the many things in Fort Lauderdale that influence tourists from all over the world to visit our city. However, as many Fort Lauderdale residents know, the influx of visitors combined with the growing number of residents in Fort Lauderdale cause the roads in our city to be a dangerous place to drive and to ride a bicycle.

In fact, there were an estimated 41,755 car accidents, which includes accidents involving a bicyclist, in Broward County alone in 2016. These accidents resulted in over 25 thousand injuries across the county and an estimated 245 fatalities. Moreover, there were 6,668 bicycle accidents that occurred throughout the state of Florida during the same period resulting in 6,234 injuries. Bicycle accidents in Fort Lauderdale and the state of Florida are a problem that is getting worse each year, which is why you should always contact a bicycle accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale if you are bicyclist who has been involved in a car accident.

Common Bicycle Accident Injuries

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), fatal and non-fatal bicycle accident injuries sustained by accident victims across the United States cost our country roughly 10 billion dollars in lifetime medical costs and productivity losses. The reason these costs are incurred by accident victims and our country is simple. Bicyclists involved in car accidents sustain injuries at a very high rate. As such, there are certain common injuries that each bicyclist should be aware of.

• Bulging or Herniated Discs: When a car hits a bicyclist, the bicyclists’ spine sustains a severe trauma. When this occurs, the discs in between the vertebrae of the accident victim’s spine can either rupture, which is referred to as a herniation, or become irritated, inflamed, and swollen, which is referred to as a disc bulge. Often, an accident victim with a herniated or bulging disc(s) will not feel the full extent of their injuries until a few days after the accident. Common symptoms associated with a herniated or bulging disc injury are numbness, tingling, arm and leg pain, and muscle weakness.
• Concussions: Similar to herniated discs, the impact of the car hitting a bicyclist can cause the accident victim to sustain a sudden blow to their skull. This blow can cause a temporary interruption in normal brain functioning thereby causing the accident victim to sustain a mild traumatic brain injury, which is more commonly known as a concussion. Typical concussion-related symptoms include headaches, irritability, problems sleeping, and issues with focus and cognitive functioning.
• Broken Rib(s): Bicycle accidents often lead to a bicyclist being propelled in the air from their bike due to the impact of the driver hitting them or going through the windshield of the motorists car. This can cause a bicyclist to break or fracture their ribs as a result of the accident. Most people who break or fracture even one rib feel the pain associated with this type of injury immediately. Pain is the main symptom associated with this type of injury. Simple activities such as laughing, coughing, or even breathing can cause a bicyclist with a broken rib to experience pain.

Common Questions after being Involved in a Bicycle Accident