Riding a bicycle is a popular form of transportation in the Avondale area. For children, it is a great way to be independent and mobile, while for adults, cycling provides an environmentally friendly and cost-effective form of exercise, stress relief, and outdoor experience. Some people even commute to their jobs on their bikes.
Despite the many benefits, cycling also comes with risks. People who get hurt in cycling accidents often suffer serious injuries, and sometimes the harm is permanent or even fatal.
An Avondale bicycle accident lawyer is devoted to helping cyclists get compensation to help them move forward after an accident. Reach out to our trusted personal injury attorneys immediately when you, your child, or another loved one suffers injuries in a bike accident.
In general, bicyclists must follow the same rules of the road as drivers and obey all traffic laws, including some that apply only to bicycles. One of these laws defines bicycles to include racing wheelchairs, e-bikes with pedals and motors no stronger than 750 watts, and tricycles if the front wheel has at least a 16-inch diameter.
Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-814 prohibits bicycle riders from grabbing or clinging onto a motor vehicle traveling on a public road. Bike riders are entitled to use a full lane of traffic but must stay as far to the right as possible except when circumstances require them to move toward the center of a lane. Bikes must have a light in front and a rear reflector and can also have a rear light for night riding.
Some towns and counties require children to wear helmets when riding a bicycle, but adults are free to bike without a helmet. Even so, helmets are proven to reduce the severity of head injuries, and most bicycle advocacy organizations recommend every cyclist wear one. Our Avondale attorneys also recommend wearing a helmet to enhance safety and could help an injured cyclist understand how traffic laws could affect a claim for damages.
Compliance with bicycle safety laws is critical because the law applies a pure comparative negligence standard in accident cases. This means that if an injured person’s negligence contributed to an accident or their injuries, they can still seek compensation from other negligent parties. However, they will receive less money because the court will deduct a percentage equal to the injured person’s degree of fault in the incident.
A driver or other defendant might claim that a bicyclist was violating a safety law and is at least partially responsible for their injuries. Even if a cyclist was compliant with the law, they still could have been negligent. A motorist could claim a bicyclist did not take reasonable precautions if they did not make appropriate efforts to be visible or if they were not wearing a helmet.
Defendants often raise these issues because if the injured person is found negligent, the defendant’s financial responsibility decreases. An Avondale attorney could compile and present evidence demonstrating that a cyclist used reasonable care and that any negligent conduct they may have engaged in had no impact on the accident or their injuries.
While many people enjoy the exposure to the elements they get when they ride a bicycle, that very quality is what makes crashes so dangerous for cyclists. Bicycle riders often sustain life-changing injuries when they collide with motor vehicles. Even when a cyclist’s injuries are relatively minor, they might experience months of pain and limited activity.
Less severe injuries cyclists might experience include road rash, soft tissue injuries including sprains and whiplash, and dislocations or fractures of the wrists, hands, and collarbone. More severe injuries include displaced fractures of weight-bearing bones, traumatic amputations, disfiguring facial injuries, moderate to severe brain injuries, and spinal cord damage causing paralysis.
An Avondale accident attorney could help a cyclist or their family document their injury-related losses. These include economic losses, like rehabilitation expenses and diminished income, and non-economic impacts like emotional trauma, disability, and physical pain. The negligent driver who caused the accident is responsible for compensating a rider for all their accident-related losses.
A serious bicycle accident could require months of recovery and rehabilitation. During this time, the responsible party’s insurance company might offer a quick cash settlement if you promise not to sue. Do not discuss your situation with any insurance company representative. Instead, engage an Avondale bicycle accident lawyer to negotiate appropriate compensation. Reach out immediately after the accident to speak with a knowledgeable attorney. At the Phillips Law Group, our team is not afraid to take your case to court if necessary to pursue the fair damage award you deserve.
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