Legal Question in Personal Injury in Florida
Hit by drunk driver while on road bike
If you are hit by a drunk driver while riding your bicycle and you suffer no serious damages other than a destroyed bike and some deep contusions, can you get anything out of the case? Had he hit me a millisecond later I could be in a much worse state right now, and since I had a cousin who was killed by a drunk driver, its not really easy to forget. The police arrested him and towed his car, but that isn't enough for me. I tried to ride with friends on a borrowed bike, but I found no joy as I usually would because that incident was in the back of my mind the whole time. Any information on what I can do would help.
3 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Hit by drunk driver while on road bike
If you were injured as a result of someone else's negligence, then you can recover against the insured, negligent driver. How much depends upon the extent of your damages to your person and to your property (i.e. bike). Hopefully you reported the matter to the police. Best of luck.
Re: Hit by drunk driver while on road bike
Obviously you reported it, your post says the driver was arrested.
You should consult an attorney who handles personal injury cases and let them review your case. My office handles these cases on a regular basis, but you did not indicate your zip code. In personal injury matters most attorneys only get paid if they recover damages on your behalf.
As you say, luckily your injuries were not more severe, but that doesn't mean that you can't recover some damages from the driver and/or his insurance company. Call an attorney.
Re: Hit by drunk driver while on road bike
Even if you have no visible or permanent personal injury you still have a claim for punitive damages against the drunk driver to prevent a repetition on his flagrant conduct.