You enjoy riding your bicycle and do so as often as you can. Unfortunately, bike crashes sometimes happen. If you’re involved in such an incident and someone else may be responsible, get legal help. Talk with a bicycle accident lawyer who can discuss your legal options and explain the steps to take if you want to file a claim or lawsuit against a liable party.
Sweet James Accident Attorneys is a personal injury law firm that offers personalized legal services and support to bike accident victims and their families. Allow a personal injury lawyer from our team to advocate for you as part of a cycling accident claim or lawsuit.
We are available 24/7 to give you legal guidance when you need it. Contact us to schedule a free bicycle accident case review.
Reasons to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney to Help You With Your Bicycle Accident Case
Your bicycle accident attorney wants you to treat your injuries and prioritize self-care. Meanwhile, they will help you pursue compensation from anyone at fault for your cycling accident and injuries.
Some of the ways that your lawyer may help with your bike accident case include:
- Teaching you about bike laws. Your attorney is familiar with cycling laws that apply to your case and will share their legal knowledge and insights with you. Furthermore, they can use their knowledge of the legal system to help you with your claim or lawsuit.
- Investigating your accident. Your lawyer can look at traffic camera footage of your cycling accident, interview witnesses who saw the incident, read police reports, and take other measures. Doing these things will help your attorney determine who’s liable for your accident so you can pursue compensation from them accordingly.
- Protecting your legal rights. You’re unsure of your legal rights in the aftermath of your cycling accident. Thankfully, your attorney will explain these rights to you and safeguard them throughout your litigation.
- Handling your insurance claim. Insurance companies may dispute the claims of cyclists injured due to the actions of their clients. Your lawyer knows the tactics that insurers commonly use to dispute and deny claims and will advocate for your interests during the claims process.
- Calculating your accident losses. You could pursue money for your medical bills, property damage, and other losses from your accident. With your lawyer’s help, you can get information about what your case is worth and seek compensation.
- Gathering evidence. Your lawyer can collect photos from the scene of your cycling accident, traffic camera footage of the incident, police and accident reports, witness statements, and other forms of proof. If your attorney has an extensive body of evidence, this information may help support your claim.
- Filing your lawsuit. If your insurance claim is unsuccessful, your lawyer may encourage you to bring your case to court. At this point, your attorney can assist you with the legal paperwork for your lawsuit and build an argument supported by the evidence and applicable law.
- Providing emotional support. It can be emotionally taxing to proceed with a cycling crash claim or lawsuit. Your lawyer remains on your side as your case moves forward and is ready to address your legal concerns and questions as they arise.
At Sweet James Accident Attorneys, we provide legal guidance to bicyclists and their families. Our goal is to provide you with peace of mind and help you move forward. Trust our bicycle accident lawyers to help you with your case. For more information, request a free case review.
Compensation Available to You in a Bicycle Accident Case
Bicycle accident attorneys will account for your economic and non-economic damages as they assess your losses. Depending on your bike accident losses, you could seek damages for several reasons, such as:
Medical Expenses
Your concussion, broken bones, road rash, or other cycling accident injuries may require medical treatments that cost a lot of money. Treat your injuries for as long as your doctor advises and share your medical bills with your lawyer.
By doing so, you may keep your injuries from getting worse. Plus, your attorney can include your medical costs in your damages request.
Lost Wages
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) or other severe trauma from your bicycle accident keeps you out of work. In this scenario, your attorney can assess your loss of income. They can use your pay stubs in conjunction with other evidence to prove that compensation for your current and future lost wages may be warranted.
Pain and Suffering
The emotional distress, physical discomfort, and other pain and suffering from your bike accident have the potential to impact you for years.
Outside of these damages, bicyclists may seek compensation for bike repair or replacement costs, loss of enjoyment of life, and other accident losses. Your bike crash attorney can help evaluate potential damages and encourage you to track your expenses from your accident. They will also help you initiate the insurance claims process.
What to Expect if You File a Bicycle Accident Claim
The bicycle crash lawyer you choose makes a difference as you proceed with a claim. Select an attorney who has experience in cases similar to yours. For example, if a motorist slams their vehicle into you while you’re riding your bike, a car accident lawyer may know how to help you seek compensation for your losses from this driver’s insurer.
Filing a bike accident claim doesn’t guarantee success. A liable party’s insurance company could have concerns about liability and try to blame you for your cycling accident. The business could say things like you chose not to ride your bicycle in a designated bike lane or with a helmet. Or, it could use various delay and dispute tactics to frustrate and annoy you.
Your attorney will keep you updated as they communicate and collaborate with the at-fault party’s insurance provider. If an insurer offers a settlement, your lawyer will share the proposal with you, and you can review it with them. If a settlement falls short of what you want, you can review settlement offers with your attorney to decide how to proceed.
How a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit Works
Initially, a personal injury lawsuit following a bicycling accident may seem like it’s more trouble than it’s actually worth. But remember, you have access to bike accident lawyers. With individualized legal support from your attorney, you can proceed with a cycling accident lawsuit and minimize your risk of legal mistakes along the way.
Leading up to your trial, your lawyer will gather evidence to strengthen your case. They can present evidence relevant to fault and liability. If your lawyer has an extensive collection of evidence, settlement discussions may occur.
Settlement negotiations with a liable party can stay open until your case reaches trial. If you don’t get a fair settlement, your lawyer can present your case in court. They may present arguments regarding whether the defendant is legally responsible for damages. On top of that, they will capitalize on opportunities to respond to the defendant’s argument and dispute their claims against you.
Who Is Responsible for a Bike Accident?
The party responsible for a cycling accident varies based on the circumstances of the incident. Bike accident attorneys will examine what happened that led to the incident and the parties involved.
They may find that any of the following parties may be responsible for an accident in which a bicyclist has suffered injuries:
Driver
A motorist takes their eyes off the road and crashes their car into a cyclist. In this situation, the driver may be alleged to be liable for the incident.
If you were injured in such an incident with an Uber or Lyft, a rideshare accident attorney may help you prepare an argument to use against the ridesharing company or the driver involved in the collision.
Bike Manufacturer
You purchase a bicycle, but bike manufacturing defects contribute to an accident in which you suffer catastrophic injuries. Speak with a serious injury lawyer about your accident. Your attorney can help evaluate potential manufacturer liability.
Government Entity
Dangerous road conditions play a role in your cycling accident. If a government body does not maintain safe roads in your community and you are injured in a cycling accident as a result, you could have grounds for legal action.
In addition to these parties, construction crews, bike retailers, and others are sometimes responsible for accidents involving cyclists. Regardless of who is at fault for your cycling crash, your bike collision attorney can develop an argument designed to present evidence related to negligence.
What Does Negligence Mean in a Bike Accident Case?
Bike collision lawyers can describe negligence and what it will take to prove that a liable party should be held accountable for your accident and injuries. Prior to your bike accident trial, your lawyer may put together an argument centered on these elements of negligence:
- Duty of Care: This is a legal obligation not to do anything that would put people in danger. For instance, a motorist is legally obligated to avoid distracted driving, speeding, and other careless or reckless acts.
- Breach of Duty of Care: A party violates their duty of care when they do something that can cause people to get hurt or killed. As an example, if a motorist engages in distracted driving, they are choosing to breach their duty of care to cyclists and others.
- Causation: If your lawyer argues your case in court, they work to present evidence relevant to fault and liability.
- Damages: These are the quantifiable and subjective losses that you face due to your accident. Your lawyer can use your pay stubs, medical bills, and other evidence to highlight these losses to a judge or jury.
It is your responsibility to prove liability and negligence in your bike collision case. Your bike crash lawyer addresses this responsibility as part of representation. They will work to present evidence clearly to the court that you’re not to blame for your accident and that any liable parties may be required to address losses under applicable law.
Discover the Sweet James Advantage
The aftermath of an accident can be challenging as you deal with the ramifications of a cycling accident caused by someone else. How you respond to your accident can have long-lasting effects.
Meet with bike crash attorneys who will analyze your case in depth. Your lawyer can detail your legal options and what to do if you want to request compensation from the liable party.
Sweet James Accident Attorneys assist individuals who have been injured. We are here for you if you want to file a bike accident claim or lawsuit against anyone who harmed you. To get started, let us review your case, free of charge.
Disclaimer: Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
