Injured Bicyclist Awarded Jury Verdict $1.6M - Automobile vs. Bicyclist

In 1992 a Brevard County jury awarded $1.6 million dollars to the Plaintiff whose leg was crushed when she was run over by an 18 wheel tractor trailer owned by Yowell Transportation Services, Inc.

The Plaintiff was riding her bicycle east on the Eau Gallie Causeway when the tractor trailer pulled out of the Coastal convenience store parking lot. The accident left the Melbourne woman with a malfunctioning ankle and the inability to walk without the use of crutches or a cane.

The case handled by Attorney John N. Hamilton was tried to a jury and the verdict rendered was believed to be the second largest personal injury verdict in Brevard County history at the time of the trial.

The case highlighted the problem with bike lanes in that area. Unlike bike paths, which permit two way traffic, riders must go with the flow of traffic on bicycle lanes.