Atlanta Bicycle Accident Lawyer

After a bicycle accident, you may be left wondering what your rights are under the law. If you were injured due to the carelessness of a driver, a pedestrian, or even another cyclist, are they obligated to cover your medical bills? And what about your lost wages? If you’re in pain, struggling to cover the costs, and wondering what happens next, we can help.

A bicycle accident attorney will act as your guide and your advocate throughout all stages of the claims and settlement process. Call an Atlanta personal injury lawyer from Bader Scott if you are ready to begin exploring your legal options after a bike accident. We’ll go to bat for you, and if the other party’s insurers won’t offer you a fair settlement, we’ll go to court.

You can call our Atlanta bicycle accident lawyers anytime you have questions or concerns.

Why You Should Hire a Lawyer After a Bicycle Accident

Hiring a bicycle accident attorney in Atlanta shows the at-fault party’s lawyers that you aren’t a plaintiff they’ll be able to pay off with a lowball settlement. The defendant’s insurers will be more likely to offer you a fair settlement if you have legal representation because they don’t want the costs of going to court. We will make sure you get the maximum possible settlement.

Atlanta Bicycle Accidents FAQs

When to Call a Bicycle Accident Lawyer

You should call a bicycle accident lawyer in Atlanta as soon as possible after you’ve been in an accident. The statute of limitations in personal injury lawsuits in Georgia is two years. The sooner your personal injury attorney starts working on your case, the sooner you can get a settlement that can help you through your recovery.

How much your bicycle accident lawyer in Atlanta, GA, can get in your settlement will depend on your damages and the circumstances of your case. You may be able to get compensation for your:

• Doctor and hospital bills
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• The cost of repairing or replacing your bicycle

You may also be entitled to pain and suffering damages that will be based upon your total overall economic damages. The more serious your injuries are, the more you will be awarded for pain and suffering. Take a look at our case results to see some of the settlements we’ve secured for past clients.

How a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Proves Liability

Your Atlanta bicycle accident attorney will use the evidence we gather to prove the at-fault party’s liability. Building a strong case against the driver or drivers at fault in bicycle accidents takes time and determination. We may use accident reconstruction, eyewitness statements, toxicology reports, and other evidence to demonstrate how the other party caused the accident. Some of the most common reasons drivers injure cyclists include:

• Alcohol or drug abuse while driving
• Reckless driving, whether speeding, not paying attention to, or not obeying road signs
• Failure to stop at a traffic light or stop signal.
• Distracted by technology while driving.
• Failure to stop before turning right at a red light.
• Failure to yield the right of way or yield in a round-about.

Though these are common causes, not all bicycle accidents are so easily identifiable. Investigators should always look beyond simple explanations to determine if there was a more complex root to the overall issue. If we find details about your injury that were more complex, such as a damaged road sign, or second reckless driver involved, more people may be held liable.

You Can Afford an Atlanta Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Many people who are involved in accidents wonder if they can afford a personal injury lawyer. The accident attorneys at Bader Scott work on a contingency fee basis. We don’t get paid until your case has successfully concluded, and if we don’t win, we don’t get paid. That means you can file an Atlanta bicycle accident lawsuit no matter what your financial situation. Feel free to contact us for legal assistance with your personal injury case.

Personal Injury Lawyer Guide to Bicycle Accidents in Atlanta

This guide to bicycle safety in Atlanta, Georgia has been created by bicycle accident lawyers to help lower the risk of accidents. Read it if you are planning to cycle anywhere in the Peach State.

Atlanta Regional Bike-Ped Safety Plan

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) implemented a plan called “Safe Streets for Walking & Bicycling.” It includes both short and long-term actions for reducing the number of traffic fatalities in Atlanta. The plan is designed to meet a goal of zero fatalities by 2030 by using data-driven solutions and strategies for action as well as evaluation and research.

The medium-term focus of the plan is on the support of further transportation development projects that use the safe system approach. The long-term focus is on an overall approach that will help make important decisions regarding traffic safety and land use, and which will utilize the latest technology to improve safety.

For a free legal consultation with a bicycle accidents lawyer serving Atlanta, call (404) 888-8888

Common Injuries in Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents

If you are cycling around Atlanta, Georgia, there are some situations you should try to avoid to prevent a bike accident. Here are the leading causes of cycle crashes:

• Getting doored – Watch for areas where cars are parked along the sides of the streets. To avoid being hit by a car door, you should make sure you are riding at least four feet over in the lane. When cycling through these areas, watch for vehicles that are stopped in the turn lane with their emergency flashers on.
• The right hook – A common cause of cycling accidents is the right hook. Never pull your bike up to the right side of a vehicle when you approach an intersection. Even if there is a bike lane, don’t pull up to the right of the vehicle. When a vehicle makes a right turn, they could easily turn into you or run over you.
• Potholes and road debris – As you ride through an area, strategically glance down so you can be prepared. Also, ride at a safe speed so you can avoid the pothole. Make sure the bike remains loose so the blow can be absorbed safely if you must hit the pothole. When possible, avoid riding in areas where you are not familiar with the roads.
• Big trucks and buses – Stay alert and watch for big trucks and buses. Larger vehicles have horrible blind spots, so they are not going to see you as quickly as a car would. You should never attempt to approach these vehicles on the right-hand side. Never approach large vehicles too fast or from behind or you could end up underneath the large vehicle.

Atlanta Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Me (404) 888-8888

Injuries in Georgia Bicycle Accidents

Unfortunately, when a bicycle is in a collision with a car, the bicyclist often suffers serious injuries. Even at relatively slow speeds, a bicycle rider could be severely hurt or killed. The most common injuries in bicycle accidents include head trauma, neck and back injuries, broken bones, and internal injuries.

According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, 29 bicyclists were killed on Georgia roads in 2016, up from 23 in 2015. Of the serious injuries that occur to bicycle riders, head injuries are likely the most severe. Even when a rider is wearing a helmet, a traumatic brain injury can happen if the head hits the pavement or the vehicle with a hard impact.

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Preventing Bicycle Accidents in Georgia

If you enjoy cycling in the Atlanta area, you are not alone. Cycling is a healthy, fun, economical, and environmentally friendly way to get where you need to go, until something goes wrong. Unfortunately, there are countless cyclists who are injured in crashes every year. To stay safer, follow these tips:

• Make sure you are visible
• Wear brightly colored clothing
• Use lights after dusk and before dawn
• Make sure your bike has enough reflectors
• Wear reflective clothing
• Bring extra batteries for your headlight and taillight
• Be aware of the traffic laws
• Ride far enough away from drivers
• Use extra care at intersections
• Make eye contact with drivers
• Pay close attention to traffic signs and lights
• Keep your hand on the brake
• Always assume drivers cannot see you
• Stay alert
• Always be ready to take defensive action

For the first time, the NTSB recommended that riders wear a helmet. Be sure to secure it with straps under your chin.

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Rules for Riding Your Bike in Atlanta, GA

Bicycle riders are supposed to follow the same rules of the road as drivers to avoid bicycle accidents. In addition, riders should ride single file, use hand signals to indicate turns and be sure to obey traffic signals.

Drivers Must Avoid Bicycle Accidents

Drivers have additional responsibilities when it comes to avoiding bicycle accidents. One of these is not to open the car door when a rider might run into it. Drivers must learn a technique called the “far hand reach” or “Dutch reach.”

The technique is simple: Drivers should use the hand that is farther from the car door to open it. That forces the driver to rotate the body so that the driver looks back from where a bicycle rider might come. If a driver fails to use this technique and injures a rider, the driver may well be held liable to the rider for injuries in a bicycle accident.

Furthermore, reckless driving – like speeding – is a common cause of bicycle accidents. Accidents caused by dangerous habits can be easily avoided by practicing safe driving. Cyclists, drivers, riders, and pedestrians must respect the rules of the road to ensure their own and each other’s safety.

Call Bader Scott Injury Lawyers After a Bicycle Accident

Your initial consultation should always be free, and, with the right lawyer, you should always get the most out of your case possible. Contact Bader Scott Injury Lawyers at (404) 888-8888 for your no-cost consultation as soon as possible after your bicycle accident – they can help.

Call or text (404) 888-8888 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form