What Happens if You are Injured on a Rented Bicycle?
Bike share programs in the U.S. have been increasingly popular these past years. In most of the cities that employ these programs, there are approved companies that provide rental bikes to residents and tourists alike. Since the launch of Florida’s first bike share program Broward B-Cycle in 2011, bike sharing has really taken off all around the state. Renting a bike share bicycle is an extremely affordable, hassle-free, convenient, and more earth-friendly way to get around.
But, as with any kind of transportation method, accidents do and could occur, no matter how careful you are. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were almost 6,000 bicycle crashes in Florida in 2020, which resulted in 161 fatalities.
If you get injured while riding a rented bicycle in St. Petersburg, what you do following the accident will be very crucial for a potential accident claim.
What to Do After Getting Injured on a Rented Bicycle
Regardless of how you got injured, you should follow these important steps:
- Seek medical attention as quickly as possible, even if you think that you only sustained minor injuries.
- Document the accident scene and your injuries by taking photos and videos, if you can. Your photos and videos may help establish fault for the accident and its extent.
- Obtain the names and contact details of everyone involved in the bike accident, including information from any witnesses, if any.
- You should likewise report the accident to the bike share rental company. On the other hand, if you strongly believe that the rental bicycle was defective in any way, make sure to obtain the serial number and take lots of photos and video of it. Also, before reporting the accident to the rental company, it’s best to call an experienced St. Petersburg bicycle accident attorney for your next steps. Otherwise, you risk screwing up a future claim by taking the wrong steps after the accident.
Compensation for a Rented Bike Accident
Whether you’ll be entitled to compensation for your injuries from a rental bike accident will mainly depend on who’s liable for the accident. Depending on the accident’s specific circumstances, you can claim compensation from your own insurance coverage or the at-fault party’s insurance coverage. If the rental bike is defective, you may have a claim against the bike share rental company. Some accidents can also result from sidewalk or road defects. In these cases, injured individuals can claim compensation from the city or the property owner that the city tasked to maintain the sidewalk.
Seek Legal Advice from an Experienced St. Petersburg Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
Rented bicycle accidents can raise a lot of complex issues about liability and whether injured individuals can claim compensation to cover their losses. In this light, having an experienced St. Petersburg bicycle accident lawyer on your side could make all the difference between securing the maximum amount of compensation applicable to your case and getting nothing for your troubles. You can schedule a free claim evaluation with one of our lawyers here at Tragos, Sartes, & Tragos by completing our online form or calling us at 727-441-9093.