Injured Bicyclist Gets $457,000 for Store's Improper Assembly

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NEGLIGENCE

MIAMI-DADE CIRCUIT COURT

A 55-year-old aviation mechanics teacher was awarded $801,000 after the front shocks on his new mountain bicycle collapsed, causing shoulder injuries after he flew over the handlebars on a Virginia Key trail.

Steven Robinette argued the technician at Bike Tech Inc., where he purchased the bicycle, failed to read the instruction manual about assembling the shock suspension system, leading him to improperly set its sag.

While the technician admitted he had not read the manual, defense counsel maintained the difference between the suggested sag and the sag that was set was not significant enough to cause an accident and Robinette crashed the bike on his own. He was found 35 percent liable for a net award of $457,285.

Case: Robinette v. Bike Tech

Case No.: 2017-010581-CA-01

Plaintiffs attorneys: Howard K. "Skip" Pita and Randy M. Weber, Pita Weber Del Prado, Miami

Defense attorney: Michael C. Rotunno, Marlow, Adler, Abrams, Newman & Lewis, Coral Gables