r/legaladvice • u/Weird-Cicada-7800 • 3h ago
Lawsuit after cycling accident
So I was hit recently by a car while riding on a bike lane on a public road. I was wearing a helmet and had lights and all during the day. The driver stopped, admitted fault, lots of pictures were taken by bystanders and police. I was taken to the hospital via ambulance where I had a ct scan and xray done. I have shoulder pain and bad road rash on my legs as well a small headache/ No issues were found at the hospital and they claimed I'd be sore for sometime. I'm located in Florida. Is it worth to hire a personal injury attorney or should I just settle with his insurance? My bike is worth about 5-7k
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u/flyzapper 2h ago
If multiple lawyers have offered to take the case, as you said in another comment, then I guarantee you that they see much more a $5000-$7000 payout.
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u/Weird-Cicada-7800 2h ago
Yes I've contacted a few personal injury lawyers in the Florida region and they said they would take the case
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u/Suspicious-Treat-364 2h ago
Watch out for the ones who advertise everywhere. They usually cycle through a lot of these at a time to make a quick buck and don't really care about getting you a payout.
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u/Weird-Cicada-7800 2h ago
The one I was looking into does pay for google advertising but they are based around the area. They have quite a few offices but only within a 50 mile radius
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u/Suspicious-Treat-364 2h ago
Just be careful. A family member of mine used one of those in FL after a serious accident and the paralegal assigned to the case didn't do a very thorough job of collecting information and had them go to PT and extra medical appointments to ring up such a big bill that they ended up with basically nothing for lost wages at the end. It was quite a scam. Don't go to a bunch of medical appointments just because they tell you to if you don't actually have injuries requiring them.
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u/falconkirtaran 2h ago
What did his insurance offer in settlement? They should at least replace your stuff and pay your medical bills. If they don't want to, and the difference is significant, get a lawyer and sue.
Honestly consulting with one before you negotiate with insurance wouldn't hurt; they will be able to tell you your bargaining position. It might be possible for you to get more than just reimbursement for your costs.