Texas Bicycle Accident Lawyers
Texas undoubtedly puts the gas powered vehicle as the number one transportation vehicle; however, bikes are a growing as both transportation and a hobby. Austin, Houston and other large cities have made significant investments in biking infrastructure. That investment will only continue to grow. Around the state, biking is also a hobby in both urban and rural environments. Despite an increase in infrastructure and awareness, bicycle accidents still occur at an alarming rate.
Bicycle accidents can result in catastrophic, even fatal, injuries. Unlike cars and trucks that surround occupants with safety features, on a bicycle the rider is mostly exposed to the force of an accident. Under Texas personal injury law you have the right to recover for your injuries and financial losses due to a driver’s negligence that causes an accident. Experienced Texas bicycle accident lawyers are familiar with the injuries common to bike accidents and how to fight for the compensation you deserve. If you suffered injuries in a bicycle accident, you should contact a Texas personal injury lawyer right away.
Do I need to hire a Texas bike accident lawyer?
Often bike riders think their personal injury cases are slam dunks because the responsible driver hit a bike rider. That is definitely not true. Certainly bicyclists are more likely to experience more severe injuries, but insurance adjusters also are more likely to fight your personal injury claim. Some reasons people injured in bicycle accidents need to hire a bike accident lawyer include:
The insurance adjuster will try to settle your case before you know the extent of injuries
Insurance adjusters want to move cases off their desks as quickly as possible, which means if they can get you to accept a premature settlement they will promise to, “Take care of you.” If you accept a low settlement within weeks of the bicycle accident you might leave as much as 98% of the value of your case on the table. Often they will agree to pay a small amount towards your medical bills and give you a small settlement. What happens if you have more medical bills? You pay.
Insurance adjusters treat bicycle accidents as minor impacts
We live in a car culture and many insurance adjusters work in cities with a less than supportive culture towards bike transportation. Those adjusters are more likely to treat your bicycle accident as a minor bump unless you suffered truly catastrophic injuries. It is easy to have tens of thousands of dollars of medical bills from a fairly minor bicycle accident.
The negligent driver is more likely to lie about what happened
In car accidents it is easier to figure out how a collision occurred when both cars have property damage. In bicycle accidents, it is less likely that your bicycle has obvious damage from an impact or that the negligent driver’s vehicle has damage. That unfortunately leads many negligent drivers to lie about what happened because there is less physical evidence of the impact. Your Texas bicycle accident lawyer will fight to expose the truth and get you the compensation you deserve.
Common causes of bicycle accidents in Texas
Bicycle accidents happen every day in Texas. Many factors can contribute to a collision. Negligent or reckless driving by the at-fault person can include:
- Speeding
- Failing to yield the right of way to bicyclists
- Failing to share the road with bicyclists
- Changing lanes without signaling
- Failing to look for bicyclists in bike lanes before turning across bike lanes
- Striking bikes while passing bicyclists
- Drunk driving
- Racing through red lights
- Fatigued driving
- Distracted driving
As cars get bigger and more bikes are on the road, the probability of bicycle accidents only increases. Even the incorrect assumption that cars can always overtake bicycles on on the road becomes harder when cars become larger and there is less room left for bikes. If you are in a bicycle accident in Texas, you should seek medical attention and then call an experienced Texas bicycle accident lawyer about your case.
Common bicycle accident injuries
Bicycle accident injuries can range from minor injuries to catastrophic or even fatal injuries. Bike accidents can cause similar bodily injuries as car accidents but often worse due to the lack of safety devices protecting the rider. Bike riders also are more prone to joint injuries like hip, shoulder, elbow, knee and wrist injuries due to hard impacts with the road. Common bicycle accident injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Neck and spinal cord injuries
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Scarring and permanent disfigurement
- Tendon and ligament injuries
- Joint damage due to impact with the car or road
- Wrongful death
After a bicycle crash it is important to seek immediate medical attention. Emergency medical treatment can help limit the extent of injury and may save your life. After discharge from an emergency room or urgent care, you should contact Texas bicycle accident lawyers about your case.
Compensation available for cycle rider injuries in Texas
A bicycle accident can have a financial toll along with a physical and mental toll. You can easily accrue five, six, or even seven figures in medical bills. You might lose time at work which can create a financial disaster for your family. Bicycle accident victims in Texas can obtain compensation for these losses and other forms of recovery including:
- Past medical expenses
- Future medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Past and future lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Chronic pain
Texas bicycle accident attorneys know how to help you get the medical care you need and fight to recover the maximum recovery possible for your losses and injuries. If you have been in a bike accident, contact Texas personal injury attorneys right away to discuss your case. Although you have two years in most cases under the statute of limitations, you should not wait to let a bicycle accident lawyer start working on your case.
Schedule a consultation with Texas bicycle accident lawyers
Bicycle accident injuries can cause serious and long term injuries. You need to be able to focus on your injuries and getting better without worrying about how you will pay for each medical appointment. Bicycle accident lawyers will work on investigating and fighting for your case so you can focus on treatment. Your lawyers will fight to get maximum recovery and hold the negligent driver responsible.