Bicycle Accidents — How to Obtain Compensation after Injury
Aug 13th, 2009 by ANorman
There are numerous places where a bicycle accident can happen and why. Of course, the most deadly often occur on our nations roadways, in fact, 716 bicyclists were killed in traffic accidents in 2008. This was a slight increase from 2007 statistics which indicated that 698 bicyclists were among the 41,059 fatalities that happened from auto accidents.
Bike rider injury also increased to around 21% in 2008 with the number totaling 52,000.
With these kinds of numbers, it pays for a bicycle rider to be careful and pay strict attention to the rules of the road. They also need to drive defensively, especially in traffic, where overly aggressive drivers will see a bike rider as nuisance and may potentially do things to put the rider in harm’s way.
Still, bike enthusiasts will have to keep in mind that there are other dangers they could face outside of road raging drivers and congested traffic.
Bicycle accident on commercial or residential property
Unlike cars, a bicycle can travel down sidewalks and beaten paths to get to its target destination. Unfortunately, a cyclist can also get injured in these areas, especially if the property is not kept up. In such a scenario an injured biker may be able to sue the property owner under premises liability laws and receive reparation.
Injury due to a faulty helmet
We rely on safety equipment to work as promised by the manufacturer. However, this may not always be this case. Sadly, we need things like knee and shoulder pads to work effectively. When they do not, serious injury can occur. This is why any bicyclist who fails to be protected by their helmets can sue the product manufacturer under product liability laws for financial compensation.
Bicycle safety reduces accidents
Of course, there is a lot that cyclists themselves can do to ensure their own safety. One of them is to always look twice before making any turns in traffic. The use of a pedestrian cross walk and sidewalks are always advisable as well. In areas that do not have sidewalks, be sure to travel with, and not against, the flow of traffic.
When traveling at night, make sure you wear reflective clothing and that the bike itself has noticeable reflectors too. Neon green, yellow and white reflectors work best.
When injury occurs, get legal assistance
There are still times when even the most safety conscience bicycle rider can get injured. Distracted drivers and those who for whatever reason fail to yield the right of way to the bike, can turn a sudden joy filled ride into one of agony and pain.
Has something like this happened to you or someone you love? Then placing call to our law offices should be your next step.
If you know that you were obeying traffic laws when someone else caused you injury either through negligence or unlawful behavior, you can purse them in court via a personal injury lawsuit. Contact us today for a free case assessment and learn what you can do when someone else causes you bodily harm and grievous injury.
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