Bike Accident Victims: Legal Options

Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Traveling by bicycle can be a truly enjoyable endeavor and is increasingly recognized as a noble pursuit. Yet, because far too few American roads were constructed with cycling traffic in mind, bicycle riders remain in a relatively constant state of danger that is arguably unreasonable for them to bear. Due to the nature of the roads, the stubborn refusal of too many motorists to “share the road” properly, and an increasingly distracted population, cyclists are too often the victims of injurious accidents.

If you’ve recently been injured in a bicycle accident, understand that you are not alone. Understand also that you don’t have to navigate the legal and financial aftermath of your crash alone, either. Exploring your legal options with the assistance of an experienced attorney can help to ensure that you receive any and all compensation to which you are owed by those whose negligence, recklessness, or intentionally dangerous conduct caused your harm.

When Unsafe Roads Are to Blame

As an experienced bicycle accident lawyer can confirm, it is possible to hold a government agency to account for failure to properly design and/or maintain roads in a manner that is safe for cyclists. As a result, even if you were involved in a single-traveler collision, if you’ve sustained injuries, it may still be worth your effort to speak with a lawyer about your case.

When Inattentive Drivers Are to Blame

When inattentive, drunk, drowsy, drugged, or aggressive drivers are to blame for bicycle accident, injury victims may hold them accountable for economic and noneconomic losses by filing a personal injury lawsuit. Winning a lawsuit in North Carolina isn’t always the easiest business but by working with an experienced attorney to secure the most favorable outcome possible under the circumstances, bicycle accident injury victims are often able to secure significant financial relief.

Partial Fault Considerations

In most states, bicycle accident injury victims are permitted to pursue compensation from those who directly contributed to the cause(s) of their harm, even if they too were partially at fault for what happened to them. Most states only allow accident injury victims to take advantage of this opportunity if they were 49% or less responsible for their own harm, although states like California and Florida don’t impose any fault-based limits to this pursuit at all.

North Carolina, however, is one of only a small fraction of states that prohibits accident injury victims from pursuing compensation from other partially responsible parties if the victims themselves were at fault for their own harm to any degree whatsoever. It is, therefore, particularly important for North Carolina bicycle accident victims to speak with a reputable attorney in the wake of an injurious accident. Without a strong advocate on their side, bicycle accident injury victims may be left responsible for all of the costs of their accident, even if they were less than 10% to blame for their injurious circumstances.