A normal ride on West Village Drive
William, a 50-year-old engineer and avid cyclist, was riding in the designated bicycle lane on West Village Drive in Carrollwood. Part of the lane was covered with water and algae. With traffic on one side and a railing on the other, he had nowhere safe to go. His tires lost traction and he went down hard.
A fractured hip and hip replacement
The crash fractured his left hip. This was not an injury that rest alone could fix: his treatment ultimately required hip replacement surgery, along with the pain, rehabilitation and limits that come with it.
Not every bicycle accident involves a car
There was no driver to blame here. The question was who allowed a dangerous condition to exist in a bike lane. Cases like this turn on premises liability: who owned and maintained the area, and whether they knew or should have known about the hazard.
Our investigation pursued claims against the homeowners association and the landscaping company responsible for the area.
Refusing a $10,000 offer
The first settlement offer was $10,000, far short of a fractured hip and a joint replacement. William took an unusually active interest in every aspect of his case, and the firm kept pursuing the claim rather than accepting a number that did not reflect his injury.
The result: $170,000
The case settled for $170,000, seventeen times the initial offer.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome, and every case is different. But when a dangerous property condition causes a serious injury, the people responsible for maintaining that property can be held accountable.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different.
