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The US newspaper is currently reporting on the case of former English teacher David Jones of Palm Beach.
In 2001, van driver Conrad Lawrence swerved into a bicycle lane, striking Jones on his bike, carrying him 60 feet and throwing him another 60 feet.
Jones suffered head and other injuries and was in a coma for two weeks.
Jones’ lawyer claims that the Bell bicycle helmet worn by Jones at the time of the ‘accident’ had a "design defect that allowed the helmet to flip forward on Jones’ head."
The newspaper does not reveal the model of helmet cited in the case.
"The back of [Jones’] head was gashed," and "his brain bruised," said the lawyer in a court case being held in Palm Beach County Court.
Attorneys for Bell Sports claim the helmet saved Jones’ life. Bell’s experts will testify in the next two weeks.
It’s likely they will claim Jones was wearing the helmet incorrectly, a common error made by helmet-wearing cyclists.
Bicycle helmets are designed to withstand low-speed impacts to the ground, falling from a bicycle. In-helmet safety caveats point out that bicycle helmets are not steel roll-cages: "even in very low speed accidents injury or death can occur."
