Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
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.
As a result of this driver’s negligent operation of the commercial vehicle, our client suffered multiple rib fractures and his femur was broken into more than three pieces. The injuries to his leg required painful reconstructive surgery and the placement of metal hardware.
“This crash underscores the serious responsibility truck drivers have to protect vulnerable road users, including bicyclists, who have the same legal right to be on the road,” Mr. Pimentel said. “We intend to pursue full accountability.”
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a personal injury law firm with more than five decades of experience representing injured clients and families seeking justice for negligence. In that time, our skilled trial attorneys have handled some of the most devastating and complex cases in the state with some resulting in record verdicts and settlements. Our attorneys work tirelessly to achieve such results and represent individuals and families affected by serious injuries with the compassion, diligence and creativity necessary to secure the best possible outcome given the specifics of their case.
In addition to litigation, Leesfield & Partners has advocated relentlessly for road safety, particularly for bicyclists and pedestrians. As of Feb. 4, 2026, there have been about seven bicyclist-involved crashes in Monroe County and six crashes involving pedestrians, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Last year, there were 133 bicycle crashes in the area with three deaths and nearly 50 pedestrian crashes that killed at least three people. In 2024, there were 161 bicycle crashes and one person was killed. There were 60 pedestrian crashes that same year that resulted in at least two deaths.
Bicyclists have the same right to use Florida’s roads as motorists, and drivers of large commercial vehicles carry an even greater duty to remain alert and protect vulnerable road users. Our client in this case is focused on recovery, but this incident is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that occur when drivers recklessly ignore that duty.
Another hazard impacting pedestrians and bicyclists all over South Florida involves micromobility devices such as e-bikes, e-scooters and dirt bikes — modes of transport that have been heavily opposed by Ira Leesfield, the Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners.
This isn’t about banning innovation, it’s about protecting people,” Mr. Leesfield said. “From viral videos of riders topping 30 miles per hour in traffic, to statistics showing children injured at disproportionate rates, the need for meaningful regulation is urgent. We must do more than hope people act safely — we must enact laws that ensure it.”
Previous Cases
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 midday 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.
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 Key West crash that drastically impacted the life of a prominent local businessman resulted in a record verdict. In that case, our client had the green light at an intersection when an ambulance at a red light unexpectedly plowed through the road and hit him. In the crash, he was thrown into a cement wall, resulting in permanent injuries.
The ambulance driver claimed he was on his way to an emergency and had the right of way, however, this driver failed to deploy the necessary lights and sirens. Without these indicators, our client had no idea that the ambulance would not stop when at the red light and so he proceeded to cross the intersection.
The firm previously recovered $3 million for a mother and son injured in a bicycle incident.
In a previous case involving a scooter accident, the firm obtained a $1 million award.
Partner Justin B. Shapiro is representing multiple clients who were seriously injured while crossing the street in separate South Florida crashes.
Those cases are ongoing.
Mr. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Eric Shane are representing a Key West motor scooter rider whose life was entirely upended by a negligent driver.
Recently, Leesfield & Partners filed suit in the case of a man in a wheelchair who was hit by a speeding car. His severe injuries resulted in doctors being forced to amputate his leg. Carlos A. Fabano, a Trial Lawyer with the firm, is handling the ongoing case.
