Jacksonville Personal Injury Blog

The Southeast city of Brunswick, GA, is an industrial area known for its city life as well as its seafood and automotive production. Brunswick is home of the eastern United States’ number four largest automobile port and is often called the world’s “shrimp capital” for its ample shrimp and crab supply. Brunswick is also the number twelve most populated metro area in Georgia State and its estimated city population of 16,235 does not include the 101,792 metropolitans that dwell in the central city and surrounding neighborhoods. With such a large number of residents, many opt for public or personal transportation, including the use of a bicycle. Unfortunately, bike accidents and instances of personal injury can occur, and the victim may be in need of a personal injury lawyer.

There are many preventative measures bicycle riders can take to protect themselves from injury. To name a few, a helmet can be worn to protect head damage, and awareness of weather conditions can help a rider to choose a better route or prevent an unnecessary slip and fall from wet or icy ground. Unfortunately, not all bicycle accidents and injuries are the fault of the rider and collisions may arise from third party negligence. A distracted motorist may fail to yield to a bike rider when merging lanes or an intoxicated driver could recklessly strike the biker. In such cases, motorist negligence can cause a bike accident that may result in personal injury, including broken bones, paralysis, or severe body lacerations. Many of these injuries can leave lasting scars on the skin, cause victims to suffer long-term emotional trauma, and create financial debt from intense medical treatment. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident as the result of someone else’s negligence, a Brunswick Georgia bicycle accident lawyer may be able to help you and your family receive due compensation for pain and expenses.

The skilled and dedicated lawyers at Farah and Farah have many years of experience protecting the rights of Brunswick, Georgia personal injury and bike accidents victims. Our experienced personal injury attorneys have the legal knowledge and resources to help you receive compensation for personal injuries, emotional grief, and financial losses. To receive a completely free consultation of your case, please contact Farah and Farah at our Brunswick, Georgia office today:

(912) 466-8896
4216 Coral Park Drive,
Suite 107
Brunswick, GA 31520

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Posted In: Bike Accident , Personal Injury

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Some budget changes apparently are needed in Miami. But budget cutbacks have also cut back the response time of emergency personnel. In this case, a bicyclist was hit by a car on the busy South Florida causeway into Key Biscayne Sunday, January 17. The car was driven by a man who is facing DUI manslaughter charges. His driving record has previous incidents and he has been accused of battery. But it took rescue personnel 12 minutes to respond. The nearest fire rescue station at Key Biscayne is only opened part time. So Miami-Dade sent rescue personnel from its open station, which is in South Miami, which explains the 12 minute wait.

Unfortunately. that time was too much for the cyclist who did not survive the crash. Both Key Biscayne and the City of Miami Fire Rescue are closer to the scene of the accident. The family issued a statement, “Lives were changed forever, and two families are grieving and going through an extremely difficult time.” The county is launching an investigation.

Our sincere condolences go out to the family of the affected individual. The response time is a strong factor in survivability of a bicycle crash with an automobile.

Florida Bicycle and Passenger Fatalities
While bicycle and passenger fatalities decreased 2.5% from 121 to 118 in 2008, 118 bicyclists were killed in 2008 in Florida. There were also 4,380 injuries during that time period from 4,775 crashes. Unfortunately, car drivers will often tell you they did not see a bicyclist or a motorcycle. That is often because they are not looking.

Continue reading "Emergency Response to Miami Bike Accident Delayed Because of Budget Cuts" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Bike Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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A bicyclist has been in the hospital and recovering for the last six weeks after a hit-and-run driver nearly killed him while riding on his bicycle.

He was on his bike on McCormick Road in Jacksonville, training for a charity ride, the MS 150, in Daytona. But on October 1, two days before the event, he was hit by a truck, pinning his bike against the railing and throwing him in the air. He says he has no recollection of being hit or of the driver speeding off leaving him behind in the road.

Five broken ribs and a broken shoulder blade, three weeks in the hospital, a drug-induced coma, and 40 pounds lighter, the injured bicyclist is happy to be alive. His wife can’t believe someone left her husband in the road to die.

"I was floored by the disregard that someone had for him. As he said, there was ample bicycle lanes, no reason for this to have happened," she said.

McCormick Road has just received its own bike lane just so accidents like this don’t happen. But they do.

Continue reading "Hit and Run Bicyclist Survives to Tell His Story" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Bike Accident , Hit-and-Run Accident , Personal Injury

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With more people deciding to go green and take a bicycle instead of a car, there are some careful considerations. Statistics show about 120 bicyclists died in Florida in 2007. That means the nation was led that year by fatal biking accidents in Florida, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Statistics are just in for last year. In Florida there were 113 cyclists killed on our roads in 2008. That is more deaths than California had, which amounted to 109.

In a little more than one month, three people died from Florida bicycle accidents in Palm Beach County alone. And last month in North Florida, Chastity Rettinger, 36 was hit by a driver and killed while riding her bike on Old St. Augustine Road in Jacksonville during her lunch break.

Florida is one of six states that have seen an increase in pedestrian and cycling deaths.

Our condolences go out to the families of these people who were trying to do a little good by taking a bicycle.

Many of our roads simply do not accommodate cyclists, forcing automobiles to either try to pass, or just reduce their speed until another lane opens up. Adding more bike lanes is great and needed. More counties, cities and municipalities are establishing bike lanes as well as creating bike trails through woods and parks.

In some instances, cyclists share in some of the blame. Many need to educate themselves to the rules of the road. Riding the wrong way on streets, running a red light, failing to yield the right-of-way, all contribute to cyclist deaths.

The law says they are supposed to keep up with traffic, but the sticking point is speed.

Under law, a bicyclist is supposed to travel at about the same speed as other traffic. If not, they are supposed to ride as close to the curb or road edge. If the road is very narrow and passing is too dangerous, the cyclists is entitled to use the entire lane, but should stay to the right half, to discourage the motorist from passing. And bicyclists are not supposed to be wearing headsets so that music blocks out the audio clues to detect traffic.

An accident will need to be investigated to determine who is at fault and what actually happened. Whether it involves interviewing witnesses, measuring skid marks and the damage, only an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer can, with the help of an accident investigator, collect the information necessary to make your case and establish liability. Call Farah and Farah today for a free evaluation of your pedestrian accident, bicycle accident, or auto accident in Florida.

Posted by Jacksonville Personal Injury Attorney | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Accidents , Bike Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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