Articles Posted in Bicycle Accident

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Then man who was critically injured in a Rickenbacker Causeway bicycle accident last month has been identified as a well-known local orthopedic surgeon.

The incident happened on Saturday, Aug. 29, around 8:30 a.m. when 63-year-old Dr. Gilbert Beauperthuy-Rojas was hit by a driver as he pedaled along the Causeway — a six-laned toll road that sees roughly half a million cyclists and about 10 million vehicles annually, according to reporting from The Miami Herald and Florida International University’s Caplin News. He was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with police in their investigation. Additional information, including the circumstances surrounding the crash have yet to be released.

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Chances are, if it is a beautiful weekend morning in Miami, you’ll find a pack of bicyclists pedaling down the road.

As much is true in Cutler Bay, where giant banyan trees form canopies over the road, attracting weekend cyclists, dog walkers, and runners from all over the city. This weekend, however, the peaceful atmosphere in the area was punctuated by an intense exchange between a group of cyclists and an SUV. The driver of that vehicle is now facing charges, according to reporting from NBC 6 South Florida.

The incident occurred on Saturday, Aug. 22 when the driver of an SUV was heading southbound on Southwest 87th Avenue. The driver of the vehicle allegedly honked at a pair of cyclists and is accused of swerving into them. As a result, one of the cyclists was forced off of the road.

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Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, has admonished the lack of regulations related to the use of micromobility devices since at least 2019.

Nearly a decade later, and Florida lawmakers have crafted much-needed regulations and an exploratory task force to track crashes and other incidents that will go into effect on July 1 if signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“It’s an unregulated problem, which is only getting exponentially worse, really exponentially worse,” Mr. Leesfield told ABC 7’s Juliana Narvaez.

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Police in Martin County, Florida, are shifting from education to an “enforcement phase” after they allege illegal activity and unsafe e-bike riding in the area, according to local media.

“Our Traffic Unit, COP, and Road Patrol deputies have worked to educate riders and parents on the laws governing e-bike use and the importance of safe operation,” officials with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said in an online statement Monday, April 27. “Despite those efforts, we continue to receive numerous complaints from residents regarding reckless and unlawful behavior—particularly involving juveniles.”

Police say the complaints have ranged from a disregard for traffic laws and designated areas, riders operating illegal e-bikes, and citizen harassment.

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As Ira Leesfield, Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners, continues to sound the alarm on e-bike-related injuries, the trend shows no signs of slowing in South Florida.

“This isn’t about banning innovation, it’s about protecting people,” said the National Board of Trial Advocacy–certified attorney.

Data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission showed that there were 117,600 injuries from these devices treated in emergency rooms from 2017 to 2021. In that time, 25% of these incidents involved young people from 15 to 24 years old. From 2020 to 2021, the agency found that there was a 66% increase in injuries as the popularity of these devices continued to soar.

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Leesfield & Partners filed a lawsuit this week on behalf of a man who was ejected from his bike following a crash on Stock Island with a commercial truck driver.

“This driver’s one moment of inattention has left my client with life-altering injuries,” said Bernardo Pimentel II, a Trial Attorney at the firm. “This frightening incident has left him in severe pain, causing a disruption to his daily life and happiness.”

The incident occurred just after 2 p.m. on Jan. 13 as our client was approaching the intersection of College Road, where he had the right-of-way to proceed. At the same time, another man behind the wheel of a commercial truck was approaching from the opposite direction and failed to yield, plowing through the intersection and making an illegal left turn. In doing so, this driver hit our client who was then ejected from his bicycle and sent into the air before eventually falling onto the hood of another vehicle. He was then thrown onto the road.

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A bicyclist was left critically injured after being hit by a car Sunday morning, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

The incident happened around 9 a.m. near the 3000 block of Southwest First Avenue near Coconut Grove. The bicyclist, a 53-year-old man, had head injuries and was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Additional details were not immediately available Monday morning.

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Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, has been an outspoken advocate for regulating the use of E-bikes and E-scooters throughout communities and now, years later, officials are heeding his warning.

The University of Miami recently announced a plan to tighten restrictions on personal mobility devices on campus. E-bikes and E-scooters will be banned from sidewalks, breezeways, the Foote Green and other pedestrian areas starting Tuesday, Aug. 19. Undergraduate classes for the fall 2025 semester are scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 18, according to the university’s online calendar.

The move at the University of Miami was made to tighten these restrictions are a part of a safety campaign started by the school’s Parking and Transportation Department after a “growing number” of pedestrian collisions, blocked emergency routes and battery fires, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The issues with student drivers flagged in the article — riders distracted by cellphones, blaring music and zooming through pedestrian areas — are all concerns raised by Mr. Leesfield when he first warned against their use in 2019.

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A driver faces multiple charges after police say she chased a minor e-biker for several blocks in North Florida.

Julia Kalthof, 65, of Palm Coast, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and reckless driving, the Miami Herald reported Friday. She was also cited for driving on a multi-use path and released on a $3,000 bond.

The incident happened on June 7 in Palm Coast, about a 60-mile drive south from Jacksonville, when emergency responders got a 911 call from a man reporting an erratic SUV driver following an e-bike rider on a multi-use path. Luckily, a Good Samaritan in another car blocked Kalthof’s SUV, allowing the 14-year-old biker to escape, according to a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office press release.

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While June 3 is meant to commemorate “World Bicycle Day” and the longevity of this two-wheel transportation device, at Leesfield & Partners we choose to celebrate differently, noting the seriousness of this activity and safety tips everyone should follow to avoid injury.

As a personal injury law firm with decades of experience representing pedestrians, drivers, motorcyclists, motor scooterists and bicyclists alike, Leesfield & Partners knows just how dangerous Florida roads can be.

Whether a bicycle crash is caused by another biker on a cramped sidewalk, a driver texting on their cellphone or faulty road construction, our skilled attorneys handle each case with the care and tenacity necessary to secure the best possible outcome for every client. While biking is an essential mode of transport and popular leisure activity throughout Florida, it is important to note that it can come with serious risks such as head injuries, painful bone fractures, and spinal cord injuries.

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