Bicycle Accident Lawyer Roswell, GA
If you have been injured in an accident, a bicycle accident lawyer in Roswell, GA from Hernan Law Firm can provide valuable and timely assistance. Accidents involving bicycles are unfortunately a common occurrence. Victims often suffer serious injuries because of limited protection and driver inattentiveness. By hiring a lawyer, you can explore your options and discover how you can be compensated for your losses. Talk to a top accident lawyer like one from Hernan Law Firm to learn more.
What To Do After the Accident
Going for a bike ride is not only a way for people to enjoy the outdoors, as it’s also an environmentally friendly way to get around. For these reasons, many people opt for riding a bike if it’s a feasible distance between where they are and where they need to go. Despite being an effective method of transportation, it is a dangerous one that comes along with numerous risks. In particular, bicyclists are vulnerable to being hit by a car driver who failed to pay enough attention to them.
Bicyclists may take safety measures to reduce the likelihood of being struck by a driver, however, they cannot prevent it entirely. Many drivers speed, swerve, and otherwise don’t carefully consider the possible presence of others. Drivers have a duty to operate their vehicle in a reasonable manner when near bicyclists and other pedestrians, and this includes not speeding past, not driving too close, not passing too closely, and not failing to yield to a bicyclist’s right-of-way.
When a driver is responsible for a serious bike accident, they may have to pay restitution to the victim for injury, damages, and other losses. In order to get the most out of your claim against the at-fault driver, it will be imperative that you:
- Call 911 for medical attention at the scene
- File a report as to what happened with the responding officer
- Obtain a copy of the police report in the days to follow
- See a doctor immediately for possible injuries (even if you feel fine)
- Get a copy of the doctor’s visit including injuries and treatment plan
- Write down how the accident happened in your perspective
- Begin a journal that talks about your injuries and how you feel each day
- Refrain from speaking with an insurance adjuster until you have legal help
- Hire a lawyer who can fight for a fair amount of compensation
Victims of bike accidents are strongly encouraged to get legal representation. Many victims don’t realize that their situation calls for legal action, and that they may be due compensation for what occurred. Contact our law firm now for assistance.
How Bicycle Accidents Occur
A bicycle accident can be caused by several things, such as failure to yield to cyclists, ignoring traffic signs, unsafe lane changes, or reckless driving. Because of their small size and lack of bright lights, it is much harder to see cyclists on the road, especially at night or in poor weather conditions. Drivers are also not always attentive when they are around cyclists.
People who are riding bicycles are much slower than surrounding vehicles, so drivers may try to pass them in an aggressive or unsafe manner. As a Georgia’s bicycle accident lawyer in Roswell can tell you, in neighborhoods or roads without proper bike lanes, collisions with bicycles are also common. If a driver is not careful, they may strike the cyclist. Common causes of accidents include:
- Speeding
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Backing up a driveway
- Failing to yield to cyclists
- Passing a cyclist
- Switching lanes without looking
- Drunk or drugged driving
- Bad weather conditions
Injuries From Bicycle Accident
Because of the lack of protection for cyclists, bicycle accidents tend to result in injuries that range from mild to severe. The impact of a bicycle accident can cause devastating damage to skin, tissues and bones. When a vehicle strikes a cyclist, they can get launched from their bicycle, causing them to land or slide across the pavement. Some of the most severe injuries include paralysis, brain damage and spinal cord injuries. Some of the most common types of injuries that bicycle riders sustain include:
- Cuts
- Bruises
- Scrapes
- Fractures
- Brain damage
- Internal bleeding
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
Establishing And Proving A Bicycle Accident Claim
Identifying the element of your claim and proving them can be challenging. Hernan Law Firm devotes time and resources to the investigatory stage of your case. Before we file a complaint and begin the discovery process we will have a clear understanding of the key facts and witnesses associated with your bicycle accident case.
Hernan Law Firm will ensure that the insurance company understands every fact that establishes the liability of the driver who injured you during a bicycle accident. Different types of negligent acts can cause bicycle accidents. Many cases involving bicycle accidents feature different acts of negligence.
Accidents Involving Open Vehicle Doors
Many bicyclists in Roswell, Georgia are injured when a driver opens the door of a parked car without checking for bicyclists. When a bicyclist collides with an open car door the cyclist can be thrown into moving traffic or collide with other objects such as metal barriers and chain-link fences.
A bicyclist does not have to collide with a moving vehicle to suffer serious bodily injuries. Bicyclists who have struck open car doors may suffer spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and bone fractures. These accidents often arise when the occupants of vehicles do not check their rearview and sideview mirrors for passing bicyclists.
A Roswell, Georgia personal injury lawyer can help you establish the elements of your cause of action. Retaining an experienced personal injury lawyer can improve the likelihood that you will recover the monetary compensation you deserve.
Accidents Involving Impaired Drivers
Intoxicated drivers often strike other moving automobiles because they are not capable of focusing on their surroundings. Impaired drivers can also injure bicyclists. Drunk or drugged driving is inherently dangerous and bicyclists may suffer serious bodily injuries when they are struck by a moving vehicle.
You do need to retain an experienced personal injury lawyer if you were injured in a bicycle accident caused by an impaired driver. Establishing and proving the elements of negligence are still necessary even if it seems like the facts of the case are clear and self-evident.
Do not risk losing your case because you don’t believe you need an experienced lawyer. Opposing counsel will file motions to have evidence related to breathalyzer tests suppressed and you will need to have a personal injury lawyer on your side.
Bicycle Accidents Caused By Drivers Exhibiting Road Rage And Aggression
Drivers in Roswell, Georgia can be frustrated and aggressive. Many drivers commute to and from Atlanta every day and face extensive traffic on the loop. Motorists driving at excessive speeds may not see bicyclists traveling on the shoulder. Some drivers may pull up close to bicyclists and attempt to force them off the roadway. Drivers engaging in these activities may cause devastating accidents that can seriously injure bicyclists and other drivers.
Drivers who exhibit aggressive behaviors may escalate their acts of road rage and cause motor vehicle accidents. Bicyclists do not have any protection when they collide with a motor vehicle. Thus bicyclists are more likely to suffer spinal cord injuries, internal hemorrhaging, and organ damage.
Contact Hernan Law Firm Today To Schedule A Free Consultation
Bicyclists who suffer serious bodily injury need to seek representation from an experienced personal injury lawyer. Hernan Law Firm has experience handling negligence cases involving injured bicyclists. We can negotiate with insurance companies and take your case to trial if a just settlement is not reached. Call the office today at (678) 582-8200 to schedule a free consultation during which we can discuss the facts of your case.
