When bicyclists and drivers share the road, cyclists are often left the losers. Considering the difference in size between motor vehicles and bicycles, it’s easy to see why bicyclists are at such a high risk of accident and injury. The danger of a bicycle accident is a reality both motorists and bicyclists must face. A lawyer with the Advocates is an expert on personal injury law and knows how to get insurance companies to offer fair settlements. Our experienced attorneys can help determine if your case is worth pursuing. If you’ve been involved in an accident you can be compensated for your 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 maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.
Why You Need a Bicycle Accident Attorney
Insurance adjusters are trained to offer the lowest possible payout for bike accident injuries. Insurance companies use this strategy even when the policyholder is grossly 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 seriousness of bicycle accident injuries as well as the amount of time you will need to recover. Having an experienced lawyer, one who is 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 in a bicycle accident without the need of a lawyer. Instead, insurance companies act like the businesses they are and put their own interests before any other. If you are a bicyclist who has been injured in an accident, an attorney at the Advocates will take on the insurance companies for you. We’ll negotiate a fair settlement with them, and if they won’t play ball our litigation team will file a lawsuit and take them court.
Common Causes Behind Accidents Involving a Bike and a Car
There are several common scenarios involving a motor vehicle driver’s negligence that result in a car and bicycle 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
Under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
In 2012, the WTSC reported 1,294 car and bicycle accidents. Of those accidents, 1,214 resulted in injury. While over half of the reported car and bicycle accidents were caused by the driver being at fault, there are also several common factors where negligence on behalf of the bicyclist. The most common causes of a car and bike accident where the cyclist at fault was:
Failure to yield the right-of-way to an automobile
Riding the bicycle on the wrong side of the road
Disregarding traffic signs or signals
An experienced attorney will have extensive experience with all of these causes.
Bicycle Laws and Useful Facts
The lawyers with the Advocates are experts in all of the relevant bicycle laws of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. The following is a list of helpful information and facts about bicycle use and laws throughout the Pacific Northwest:
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- In Washington, bicyclists have the same rights on the road as motorized vehicles do. The same traffic laws govern bicycles and cars or trucks. However, that does not guarantee that drivers sharing the road know that.
- The traffic laws govern what a bicyclist can do, but they also protect bicyclists 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.
You Deserve a Bicycle Accident Lawyer with 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 to accept your case. Unlike other law firms, we won’t quit if we are unable to negotiate a fair settlement. The Advocates refuse to quit until the job is done. Our bicycle accident attorneys have helped thousands of bicycle accident victims get back on the road again after they were injured. Don’t settle for second best. 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 you. We’re available 7 days a week. You deserve an Advocate!
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