South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

The news has been unpleasant lately for Florida travelers on two wheels. The Tampa Tribune reported two separate hit-and-run accidents in the Tampa area in the same day -- one involving a motorcyclist and passenger and one involving a bicyclist. All three were taken to a hospital.

The bicyclist was struck from behind by a pickup truck while riding in the right lane; he was thrown into a parking lot. According to witnesses, the truck left without stopping or leaving skid marks. In the motorcycle accident, the motorcyclist was proceeding straight, legally, when a Ford turned into the bike's path, hitting its left side. Both the rider and his passenger were thrown from the bike. In both of these cases, the two-wheeled vehicle was not breaking any traffic rules, from what the report said; the drivers of the car and truck either failed to see them or failed to respect their status as other vehicles. In fact, as a motorcyclist myself and a Florida motorcycle accident lawyer, I can tell you that a car or truck turning into the path of an oncoming bike is unfortunately one of the most common types of motorcycle accident.

As a South Florida accident lawyer, I work with victims of traffic accidents every day, which is why I feel strongly that there is never any excuse for a hit-and-run accident. When the person at fault refuses to stop and take responsibility for his or her actions, the victims are in a sense victimized twice -- once by injuries that are not their fault, and again by the doubt and uncertainty of not knowing whose fault it actually is. This is important for practical as well as personal reasons; it may complicate any insurance claim the victims make and will certainly add extra red tape to a situation that already counts as a nightmare for many of my clients.

Because leaving the scene of an accident is a crime, the perpetrators will be criminally charged, if they are caught. They have also set themselves up for a big disadvantage in any motorcycle or bicycle accident lawsuit the victims choose to file. Juries and judges rarely look kindly on drivers who drive on by and leave the people they injured lying in the street, even if there is no criminal conviction.

If you or someone you love was hurt in a car, motorcycle or bicycle accident caused by someone else's irresponsible driving, please contact our firm, Cohn, Smith & Cohn, to learn more about your rights and your case.