Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
One person died and another was injured after the e-bike they were riding on Tuesday morning was hit by a car on the Julia Tuttle Causeway.
The crash happened around 3:05 a.m., just before entering Miami Beach near the Alton Road exit. A white Ford sedan crashed into an e-bike carrying two people, shutting down the eastbound lane for hours and causing traffic delays.
Both passengers on the e-bike were taken to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. At least one person died and the other is in critical condition, according to local media.
No names have been released and additional details were not immediately available.
The investigation is ongoing.
In nearly five decades of personal injury practice, Leesfield & Partners attorneys have seen every manner of injury on Florida roads from motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle crashes, deadly pedestrian crashes and more. In that time, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, has become an outspoken safety advocate for more awareness on the roads. Over the years, he has blasted driving distractions such as cell phones and hazards like drunk driving and e-bikes.
His predictions about the increasingly popular mode of transportation first came about nearly a decade ago when he penned an Op-Ed regarding his safety concerns. In Miami, where the law firm is headquartered, e-bikes and similar devices are available for rent on nearly every street corner and whizz past pedestrians and drivers, creating a recipe for disaster. In the U.S., data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission states that there was a 21% increase from 2021 to 2022 in injuries involving these electric modes of transportation in the United States. Minors 14 years old and younger make up a “significant” amount of the reported injuries, according to reporting from CBS Miami.
The CPSC also reported that, in addition to crashes, the e-bikes also have issues with fires. Electric vehicle fires can burn hotter and longer than gas-powered fires and can be more difficult to put out and pose a significant threat to firefighters. While EV fires occur less frequently than traditional gas fires, they take a considerable amount of time and more water to put out. From January 2021 until November 2022, the CPSC reported at least 19 deaths as a result of fires involving the micro-mobility machines.
Just this week, a minor was reportedly facing criminal charges after he hit and killed a bicyclist in a crash over the weekend while riding an e-dirt-bike. Before that, the University of Miami announced it was banning the micromobility devices, effective after the first day of the fall semester. This was the same week that an e-scooter rider was killed in Miami Beach after getting hit by a car.
“Being unsightly may not be unforgivable, but landing innocent pedestrians or others in a neurosurgical coma is,” Mr. Leesfield said in his 2019 Op-Ed about the micro mobility devices. “Not to mention a slew of other reported serious injuries … Just ask those who work at Hospitals and Emergency rooms or walk-in medical facilities.”
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners has advocated for bicyclists, motorists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians in complex personal injury cases since 1976. Over the decades, the firm’s attorneys have secured numerous record-setting verdicts and settlements for injured clients and their families, establishing Leesfield & Partners as a leader in personal injury law with a reputation for excellence statewide and across the nation. The firm continues to make a significant impact on the lives of clients and the community. By partnering with The Leesfield Family Foundation, the charitable organization started by Mr. Leesfield and his family, Leesfield & Partners continues to work tirelessly to protect future generations.
By consistently speaking out on public safety issues, including the dangers he has observed with E-bikes, Mr. Leesfield has become a strong advocate for community well-being. Through initiatives such as the firm’s digital safety advisories, prominently displayed on the U.S. 1 commuter corridor outside the Miami office, he raises awareness on critical concerns such as distracted and/or impaired driving. He has also partnered with local organizations to address pressing issues like impaired driving, sexual abuse and pedestrian safety, reinforcing his long-standing commitment to protecting the public.
In 2023, Mr. Leesfield joined the Board of Directors of The Underline, a project transforming the land beneath Miami’s Metrorail into a miles-long linear park. By creating safer pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, and runners along one of the city’s busiest roadways — U.S. 1 — the project promotes both safety and community connection. In recognition of his contributions, Mr. Leesfield was honored with a space directly across from the firm’s Coconut Grove office bearing his family’s name: the Leesfield Family Garden. Designed as a welcoming gathering place, it features benches painted in The Underline’s signature green and original artwork by renowned Uruguayan artist Pablo Atchugarry.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners has handled all manner of injuries caused as the result of road incidents in Florida for nearly five decades. In that time, the firm has secured millions on behalf of injured cyclists and pedestrians. In a bid to raise awareness about road and pedestrian safety, Mr. Leesfield has periodically posted public safety advisories on the digital board outside of the firm’s Miami office, which sits on U.S. 1 and is seen by thousands of commuters each day. Additionally, Mr. Leesfield has also teamed up with organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Friends of The Underline through his charitable organization, The Leesfield Family Foundation.
A case involving a bicyclist who was hit while stopped on the shoulder of the Overseas Highway in Key West resulted in a $5,350,000 settlement for the client. In that case, the bicyclist who was stopped on the side of the road was hit by a driver who was distracted by their car’s GPS.
A pedestrian-involved incident handled by the firm resulted in the maximum recovery amount of $6 million awarded to our injured client. In that case, a woman was walking back to her office following a mid-day break when she was struck by a truck making an illegal left turn whose driver claimed not to see her in the marked crosswalk. The woman had severe injuries including skull fractures and brain hemorrhages as a result of the driver’s negligence.
For a Toronto family, a vacation to Fort Myers turned into a nightmare after a pickup truck driver failed to see a young wife and mother attempting to cross the street. Leesfield & Partners attorneys recovered an $8.5 million settlement for the family following a $27 million arbitration award.
Another pedestrian-involved incident handled by the firm resulted in a $2.9 million recovery.
The firm previously recovered $3 million for a mother and son injured in a bicycle incident.
