Riding a bike is a great way to get around, exercise, and enjoy the outdoors. But it’s important to stay safe, as bicycle accidents can happen when you least expect them.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a bike crash, you may need an experienced Arlington bicycle accident lawyer to protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve. Keep reading to learn about some of the most common locations where bicycle accidents occur.
Urban Intersections
One of the most frequent sites of bicycle collisions is at busy intersections in cities and towns. Whenever multiple roads cross paths, it creates more points where cyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicles can come into contact – and conflict.
Even with crosswalks, walk signals, and dedicated bike lanes, intersections require everyone to stay alert to avoid crashes.
Many intersection-related bike accidents happen when a car turns right and strikes a cyclist traveling straight through the intersection in a bike lane. Drivers may fail to check their blind spots or misjudge the speed and distance of an approaching bicycle.
Left-turning vehicles can also hit an oncoming bike rider when the driver fails to yield the right-of-way.
Bicycles are smaller and less visible than cars and trucks, so motorists may overlook them at an intersection, especially at dawn or dusk.
Distracted driving, such as texting behind the wheel, increases the risk that a driver will hit a cyclist at an intersection. Intoxicated, drowsy, and speeding motorists also frequently cause these preventable collisions.
After an injury in an intersection accident that wasn’t your fault, reach out to a skilled Arlington bicycle accident lawyer in your area to discuss your legal options. You may be entitled to significant compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
Neighborhood Streets
You don’t have to be an urban bike commuter to be involved in a serious cycling crash. Bike accidents frequently occur close to home, on quiet neighborhood streets that don’t get much traffic.
Kids are especially vulnerable to bicycle collisions in residential areas. An excited child may dart out between parked cars or ride out of a driveway without looking both ways.
Impatient drivers may gun the gas to get around a kid on a bike. It’s up to adult drivers to slow down, stay alert, and be prepared to stop suddenly on neighborhood streets where children play.
Even responsible adult cyclists can be struck while pedaling to a friend’s house, the store, or the local park.
Neighbors backing out of driveways or opening car doors may not see a cyclist passing by. Loose dogs can chase bicycles and cause the rider to crash. Uneven pavement, potholes, and road debris also contribute to many bike accidents on residential streets.
After any bicycle accident on a neighborhood road, get medical attention for your injuries right away. Then, talk to a bike accident lawyer about your right to compensation for your damages.
A knowledgeable bike accident attorney will investigate the crash, gather evidence, and aggressively pursue the financial recovery you need to get your life back on track.
Rural Roads
Cycling crashes don’t just happen in urban and suburban settings. Bike riders can be seriously injured on rural roads far from the nearest town. While these sparsely populated areas may have less traffic overall, they pose some unique dangers for cyclists.
Narrow shoulders (or no shoulders) expose bikes to passing vehicles on rural roads. High speed limits and lack of streetlights mean drivers have less time and visibility to react to a cyclist up ahead, especially around blind curves. Crumbling road edges and overgrown plants frequently force bicycles closer to the travel lane.
Long stretches of straight, flat rural roads can also lull a driver into a false sense of complacency. Motorists may take their eyes off the road to fiddle with the radio or grab something from the passenger seat. In a split second, their vehicle can drift onto the shoulder and strike a cyclist.
Drunk and drugged driving is another major problem on isolated rural roads. Impaired motorists cause many deadly bike accidents in the countryside every year. Victims of these wrecks and their families need the counsel of a bike accident lawyer to demand accountability from the intoxicated driver.
Sidewalks and Crosswalks
It may seem like riding a bicycle on the sidewalk is safer than pedaling in the street, but sidewalk cycling actually increases your accident risk in many situations.
A bike is much faster and quieter than a pedestrian, so people on foot may not see or hear you coming. In driveways and on side streets, drivers don’t expect bicycles to enter the roadway from the sidewalk.
Sidewalk bike accidents commonly happen when a cyclist rides off the sidewalk into the path of a turning vehicle. Among the most common types of bicycle accidents, these collisions also occur when a bicyclist swerves off the sidewalk to avoid a pedestrian and crashes into traffic or roadside objects like fire hydrants, utility poles, trees, and fences.
Cycling in a crosswalk is always dangerous because, again, motorists aren’t looking out for fast-moving bicycles in an area designated for pedestrians. If you get hit riding in a crosswalk, the driver’s insurance company may argue that you are partially to blame for the accident.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t recover compensation with the help of a skilled bike accident lawyer
An experienced bike accident attorney will gather evidence and build a strong case showing the motorist’s negligence was the primary cause of the crash. Your lawyer will work diligently to minimize any allegations of fault against you and pursue the full financial recovery you need to move forward after a serious bicycle accident.
Parking Lots
Parking lot bike accidents are more frequent than you might think. Whenever vehicles are pulling into or backing out of parking spaces, there’s the potential for a collision with a cyclist.
Cars, trucks, and SUVs parked on either side may obstruct a driver’s view. Bikers can seem to appear out of nowhere between the rows of vehicles.
Distraction is a big part of the problem. Motorists may be busy looking for an open spot or watching for cars coming down the parking lane. They fixate on other vehicles and don’t notice a bike rider crossing behind them as they back up, or they’re so focused on squeezing into a space that they fail to check for passing bicyclists before opening the driver’s side door.
Speeding is also a major factor in parking lot bike accidents. Drivers often race through parking areas without concern for the posted speed limit (usually five to 10 miles per hour). Traveling too fast gives a motorist much less time to avoid a crash when a cyclist suddenly appears.
If a distracted driver struck your bicycle in a parking lot, you have important legal rights. Consult a bike accident lawyer immediately to learn about your potential legal remedies against the at-fault motorist.
Trails and Bike Paths
With more communities investing in multi-use trail networks, more cyclists can ride on paved recreational paths instead of on the road. While these bike trails provide a safe, enjoyable space for riding, they’re not without some risks.
Bicycle accidents on multi-use paths often involve collisions with other cyclists, electric scooter riders, in-line skaters, and pedestrians. An unleashed dog may chase a bike and cause the rider to crash. Overhanging tree branches, fallen limbs, trash, and other debris on the trail can also lead to a wreck.
At intersections where a bike path crosses a road, cyclists may be hit by inattentive drivers who fail to stop or yield as required. Motorists crossing a trail to access a parking lot or driveway may not look both ways for approaching bicycles.
On paths that run immediately adjacent to the roadway, an impaired or distracted driver may veer off and strike a cyclist.
Injured cyclists have the right to hold them liable for the resulting harm when a negligent motorist, pedestrian, pet owner, or property owner causes a bike trail accident. If you’ve suffered an injury, don’t hesitate to speak with a bike accident lawyer about your legal rights and options.
Key Takeaways
What to Do After a Bike Accident
No matter where your bicycle crash occurred, the most important thing to do is seek medical treatment. Even if you think your injuries are minor, get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
Some serious conditions, like head injuries and internal bleeding, may not have obvious symptoms right away. Prompt medical care will help ensure all your injuries are diagnosed, treated, and documented.
Be sure to follow your doctor’s treatment plan and attend all follow-up appointments. If you start to feel new or worsening symptoms, get medical attention immediately. Keep copies of your medical records and bills, as you will need them for your bike accident injury claim.
Talk to an experienced bike accident lawyer who can explain your rights and advocate for your interests. Insurance companies are not on your side. Their goal is to pay out as little as possible on injury claims. An attorney who focuses on representing injured cyclists will deal with the insurance adjuster on your behalf and fight for the full compensation you deserve.
How Can a Bike Accident Lawyer Help?
After a bicycle accident, a skilled lawyer can make a meaningful difference in your physical, emotional, and financial recovery.
Here are just a few of the ways an experienced bike accident attorney can help with your case:
- Investigating the crash: A knowledgeable lawyer will dig deep to determine how your bicycle accident happened and who is liable for your injuries. That includes gathering physical evidence and photographs from the crash scene, interviewing eyewitnesses, and reconstructing the collision with the help of experts if needed.
- Documenting your injuries: Your lawyer will collect your medical records and work with your doctors to ensure your injuries are fully documented. Attorneys often consult medical experts to get a clear picture of your future care needs and what it will cost.
- Placing a value on your damages: A seasoned lawyer will know how to accurately calculate all your losses from the bicycle accident, including past and future medical expenses, lost income, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, scarring or disfigurement, and reduced quality of life.
- Dealing with the insurance company: After most bike accidents, the at-fault party’s insurance company will contact you seeking a statement about the crash and trying to get you to accept a lowball settlement. An experienced attorney will take over these communications and ensure you don’t say or sign anything jeopardizing your legal rights.
- Filing necessary paperwork: A veteran lawyer will ensure key documents like your insurance claim and lawsuit are prepared properly and filed on time. If you attempt to handle your bike accident case on your own, you risk missing an important deadline that can derail your claim.
- Negotiating and litigating: Most bicycle accident cases are settled through negotiations without going forward to trial. However, you need an attorney with real courtroom experience and is ready to fight for you in front of a judge and jury if the insurance company won’t make a fair settlement offer.
These are just some of the many ways a skilled bike accident lawyer can protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve after a serious crash.
Call a Bike Accident Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation
Bike accidents can happen virtually anywhere bicycles and motor vehicles share the road – or anywhere cyclists encounter careless pedestrians, pet owners, or property owners who fail to keep a path safe.
No matter where your crash occurred, get appropriate medical treatment and speak with an experienced bike accident lawyer about your legal rights.
The sooner you contact a knowledgeable attorney, the better your chances of recovering maximum compensation for your injuries and losses. Call an Arlington bicycle accident lawyer today for a free consultation. You have nothing to lose and potentially much to gain.
