Bicycling is a risky hobby and mode of transportation, largely because of how society treats bicyclists—drivers who believe that the road is theirs—and limited legislation that protects bicyclists from aggressive drivers. Unfortunately, this puts you at serious risk of an accident when you hit the road each morning.
What do you do next? You need a bicycle accident attorney who can guide you through the process of fighting for compensation and holding the other party accountable. Learn more about your options now by calling Reeves & Mestayer at 228-374-5151.
Types of Bicycle Accidents
As a cyclist, you are at risk of all sorts of bad behavior from drivers. Whether an accident occurs because of carelessness or malice, it can cause serious injuries. Some of the most common types of bicycle crashes we see include:
- Those caused by impaired driving. Impaired drivers are a serious threat to everyone on the road, but they are even more dangerous to bicyclists and pedestrians than they are to other drivers. An impaired driver is less likely to see bicyclists and is more likely to swerve or drift in a way that causes a collision.
- Those caused by distracted driving. Distracted driving plays a role in many collisions. When a driver is distracted by their phone or something else in their vehicle, they may fail to notice bicyclists or miss their hand signals for turns. This can cause everything from near-misses to fatal crashes.
- Right turn accidents. When a bicyclist is in the far right bike lane, vehicles in the right lane may not notice them or consider them when attempting to turn. This often causes crashes and injuries to the cyclist.
- Left turn accidents. Judging speed from a distance is challenging, and drivers especially struggle with it when judging a bicyclist’s speed. They may turn in front of a bicyclist, believing they have plenty of time, only to cause a serious crash.
- Door collisions. If a driver opens their door into the bike lane without checking, they can cause a bicyclist to crash into the door and become airborne. This type of accident can lead to severe injuries.
- Unsafe passing. Drivers in a rush to get around bicyclists often fail to leave enough space between their vehicle and the bicyclist.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
After your bike accident, it is important to get checked out by a medical professional right away. Bike collisions can cause a wide range of injuries, and without proper medical assistance, you could suffer long-term damage. Injuries that may arise after a bike collision include:
- Road rash and subsequent infection
- Lacerations
- Tooth damage
- Broken bones
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
Comparative Negligence Laws and Your Bicycle Accident Case
Before you begin the process of a personal injury claim, it’s important to understand Mississippi comparative negligence laws. Mississippi is a pure comparative fault state, which means that a plaintiff can still recover damages even if they were partially (or mostly) at fault for the underlying accident.
That said, your damage award would be reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault you share. For example, if you suffered $100,000 in losses and you are found to be 50% at fault for the accident, you would only receive $50,000 in damages.
It is important to be aware of the laws regarding bicyclists. By staying in adherence with these laws, you can minimize your chances of being found partially liable for an accident. These laws include:
- Persons riding a bicycle on roadways shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of the roadway that are set aside exclusively for bikes
- Shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic when writing two or more abreast
- Stay as far right as is possible except when it is too dangerous to ride on the right
- Have a white lamp on the front of the bike that is visible from 500 feet
- Have a reflex mirror or lamp that emits a red light that is visible from 500 feet of the rear of the bike
How We Can Help
When you’ve suffered a personal injury, getting compensation is all about choosing the right attorney. For bicyclists, it means choosing an attorney familiar with bicycle accidents, how drivers treat cyclists on the road, and how serious injuries can impact your life.
The team at Reeves & Mestayer delivers on all fronts. We know that the time after an accident is stressful, and we want to make it easier for you. While you focus on getting the medical care you need and recovering, we can start investigating your accident and building a case for you.
After we have an understanding of your accident and your injuries, we’ll start fighting for the compensation you deserve. This involves connecting with the liable party’s insurance company, presenting our evidence, and asking for compensation.
An insurance company’s goal during negotiations is to pay as little as possible while trying to get you to waive your right to sue. This often means that they offer far less than you deserve. We are there to make sure they don’t take advantage of you. We know how injuries can impact a cyclist’s life, especially if you have to take time off of work to heal or have medical bills piling up.
Our goal is to get a fair settlement during negotiations. If the insurance company is unwilling to be reasonable, we will begin preparing for court. Even at this stage, many cases still settle, leading to a positive outcome for clients.
Contact the Team at Reeves & Mestayer Today
A bicycle accident can leave you with stacks of medical bills, lingering injuries, and a long list of other issues. You shouldn’t have to fight for compensation alone. We’re here to help. Whether you’ve suffered minor injuries, or you have a long path of recovery ahead of you, let’s work together to get the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation now by contacting Reeves & Mestayer online or calling us at 228-374-5151.
