Considering the difference in size between cars and bikes, it’s easy to see why cyclists are at such a high risk of accident and injury when sharing the road. The danger of a bicycle accident is a reality both motorists and bicyclists must face. The Bellingham bike accident lawyers at The Advocates are experienced in personal injury law and know how to get insurance companies to offer fair settlements for injuries sustained in a bike crash.
The award-winning team at The Advocates can help determine if your case is worth pursuing, what the best path forward is likely to be, and how to maximize your total compensation for any injuries sustained in the bike accident.
If you’ve been involved in a bike accident you can be compensated for medical bills, lost income, property damage, and any pain and suffering you may have endured. What you need most after your bike crash is an experienced attorney with The Advocates to help you get fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
Why You Need a Bellingham Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Insurance adjusters are trained to offer the lowest possible payout for bike accident injuries. Insurance companies use this strategy even when the policyholder is obviously at fault. A skilled attorney will have extensive experience with the deceptive tactics insurance providers frequently use against victims. In order to save money, insurance companies will downplay the severity of injuries as well as the amount of time needed to recover. Having an attorney familiar with bicycle accident injuries and liability laws, can help you win fair compensation for your bicycle accident claim.
In a perfect world, the at-fault insurance company would provide full compensation after you were injured and you’d never need to retain a lawyer. Instead, insurance companies act like the businesses they are and put their own interests before those of the injured party. If you are a cyclist that’s been injured in an accident, an attorney at the Bellingham Advocates will take on the insurance companies for you. Our team will work to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company, and if they won’t play ball, our trial team will file a lawsuit and take them court.
Frequent Causes of Bike Accidents Involving a Car
There are several common scenarios involving a motor vehicle driver’s negligence that result in a bike accident. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) reports that the most common factors contributing to bicycle accidents are:
Drivers failing to see a bicyclist
Careless and reckless driving
Excessive speed of the vehicle
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
The WTSC has reported that in over fifty percent of instances where a vehicle collides with a bike, the accident was caused by the driver being at fault.
An experienced attorney will have familiarity with all of the frequent causes and be able to assist in proving you were not at fault.
Bicycle Accident FAQ
- How can I prove the driver who hit me as I rode my bicycle is liable?
- How much money should I expect from my bicycle acacident case?
- How long does a bicycle accident claim take to settle?
Bicycle Laws and Useful Facts
The lawyers with the Advocates are well-versed in all of the relevant bicycle laws within Bellingham, Washington, and the Pacific Northwest. The following are a few of the relevant laws:
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- In Washington, bicyclists have the same rights on the road as motor vehicles. The same traffic laws govern bicycles and cars or trucks. However, that does not guarantee that drivers sharing the roadway are aware of this fact.
- The traffic laws govern what a bicyclist can do, but they also protect cyclists from the actions of reckless or negligent drivers.
- Bicycle riders must stop at all red lights and stop signs and must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians.
- Traffic laws may seem restrictive when you are on a bicycle, but those same laws give you the right to seek compensation for being injured in an accident.
- 61.755 grants you all of the rights and responsibilities of a motorist. This means that you are granted the same rights as drivers of other vehicles, but you also have the same duties such as yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians, as well as stopping at red lights and stop signs.
- 61.770 allows cyclists to ride side by side but no more than two abreast.
- 61.770 allows cyclists to choose between the roadway, a bike path, a bike lane, or the shoulder as suits their needs.
- 61.780 requires riders to have a white front light and a red rear reflector when riding at night to increase visibility.
The Bellingham Bike Accident Lawyers at The Advocates
After being injured in a bicycle accident, an ordinary lawyer simply won’t do. You want the best bicycle accident lawyer you can find. What you need is an Advocate. Unlike some other personal injury firms, we won’t quit if we’re unable to negotiate a fair settlement. The Advocates refuse to quit until the job is done. Our bicycle accident attorneys have helped thousands of accident victims get back on the road again.
Contact The Advocates today for a free evaluation of your case. Our lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning we don’t get paid until you do. Call (206) 452-4200 to see how an Advocate can help.
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Call (206) 452-4200, fill out the form below or text us for a free consultation today.