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From recreational rides to racing to everyday commuting, cycling in Fort Worth has gained immense popularity in recent years. More than 120 trails covering 506 miles provide bicyclists in Fort Worth an opportunity to pedal or e-bike through city streets and winding country paths.
But this wholesome and adventurous method of transportation becomes a nightmare in an instant when motorists and others act carelessly.
If you or a family member were injured while cycling, an experienced and qualified Fort Worth Bicycle Accident Lawyer will help you put your life back together.
Call DFW Injury Lawyers today for your no-cost, no-obligation evaluation of your bike accident claim. We bring the muscle to get you all the compensation you need and deserve.
Why Do You Want DFW Injury Lawyers for Your Fort Worth Bicycle Accident Case?
When you or a loved one suffers injuries from a bicycle accident, you need a relentless legal team with the experience and resources to take on the insurance companies.
DFW Injury Lawyers are that team.
Here’s what sets us apart:
- Uncompromising Advocacy: From the moment you become our client, we fight aggressively to protect your rights and secure maximum compensation. We never back down from a fight, no matter how formidable the opposition.
- Proven Results: Our record of success speaks for itself. We’ve recovered millions of dollars for bicycle accident victims and their families, holding negligent parties accountable for their actions.
- Comprehensive Investigation: Our team thoroughly investigates every bicycle accident case and explores every potential avenue of compensation. We gather evidence, interview witnesses, and construct cases that get the results our clients need.
- Personalized Attention: You are more than a case number to us. We take the time to understand your unique situation, providing compassionate support and personalized legal strategies tailored to your needs.
- We work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t pay anything upfront until we secure a financial recovery for you. Our interests align with yours from day one – we only win when you do.
At DFW Injury Lawyers, our Fort Worth personal injury lawyers achieve justice for those wrongfully injured. Trust us as your fierce advocates, relentless negotiators, and unwavering allies from the start of your legal journey to the end.
What Puts Cyclists at Risk?
When you cycle in Fort Worth, you share the road with vehicles that can weigh over 20 times more than your bicycle. The size and weight disparity and your lack of bodily protection put you at risk of catastrophic injuries or death should a car or truck hit you.
Many bicycle accidents occur when drivers negligently fail to exercise proper caution and awareness around cyclists.
Some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents stem from:
- Distracted driving is an ever-increasing safety risk for everyone. Drivers who juggle their attention between the road and texting or other distracting activities may not notice bicyclists in time to avoid a crash.
- Failure to properly yield to cyclists at intersections or when making turns often causes catastrophic collisions.
- Passing cyclists too closely or failing to provide adequate space on the road risks forcing them off the road or into the path of another vehicle.
- Opening a car door into the path of an approaching cyclist, referred to as “dooring,” can eject the cyclist from their bike and cause severe trauma. Dooring is a serious problem for cyclists in compact urban areas.
- Drunk driving and driving under the effects of drugs severely impair a driver’s ability to make sound judgments, react quickly, and maintain control.
- Road rage incidents occur when drivers take out their anger on vulnerable cyclists. Road rage often escalated into intentional collisions or assaults.
Bicycle Accident Injuries
Cyclists face a heightened risk of serious or catastrophic injuries when they’re involved in collisions with motor vehicles.
Without the protective shell of a car surrounding them, their bodies bear the full brunt of the impact.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are among the most devastating consequences of bicycle accidents. These injuries can occur when a cyclist’s head strikes the pavement or a solid object, causing permanent brain damage, cognitive impairments, and long-term disabilities. Even when the bicyclist wears a helmet, the sheer force of an impact can jar the brain.
Spinal cord injuries are another grave concern, potentially resulting in paralysis in various parts of the body. The force of impact can fracture vertebrae, compress the spinal cord, or sever nerve pathways, leading to life-altering physical disabilities.
Broken bones are common in bicycle accidents, as the cyclist’s limbs and extremities are exposed during a collision or fall. Fractures to the arms, legs, ribs, and pelvis require extensive medical treatment, including surgery.
Internal organ damage is also a risk, as the abdomen and chest are vulnerable areas in a bicycle crash. Ruptured spleens, punctured lungs, or internal bleeding present life-threatening complications if not treated promptly.
Road rash increases the risk of infection. This condition occurs when the cyclist’s skin scrapes against the pavement, causing painful abrasions and lacerations, and embeds debris in the wounds.
Many of these bicycle accident injuries can be fatal. Even seemingly minor injuries can have long-term impacts on a cyclist’s physical and mental well-being, underscoring the urgency of seeking immediate medical attention and legal representation after a bicycle accident.
Where Do Bicycle Accidents Occur?
Bicycle accidents can happen anywhere, but certain areas pose heightened risks for cyclists.
Around 75% of deadly bicycle accidents occur in urban areas like Fort Worth, where roads are more congested and interactions between cyclists and motor vehicles are frequent.
- Intersections are notoriously dangerous for bicyclists, as they must navigate through crossing traffic, turning vehicles, and drivers who may fail to yield the right of way. Major intersections in Fort Worth, such as those along Camp Bowie Boulevard, University Drive, and Hulen Street, have witnessed numerous bicycle accidents over the years.
- Crosswalks, while designed to protect pedestrians and cyclists, can also be hazardous if drivers are distracted or fail to stop in time. Crosswalks near schools, parks, and high-traffic areas like the West 7th Street corridor pose risks for cyclists.
- Corners and turns are another trouble spot, as drivers may speed or misjudge the speed or position of a cyclist while making a turn, leading to collisions. Areas like the Cultural District and downtown Fort Worth, with their numerous turns and one-way streets, require extra caution.
- Residential neighborhoods, with their narrow streets and numerous driveways, can also be treacherous to bicyclists. Drivers backing out of driveways or side streets may not see an approaching cyclist, resulting in devastating accidents.
In Fort Worth, areas like the Trinity Trails, the West Seventh Street entertainment district, and the Magnolia Avenue corridor have gained notoriety for bicycle accidents due to their high volume of vehicle and pedestrian traffic, as well as the popularity of cycling in these areas.
The legal muscle you need to win
Do I Have a Bicycle Accident Claim?
Texas law grants cyclists the same rights and responsibilities as motorists when sharing the roads. While cyclists must follow traffic laws, signal turns, and yield when required, drivers also have a legal obligation to exercise reasonable care and share the road safely with cyclists.
After a bicycle accident, you may file a personal injury claim. Most bicycle accident cases hinge on the concept of negligence, which your Fort Worth bicycle accident lawyer must establish by proving four key elements:
First, we must demonstrate that the other party, such as a driver, had a duty of care or responsibility to operate their vehicle in a manner that didn’t endanger others on the road. Your lawyer will need to show how the other party failed in this duty through negligent actions.
Second, we must provide evidence that the other party’s actions caused the accident and your injuries.
Third, we must show that you suffered damages and losses because of the accident, whether physical, emotional, or financial.
Finally, we will quantify the extent of your damages and present evidence to support your claim, such as medical records, expert testimony, and eyewitness accounts.
Who May Be Held Liable for Bicycle Accidents?
In a bicycle accident case, various parties could be liable for the injuries and damages you suffer, depending on the circumstances of the crash.
Potentially liable parties include:
- Drivers of vehicles who failed to exercise reasonable care and caution around cyclists
- Manufacturers of defective bicycles or bicycle components
- Municipal or other government bodies responsible for maintaining safe road conditions
- Employers of negligent drivers (if the driver was on the job at the time of the accident)
What Happens in Hit-and-Run Bicycle Accidents?
In hit-and-run bicycle accidents, the driver flees the accident scene without stopping to check on others, render aid, or provide their information. In such cases, the bicycle accident survivor or the family of a deceased bike accident victim may still recover damages through their own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage or by filing a lawsuit or claim with a state-run victims’ compensation fund.
Hit-and-run cases are much more complicated than most. To secure compensation for your injuries, Fort Worth bicycle accident lawyers must prove that a hit-and-run driver caused your accident, even if the driver’s identity remains unknown.
What Compensation Can Bicycle Accident Victims Recover?
Bicycle accident victims or their families may recover compensation for their damages, which are broadly categorized as economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to tangible financial losses, such as:
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Property damage (bicycle, clothing, etc.)
- Rehabilitation and ongoing care costs
Non-economic damages compensate for intangible losses, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement or permanent disability
In cases involving wrongful death, families may also seek compensation for expenses incurred from funeral and burial, loss of companionship, and loss of financial support.
If you are suffering from the inconsolable loss of a child killed in a bicycling accident, our Fort Worth bicycle accident lawyers will show you the damages you may seek as the parents or guardians.
Take Caution with Insurance Companies
If you or a family member has been involved in a bicycle accident, insurance companies may contact you to discuss the incident. We urge you to avoid talking with insurers or signing any documents until you’ve consulted with a highly experienced and aggressive bike accident lawyer.
Accepting an agreement with the at-fault party’s insurer or even your own can greatly weaken your claim and diminish the compensation you receive.
Insurance companies are primarily focused on corporate profits. Your interests come after that. You can expect that the insurers that contact you will protect their interests first by minimizing the amount of compensation they pay you. They may try to fault you for the incident or play down the severity of your injuries.
Call DFW Injury Lawyers today. We manage all communications with the insurance companies for you, protecting your rights and ensuring you get the compensation you need to heal and move ahead.
What Is the Deadline for Filing a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
Texas law imposes a two-year limit for filing personal injury lawsuits, including bicycle accident lawsuits. This statute of limitations means that in most cases, claimants have just two years from the day the accident happened to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
Missing this deadline means you’ve lost the opportunity to sue for damages and seek compensation.
Exceptions to this rule exist, so consult with a Fort Worth bicycle accident lawyer without delay to see how these exceptions could apply to you. Acting quickly also ensures your claim meets the required deadlines.
Contact Our Fort Worth Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today
Have you or a loved one been injured in a bike accident in Fort Worth or another part of Texas? Don’t go through this challenging time alone. Our team of experienced and results-driven Fort Worth bicycle accident lawyers is ready to fight for you.
Take the first step toward recovery by contacting us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will walk you through the legal process and work tirelessly to protect your rights. You pay nothing unless and until we obtain a favorable outcome.
Don’t delay! Call DFW Injury Lawyers today at (817) 646-2527, and let’s start your case.
DFW Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth Office
4200 South Fwy Suite 2335,
Fort Worth, TX 76115
(817) 646-2527
