Should you Seek a Bicycle Accident Lawyer?

Cycling is a great way to maintain one’s health and get away from the daily grind. It gives you a clean and efficient way of transport along with a bit of exercise and fun. But as with any mode of transportation, there is always a possibility of an unfortunate accident

Bicycle accidents can result in serious injuries since the rider is more exposed to the elements and there’s little protection to offer as opposed to a car. The aftermath of the accident just adds insult to injury with dealing with insurance companies and whatnot.

Legally, a bicycle rider is entitled to an accident claim and has the same rights as any other motorist. If you find yourself in the unfortunate predicament that your safety is compromised because of the negligence of another driver, our partner firms can help you out in filing an accident claim with a professional and experienced bicycle accident lawyer.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents

In general, bicycle accidents are caused due to a crash with a motor vehicle. The limited protection of a bicycle can result in severe and long-lasting damage, and the end result can be catastrophic. Some of the common causes for bicycle accidents are:

• Negligence of a motorist: failure to yield the right of way at an intersection,carelessly opening doors on a pathway and blocking it, frivolous overtaking manoeuvres, loss of control, etc.
• Animal attacks causing the rider to fall
• Poorly maintained roads and pathways for bicycles
• Defective bicycles due to low-quality repairs

Liability

Any accident claim is valid if the cause of the accident was the negligence of the other party in question. Bicycle accident claims are no different. Since no one involved in the accident wants to admit to their own negligence, a bicycle accident lawyer can help you gather relevant evidence to help your case. It’s best to consult a bicycle accident lawyer before jumping to any conclusions about who is liable for the damages. If the cause of the accident was another individual such as a motorist or a pedestrian, a cyclist can file a claim against them for compensation. If the cause of the accident was a design flaw or bad repairs by the manufacturer, the cyclist can file a claim against the manufacturer. Similarly, if the cause of the accident was poorly maintained roadways, the cyclist is entitled to file a claim against the local authorities responsible for maintaining the public pathways.

Determining who is liable in the case of an accident is crucial, as the cyclist would only be eligible to receive compensation if the incident happened because of no fault of their own. If the accident was a result of the negligence of the cyclist, such as turning without giving a hand signal, riding against the traffic, or on the wrong side of the road, then no compensation is awarded as a result of the claim. It is important to share the details of your crash with your bicycle accident lawyer so that the lawyer can precisely examine them and determine which party is liable for the damages. In the case of the event occurring due to the fault of both parties involved, the state law determines the party who is legally responsible and may split the responsibility. So it’s necessary to have your side represented well by a professional bicycle accident lawyer.

How a Lawyer Can Help

A bicycle lawyer will examine the case to determine the cause of the accident. In the case that the other party was at fault, your attorney will help you gather relevant evidence to prove that the other party involved had a duty to drive safely and be mindful of the bikers, which was breached, resulting in physical and financial damage towards you. In most cases, the accidents occur due to the motorist’s failure to comply with safety regulations. Your attorney will take care of your claim from start to finish and keep you in the loop regarding each and every step, so you don’t have to deal with insurance companies in the aftermath of the accident.

In the case of a successful claim, you are entitled to financial compensation from the other party to recover financial losses such as damage to your bike, lost wages as a result of the accident, medical costs, etc. In the case of the motorist committing a legal offense, your attorney can also help you seek punitive compensation against the motorist by presenting the offense to the court. The court may punish the motorist for disregarding traffic laws such as drunk driving, ignoring the speed limit, etc.

If you or a loved one were involved in such an unfortunate incident, feel free to reach out to us with any questions you have. Our partner firms have experienced bicycle accident lawyers who could help you with your claim.

Serious Injury Specialists is registered as a Claims Management Company. with an aim to help people gain compensation for injuries suffered which was not their fault. These injuries can occur due to Road accidents, injuries at work, slip and fall,