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Health & Fitness

Bicycle Accident in Safety Harbor -- What are my Rights?

In Safety Harbor, a lot of us take advantage of the numerous trails and scenic views for bike riding.  What many don't think about when we go for a ride is the possibility of a serious mishap that is no fault of our own.  But if an accident happens, it can be life-changing.  

As an example, Joel and I are currently representing a Clearwater resident who had the front fork of his almost-new mountain bike literally break in two while he was riding down a designated bike path on a flat paved surface.  His body pivoted over the bike and he fell to the pavement.  His injuries were so bad that he had to be airlifted from the scene.   The emergency responders literally thought he was going to die but a team of dedicated doctors managed to save him.  It turns out that his bike was made in China, and that it had a poor weld and extremely thin metal at the point of the breakage (see picture above -- would you want to ride on a bicycle that had a front fork with metal that thin?).  The fork broke because of the poor design and manufacturing methods of this Chinese product.  Nowhere visible on the bike did it say "made in China," and he had no idea that what he was buying was a virtual death trap.  So we are assisting the victim in seeking compensation from the manufacturer and distributors of the bike that we believe never should have been sold.  

We are going to do what we can to make sure that the Chinese manufacturer of this bicycle and those who brought it to our shores step up to the plate and take personal/corporate responsibility for this entirely preventable accident.    Hopefully they will take action and recall the brand as a whole.

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Of course not all bicycle accidents are anyone's fault but the rider's.  Sometimes accidents just happen.  But like everything else, people are sometimes hurt due to the fault of others who should take personal responsibility for their actions.  There are four primary situations in which Ewusiak & Roberts may be able to help you if you were involved in an injury causing bicycle accident:

1) A defective bicycle that suddenly fails for no good reason;

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2) An inattentive or angry driver that cuts off a rider or hits him;

3) A defective helmet that doesn't do what it is advertised to do (protect the rider);

4) Dangerous roadway conditions.

You can learn more about this topic here:  http://www.erlitigators.com/uncategorized/bicycle-accidents-what-you-need-to-know/

Ewusiak & Roberts is a Safety Harbor law firm.   We have extensive experience in assisting consumer victims of defective products and avoidable accidents.  Questions?  Contact us or learn more about us here:  www.erlitigators.com.   

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