Bicycling is an excellent method of transportation, especially here in Miami where the weather is often nice. It gives you exercise, cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions, and you get to avoid sitting in traffic.

However, bicyclists have to be careful. In the U.S. in 2018, 857 bicyclists were killed in traffic accidents. Bicycles don’t give the rider a whole lot of protection in a crash.

If you’ve been the victim of a bicycle accident that wasn’t your fault, you are eligible for compensation from the guilty party. A Miami bicycle injury attorney can make sure that you get what you’re entitled to.

You can use this money to cover medical bills, physical therapy, time lost from work, and much more. But without the right expertise, you’ll end up with a disappointingly small sum — or nothing at all.

Keep reading to find out why a Miami bicycle injury attorney is so vital, even over a regular personal injury lawyer.

1. Choosing the Right Amount to Ask For

Aiming for a settlement from the insurance company is a great strategy. Staying out of court means fewer expenses and legal fees for you, which means more money goes into your pocket.

Insurance companies are looking to pay out as little as possible on the claim. This means that settlement is beneficial for them as well.

However, it’s rare that they give you what you ask for. Instead, they counteroffer with a lower amount.

Thinking they can up the counteroffer, sometimes people initially ask for a higher amount. The reasoning is that the insurance company will offer a little less so if the number is high to start with, they’ll come back with a higher offer.

Unfortunately, this often backfires and the insurance company won’t even respond to the request. They view it as far too expensive and know that the court won’t penalize them that much.

A Miami bicycle injury attorney has experience choosing the right amount to ask for. They can give you the guidance you need to choose an amount that’s high enough to get you the settlement you deserve, yet low enough that the insurance company will still play ball.

2. Negotiating the Settlement

It would be nice if you could simply file your claim and request an amount. The insurance company would either pay the amount or offer a slightly lower, but still acceptable amount.

Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works. There is a significant amount of negotiation involved in getting a decent settlement. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll end up walking away having left money on the table.

When you’ve been hurt in a bike accident, you need a bicycle injury attorney who knows how to handle your claim. In fact, many people who don’t bother hiring a lawyer end up walking away with $0.

Many factors affect the offer that the insurance company will make. Sometimes these factors are completely out of your control.

For example, your case may be worth more than the limits of the insurance policy. In that case, no matter what you do, the insurance company won’t offer a dime more.

What do you do in that case?

That’s the thing — you don’t know, but your Miami bicycle injury attorney will.

3. Keeping it out of the Courtroom

There is more than one reason that you want to avoid a court battle. The most obvious one is the expense. Going to court is expensive. Lawyer’s fees add up, you may have to hire expert witnesses, etc.

Going to court is also inconvenient. If your injuries are severe, mobility may be a concern. It might not be very easy for you to get to the courthouse, or sit comfortably through the trial.

If you’ve healed, you may be working again. That means you’ll have to take time off to go to court. This could be a major inconvenience, especially if you’ve already taken a lot of time off to heal from your injuries.

Jury trials, as any good lawyer will tell you, are also very unpredictable. You might think you have a solid case, and you probably do, but getting a group of 12 other people to agree with you isn’t always simple.

An experienced Miami bicycle attorney knows the tricks to keep your case out of the courtroom. And if you do end up in court, they also know how to get the jury to agree with you.

4. Threatening a Lawsuit

While your attorney will be doing what they can to keep your case out of court, they also won’t be shy to wield a lawsuit as a weapon. Threatening a lawsuit can greatly boost your chances of receiving a settlement as well as up the dollar amount of that settlement.

However, as with everything in a personal injury case, knowing how to play your cards right is key. Even if you don’t actually plan to file a lawsuit, intimating that you will or taking the first few steps can be just what you need to motivate the insurance company.

In Florida, you have 4 years to file a personal injury lawsuit so it’s unlikely that your statute of limitations will run out. However, it is something you need to keep in mind as you’re working towards getting your settlement.

Contacting a Miami Bicycle Injury Attorney

Have you been injured in a bicycle accident in Miami? You need to get in touch with a Miami bicycle injury attorney today. Recovering from your injuries is going to take time and money, as well as you need money for day-to-day expenses as you recover.

If someone else is at fault for your accident, you have a right to demand compensation.

We’ll help make sure you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to get started.