bicycle accident

Gear Up with Us at the Tour De Cape!

January 18, 2024 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Hello from the team at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured! We’re excited to announce our role as proud sponsors in this year’s Tour De Cape, a standout cycling event in our Southwest Florida community. Our firm has always believed in the power of community events to unite people, and the Tour De Cape embodies this spirit perfectly. We invite everyone to join us in this celebration of fitness, community spirit, and the joy of cycling. Whether you’re riding in the event or cheering on the participants, let’s come together to make this a memorable weekend.

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📅 When: January 19th – January 21st

Death of Cyclist Tragic Reminder of Risks in SWFL

September 20, 2023 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The death of a 73-year-old bicyclist in a North Fort Myers traffic collision is a tragic reminder of the risks faced by vulnerable road users every day in Southwest Florida.

NBC-2 reports the cyclist was struck and killed by a pickup truck at Bayshore Road and Ixora Drive. The man was riding on the shoulder of SR 78, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Authorities report the cyclist partially entered the path of the truck before being struck.

Our Cape Coral bicycle accident lawyers know cyclists face high risks throughout Southwest Florida. However, we also know that vulnerable road users, including cyclists, pedestrians and motorcycle riders, are also too often blamed for causing or contributing to a traffic collision. It’s important all motorists understand that bicycle riders are entitled to use the roadway and enjoy all of the same rights as the operator of a motor vehicle. Additionally, Florida’s law of contributory negligence still allow a rider or other accident victim to pursue damages against an at fault party even if the rider is found partially at fault for causing a collision.

Pandemic Demand for Bicycles Reaches New Highs

June 24, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

In Mid-March, a week into the pandemic, our Fort Myers injury attorneys reported in Pandemic has More People Cycling in Southwest Florida that a record interest in cycling had already descended upon local bike shops.

Since then, interest in cycling and demand for bicycles have run right off the charts.

The New York Times reports countries as diverse as Uganda are opening closed streets to bicyclists and pedestrians, and similar moves are afoot in New York City as well as several other major urban areas. Continue reading ›

NHTSA: Bicycle Accident Deaths on the Rise

March 29, 2017 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The number of bicycle accident deaths is on the rise. Florida not only had the highest number of such fatalities, it reported the second-highest rate of deaths, when factoring in both population and percentage of total traffic deaths.

This troubling news means once again, Florida is the most dangerous place for bicyclists in the country. It’s an issue about which our leaders – and drivers – must take more proactive measures if we hope to change course.

The report, released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), reveals there were 818 bicyclists killed in the U.S. in 2015 (the latest year for which final statistics are available). This accounted for 2.3 percent of the total number of traffic deaths that year and marked a stunning 12.2 percent hike as compared to the final death toll tallied in 2014, when 729 bicyclists lost their lives. Continue reading ›

City to Pay $4.85M to Man Injured in Bicycle Accident Caused by Damaged Sidewalk

March 23, 2017 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The City of San Diego has agreed to pay almost $5 million to a man injured in a bicycle accident that resulted in severe injuries when his bike was thrown nearly 30 feet after striking a sidewalk that was damaged by a tree.

The bike accident occurred three years ago, and resulted in the cyclist suffering torn spinal cord ligaments, numerous lost teeth and a possible stroke after he landed on his head.

Plaintiff filed his personal injury lawsuit in 2015. The settlement agreement is for a much higher sum than what the city normally pays for bicycle injury lawsuits or injuries resulting from damaged sidewalks. Three recent settlements in the past ranged for between $75,000 and $235,000. However, the settlement agreement is still lower than the $7.6 million that was awarded to another cyclist at trial five years ago, after a man was paralyzed when a queen palm tree fell on him during a 2010 storm. Plaintiff in that matter argued the city was negligent because it responded to the Great Recession by, in part, slashing funds for the tree maintenance and inspection program. Continue reading ›

Trucks Pose Risk of Bicycle Accident Injuries, Fatalities

October 26, 2016 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

A recent report by The Chicago Tribune lamented the fact there have been six bicyclists struck and killed by large commercial trucks in the city just this year alone. In a city that typically sees six bicycle deaths total every year, to reach that in September – with three more months of the year to go – is deeply troubling. That every single one involved a commercial truck highlights a more serious problem.

It’s one about which our Fort Myers bicycle accident lawyers are fully aware: Trucks pose a serious risk to cyclists. A number of different studies – from England to New York to Seattle – have found that large vehicles account for roughly a third of all bicycle fatalities, despite only accounting for about 7 percent of total traffic volume.

A 2012 study by the University of Washington explored why trucks and bicycles are often in conflict. Researchers noted that movement of freight is central to the local and regional economy, but simultaneously, bicycle travel is increasing and given priority. Bicycles have the potential to impede the flow of traffic, but the sheer size of trucks can do the same and is extremely intimidating to cyclists. One big problem in urban settings? Bicycle lane obstruction by trucks. Continue reading ›

Defective Bicycle Case Weighed by Sixth Circuit

August 7, 2016 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Most of the bicycle accident lawsuits that are pursued involve a cyclist who was struck by a motorists. The National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports approximately 750 people annually die in bicycle crashes on public ways, with most of those occurring after the cyclist is struck by a car or other vehicle.

However some of these cases – as well as bike accidents that don’t involve cars – may be caused in whole or in part by a defective bicycle.

There are a host of potential defects that bicycles can have that could render them unsafe or even cause a crash. Some of those issues include:

Faulty frame welds
Brake issues
Pedals that come loose during operation
Broken chains or other drive train component problems
Tubes or tires that pop or blow out