Being hit by an automobile while riding your bicycle can wreak havoc on your life. Painful and traumatic injuries, expensive medical bills, and missed work could all result from an accident of this nature. If someone else is responsible for the accident, you have the right to hold the at-fault driver responsible by filing a personal injury claim. When you work with a seasoned bicycle accident lawyer from Lafayette, you will have a better chance of winning the compensation you’re entitled to. Let our family at Inzina Law Firm Injury Attorneys go to work for you.
Bicycle Accident Injuries in Lafayette
Bicycle accident victims may suffer physically, financially, and emotionally due to their injuries, which could include:
- Broken bones
- Road rash
- Cuts and deep bruises
- Whiplash
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other head injuries
- Concussions
- Neck and back injuries
- Herniated discs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Even with a helmet, injuries from a bicycle accident can be catastrophic due to the bicyclist’s lack of protection. After receiving medical attention, you should take the steps necessary to seek damages for your losses.
Seeking and Claiming Damages for a Lafayette Bike Wreck
Damages include the sum total of the monetary compensation that victims can seek from at-fault parties. A knowledgeable bicycle accident attorney in Lafayette can help you quantify these damages for your claim. Your attorney will investigate the facts of your case and work to acquire evidence. Additionally, an expert witness can help quantify the dollar value of your injuries, including future damages you may have.
How Common Are Bicycle Accidents in Louisiana?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there are over 130,000 bicycle accidents every year throughout the United States. Louisiana was recently ranked as the fourth most dangerous state for bicyclists in the country and third for the highest bicyclist fatalities per capita, based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.
According to the Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety (CARTS), in 2021, there were 645 bicycle crashes in the state, causing 541 injuries and 35 fatalities. Although the total number of accidents has decreased, fatalities have increased. Now, more than ever, bicycle safety is of critical concern for both cyclists and motorists.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Bicycle Accident in Lafayette, La?
Every bicycle accident case is different, but as a general rule, victims can recover compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses, including those likely to be incurred in the future
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and related disorders
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Other accident-related expenses and losses
When Should You Contact a Lawyer After a Bicycle Accident?
There is a good chance that the at-fault party’s insurance company will contact you shortly after your accident. It is strongly advised that you do not speak with adjusters and representatives, as they often use various tactics to obtain information and statements that can be used against you. Therefore, we recommend speaking with a Lafayette bicycle accident lawyer as soon as you’re able to do so. Inzina Law Firm Injury Attorneys can handle all communications with the insurance company.
How a Lafayette Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help With Your Compensation Claim
When you retain our firm to represent you in your bicycle accident case, we immediately get to work by:
- Investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding your accident
- Identifying all parties who could be held liable for your injuries
- Acquiring evidence to support your allegations and prove the value of your damages
- Negotiating a settlement, if possible, with the insurance company and attorney representing the at-fault parties
- Consulting expert witnesses who can bolster your claims
- Filing all necessary court paperwork in accordance with civil procedure rules
- Handling discovery, the formal process by which the parties exchange evidence and information
- Taking your case to trial if a fair settlement cannot be reached
Establishing Who Is Responsible for Your Bicycle Accident in Lafayette
As mentioned above, one of your lawyer’s key responsibilities is to determine who is at fault for your bicycle accident. These parties may include:
- The driver who hit you
- The driver’s employer, if he or she was working at the time of the wreck
- The bicycle’s manufacturer in the event a faulty part was to blame
- The manufacturer of the driver’s vehicle if that contributed to the accident
- Governmental entities and construction crews responsible for safe road maintenance
How Do I Prove Negligence in a Lafayette Bicycle Accident Claim?
The bicycle accident victim has the duty of demonstrating that the at-fault parties were legally negligent in causing the accident. Working with a bicycle accident lawyer in Lafayette, you will need to prove these elements:
- Duty of care: The at-fault party must have owed the victim a duty of care. All motorists owe everyone else using the roads, including bicyclists, a duty to obey traffic laws and avoid causing reasonably foreseeable harm.
- Breach: A breach of the duty of care occurs because of some negligent act or failure to act. Speeding is one example.
- Causation: It must be shown that the breach caused the accident. Causation is more complex when multiple parties are involved, but your attorney will help identify those parties.
- Damages: The nature and amount of damages must be shown. Remember, these may include future damages.
Causes of Lafayette Bicycle Accidents That You Can Sue for
Victims can sue for the following types of bicycle accidents:
- Traffic collisions: This broad category covers any sort of roadway accident involving an automobile and bicyclist. Accidents involving speeding, drunk driving, distracted driving, and other traffic violations are included.
- Bicycle lane accidents: A specific type of wreck occurs when a driver veers into a bicycle lane and strikes a cyclist. Drivers have an obligation to observe these lanes and the bicyclists in them.
- Intersection accidents: Many bicycle crashes happen at intersections due to irresponsible or reckless driving habits. Sometimes a poorly designed intersection or malfunctioning traffic light is to blame, which implicates government entities and contractors responsible for road maintenance.
- Dooring accidents: If someone in the car opens their door into the path of a bicyclist, commonly known as “dooring,” a major accident could occur. Drivers and their passengers must check for bicyclists before exiting their vehicles.
What Is the Average Bicycle Accident Settlement?
Since the facts of every bicycle accident are unique, there is no such thing as an “average” accident settlement. The value of your specific settlement will depend on such factors as the severity of your injuries, the amount of work you miss, and likely future damages you will incur.
A bicycle accident attorney from Lafayette can help negotiate an amount that fairly compensates you.
How Do Bicycle Accident Insurance Settlements Work?
There are several steps involved in settling bicycle accidents with the at-fault party’s insurance company. These include:
- Assessing the full value of past, present, and future damages
- Negotiating with the insurance company, often through mediation
- Reaching a fair settlement, if possible, with the at-fault party’s insurer
- Receiving your payout from the insurance company
Additional compensation may be available from other negligent parties, depending on the facts in your case.
Consult With a Lafayette Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
Bicycle accident victims have a limited amount of time to file for damages from irresponsible drivers and others who cause their injuries. To build your strongest case, contact Inzina Law Firm Injury Attorneys, who will seek the maximum amount of compensation available under the law. Schedule your initial consultation with us today.
