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Bike accidents involving a cyclist and a car, truck, or SUV often mean serious injuries for the bike rider. Many drivers choose to ignore traffic laws meant to protect bike riders, and riders are often put at risk when roads are not properly equipped to help riders stay safe.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a bicycle accident in the Irving area, contact The Queenan Law Firm for help. Our Irving, TX bicycle accident lawyers represent injured bike riders in cases against the at-fault drivers who caused their accidents. For help with your case, call our law offices today to set up a free legal consultation on your case. Our phone number is (817) 476-1797.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Irving, TX
Bicycle accidents often occur because a driver – not the cyclist – made a mistake. Drivers in cars, trucks, and SUVs must always be on the lookout for other vehicles, including bikes. Typically, bicycle accidents happen when these drivers do not see bikers or fail to treat them like other drivers, causing accidents through careless mistakes.
Drivers who do not watch for bikes on their right often hook across bikers’ lanes of travel while turning, crashing into them. Drivers may also fail to notice a cyclist in their blind spot when changing lanes or pulling onto the shoulder to park. These issues can cause serious crashes if the accident happens at speed.
Accidents can also be caused by drivers who do not pay attention to the specific needs of cyclists they share the road with. Many bikers have trouble riding in bike lanes because of debris, traffic cones, construction, parked cars, or delivery vehicles that obstruct the lane. Drivers who do not give bikers room to cross into their lane or swerve to avoid obstructions could be responsible for the crash.
Cyclists are also injured in many cases because of other careless mistakes that might not even involve driving. Cars parked along the side of the road could suddenly open doors and hit a bike rider with the door. This kind of careless mistake can leave a bike rider with serious injuries, especially if they were riding at relatively high speeds when the crash occurred.
Other common causes of accidents between two cars could also affect cyclists, such as speeding, drunk driving, distracted driving, and tired driving.
Seeking Compensation for Bike Accidents in Irving, TX
Most drivers know that when they are in a car accident, they can often file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company to get compensation. These claims may pay the full cost of vehicle damage, but that typically will not help victims who were riding a bicycle, as these victims typically care more about the physical injuries they faced over the damage to their bike.
To get compensation for injuries after a bike accident, you may want to consider filing an injury lawsuit instead of handling the case through insurance companies. In an insurance claim, you can only get compensation for covered damages, which typically include things like medical bills and lost wages. Insurance claims usually do not pay damages for pain and suffering, which may mean that you end up with lower compensation through an insurance claim.
To maximize the damages you can claim, you may be better off filing a lawsuit with the help of an experienced bicycle accident attorney. In this case, you will need to prove to the court that the other driver caused the crash and that your damages were a direct result of their mistakes.
The damages that you can claim in your case often include compensation for any of the following types of damages:
- Medical expenses
- Emergency medical transportation costs (e.g., ambulance fees)
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy costs
- Medical equipment costs (e.g., wheelchairs, crutches, home ramps)
- Lost wages during recovery
- Lost future and ongoing wages if you cannot return to work
- Lost earning capacity if you return to work at reduced hours or wages
- Physical pain
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Embarrassment
- Lost enjoyment
If a loved one was killed in a bike accident, there may be other damages you can claim as a family member. These damages typically include lost wages, lost household services, lost companionship, and burial/funeral expenses.
Settling a Bike Accident Case in Irving, TX
Whether you file through insurance or through the courts, a very high percentage of cases will ultimately be settled. A settlement is an agreement that both sides reach to pay the defendant an agreed-upon amount of money to cover agreed-upon damages. The court case is dropped after settlement, and no further claims can be filed.
A settlement is usually an alternative to going to trial. Settling can mean saving a lot of money on legal fees and court costs to go to trial, but that savings may mean getting paid a bit less to account for the savings. Ultimately, a settlement could be higher than what you would get at trial since you have to spend money to go to trial. Alternatively, a settlement could be lower to account for the fact that you get damages faster.
Your Irving bicycle accident lawyers can help calculate damages and advise you as to how much the case should be worth at settlement. If we cannot negotiate a proper settlement with the defendant, we can take your case to trial instead. If you settle, you usually cannot go back to court to claim additional damages, so it is important to work with a lawyer on the first try.
Call Our Bike Accident Lawyers in Irving, TX for a Free Case Consultation
Bike accidents can leave victims with serious injuries and expenses they need compensation for. Call The Queenan Law Firm’s Irving, TX bicycle accident lawyers for help calculating damages, filing your claim, and getting compensation for your injuries. For your free legal consultation, call us today at (817) 476-1797.