As safe as bicyclists may be on shared roadways throughout the Pacific Northwest, accidents still happen that can cause serious injuries that require extensive (and costly) medical interventions to support the recovery process. Unfortunately, cyclists who are struck by larger cars or trucks can sustain catastrophic injuries, especially since they lack the additional protections of motorized vehicles. If you have been injured in a bike accident in the greater Seattle area, it’s natural to feel daunted and overwhelmed by the prospect of pursuing a bike crash claim to recover compensation from the insurance company (or the at-fault party). Coping with your injuries and focusing on your physical recovery are your top priorities, so enlisting the guidance of a highly experienced King County bicycle crash attorney allows you to concentrate on your health while a dedicated legal advocate works to secure you the compensation you need to support the costs of your recovery. Depending on the specifics of your case, you may be entitled to recover compensation to assist you with the costs of past and future medical expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, and other losses.
At Menzer Law, we believe in helping our clients begin their journey to receive compensation by pursuing an insurance claim but if the bike accident settlement falls short, our team is prepared to take matters to the appropriate civil court. We offer a complimentary case review to ensure that your case aligns with our areas of expertise so we can concentrate our efforts on cases where can have the most meaningful impact. If you or a loved one has suffered a bike accident injury in King County or Pierce County, contact our Seattle office today to arrange your complimentary case review. Let’s take a look at some of the common causes of bike accident injuries and how enlisting the guidance of a trusted and highly skilled legal advocate can help you maximize your settlement offer so that you can obtain the compensation you need to start getting your life back on track.
Understanding How and Why Bicycle Accidents Happen
Bicycle accidents can happen for any number of reasons. As you might expect, these types of collisions are more likely to occur in high-traffic areas where many kinds of vehicles and pedestrians share crowded roadways. Urban centers like Seattle experience more bike accidents than more rural areas, simply because the volume of traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians is higher in cities than in more rural landscapes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Bicycle deaths are the highest during the summer months between June and September.” Since the weather conditions are much more pleasant during this time, it follows that more people will be out and about on their bikes—therefore increasing the chances of bicycle accidents. Additionally, the NHTSA states that “Nearly three quarters of all bicyclist deaths occur in urban areas,” and “Failing to yield the right of way is the highest factor in fatal bike crashes, followed by bicyclists not being visible.” Below are some other common factors that can contribute to the likelihood of bicycle accidents or fatalities in Washington state.
Distracted or Drowsy Driving
While cyclists can keep themselves safe by obeying all traffic laws and remaining alert as they ride their bikes, they have no control over the behavior of other drivers. Unfortunately, distracted driving habits (such as texting while driving) can cause large vehicles to collide with cyclists, resulting in painful and severe injuries. For instance, a driver who is busy reading a text instead of watching the road may fail to notice that they are drifting into the bike lane, causing the car to collide with a cyclist. Additionally, drivers who are behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances pose a threat to others on the road. Drowsiness and intoxication impair reaction times and judgment capabilities, making the driver more of a threat to others on the road.
Speeding and Failing to Obey Traffic Laws
Another common cause of bicycle collisions is a driver’s failure to observe the rules of the road. Driving at excessive speeds puts yourself and others at risk, as does failing to use turn signals and failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians or cyclists. Running stop lights and stop signs or neglecting to check blind spots before changing lanes or turning also increases the risk of a bicycle collision. As a cyclist, it’s worth exercising caution when approaching stop lights and intersections to make sure that other drivers see you.
Opening Doors Into Bicycle Lanes
Although drivers are supposed to recognize that they share roadways with pedestrians and cyclists, they can still neglect to look around for others before opening doors or crossing over a bike lane in order to park or turn. Several bike accidents happen because a driver or passenger opens a car door without checking for cyclists, causing the cyclist to collide with the open door.
Bicycle Accident Injuries Can Be Severe and Catastrophic
Cyclists are inherently more vulnerable than drivers, simply because drivers are contained within a physical structure as they travel the roads. When a bicycle collision occurs, the cyclist can experience severe injuries that cause significant damage or even permanent loss of sensation or function. Some common bike accident injuries include broken bones, ligament sprains, lacerations, facial or dental injuries, herniated disks, fractured vertebrae, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, nerve damage, internal organ damage, and other serious injuries. In addition to these physical injuries, those who survive a bike accident injury often experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and other forms of psychological trauma induced by this harrowing event. As you navigate the complex aspects of your recovery, it’s natural to feel concerned about the quickly-accumulating costs associated with your medical bills, lost wages, and other unexpected expenses stemming from the accident.
How to File a Bike Crash Claim in Washington State
Most bike accident claims begin by seeking compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance carrier. As a pure comparative negligence state, Washington allows someone to receive compensation even if they are partially at fault for the accident. However, the amount they are entitled to recover corresponds with the degree of responsibility they bear for the incident. For instance, a cyclist who is determined to be 20 percent at fault will be able to recover 80 percent of the total amount awarded. Fault determination is often the most challenging step when filing a claim for bike accident injuries. Enlisting the guidance of highly qualified and knowledgeable bicycle accident lawyers is encouraged, as it ensures that your claim is as thorough and compelling as possible. Moreover, having a dedicated legal advocate by your side to advocate for your best interests can bring you peace of mind during tense discussions with large insurance companies that may attempt to pay as little as possible or discredit your claim altogether. It’s important to recognize that while an insurance adjuster may claim to be “on your side,” their priority is to save the company as much money as possible. To that end, they may use negotiation tactics to undermine your bike accident claim. With a trusted bike crash lawyer by your side, you can feel confident that this legal professional will work to secure you a fair and favorable bike accident settlement so that you can focus on what matters most—your recovery.
Strategies for Maximizing Your Bike Accident Settlement
As you begin to put together a bike accident claim in Washington state, it’s worth identifying some strategies for making your claim as clear and compelling as possible. Below are some key steps to building a successful bicycle accident claim so that you can maximize your settlement offer and obtain the compensation you need to support the considerable and varied costs of your recovery.
Seek Medical Attention
It’s important that you visit a doctor within the next day or two after the collision for a full medical evaluation, even though you may not have any broken bones. In some cases, your doctor will be able to diagnose harder-to-detect injuries, such as internal bleeding or traumatic brain injuries, that may not exhibit visible symptoms. Moreover, the medical records established by this visit will serve to document the nature, extent, and prognosis of your injuries. In other words, you can use these records to justify your request for compensation, as you can point to the severity of the injuries, the costs of medical care, and the degree to which your health and daily life have been upended by the bike accident.
Document as Much as Possible
As you wait for an ambulance to arrive after the bike collision, it’s also important to report the accident to local law enforcement so that the responding officer can arrive at the scene and compile a police report. The police report serves as an objective assessment of the incident, and it is often a critical component of a bike accident claim. For instance, the police report may indicate that the other driver was intoxicated or impaired at the time of the accident, which helps to establish liability. The report may also include witness statements that describe how the other driver violated traffic laws or failed to notice you as they made a turn into the bike lane. Regardless of the specific details of your case, it’s worth gathering as much information as possible so that you and your trusted legal advocate can prepare a strong and compelling bike accident claim.
Contact Seattle’s Go-To Bicycle Accident Law Firm Today
At Menzer Law, we recognize how devastating bicycle accident injuries can be. Our experienced team will carefully review your claim to ensure it aligns with our specialized areas of expertise so we can focus on cases where we can have the most profound and meaningful impact. Contact our Seattle office today at (206) 903-1818 for a complimentary case evaluation.
