Recovering Compensation for Bicycle Riders and Pedestrians After a Car Accident

 Posted on September 23, 2022 in Car Accident

When you are riding a bicycle or walking down the street, you have nothing but perhaps a helmet to protect you from the impact of a car accident. Negligent drivers present a grave danger to bicycle riders and pedestrians, as their bodies will bear the full force of the collision. These accidents can result in catastrophic injuries that may permanently alter the course of your life. Harms such as traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, neck and spinal cord injuries, or internal damage may necessitate prolonged hospital or rehabilitation stays. Few are able to return to work promptly, rendering lost income an additional concern. The expenses associated with these accidents may be insurmountable without recovering adequate compensation, particularly in cases in which the victim requires ongoing medical care or cannot return to their chosen career. If you have been hit by a car while walking or riding a bicycle, an attorney may be able to recover compensation on your behalf. 

How Negligent Drivers Endanger Bicycle Riders and Pedestrians

There are a number of careless behaviors drivers may engage in that can endanger those who are walking or on a bicycle. To recover compensation, it is critical that proof of this negligent behavior be obtained by your attorney. A skilled attorney-led investigation may suffice, or severe accidents may require the involvement of a dedicated accident reconstruction specialist. Common iterations of driver negligence that lead to accidents of this nature include: 

• Distraction - Particularly when cyclists are riding on the edge of the roadway, a driver need only look away for a matter of seconds to drift unintentionally into a person riding a bike. Pedestrians may be at a high degree of risk while crossing intersections, as distracted drivers may fail to notice that a pedestrian has entered a crosswalk. 

• Road rage - Road rage disproportionately affects bicycle riders, as hurried drivers may become enraged at the momentary delay of being caught behind a cyclist before the road widens sufficiently to allow passing. 

• Speeding - Especially when navigating a turn at excessive speeds or driving far too fast for current weather conditions, speeding drivers can easily lose control or fail to see a person walking or riding a bicycle early enough to avoid a collision. 

Recovering Compensation After Being Hit by a Car

Assuming the other driver was insured, your attorney is likely to file a claim with their insurance company in an initial effort to negotiate a settlement. The process may differ slightly from the procedures one would follow when recovering for a mutual car accident. Regardless of how you were traveling, the driver who hit you is likely to be liable, and their vehicle insurance is more often than not the one to pay out an award or settlement. If the driver was uninsured, you may still have options for recovering compensation, which an attorney can discuss with you. 

Call a Cook County Bicycle and Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Adler Law Offices, LTD is experienced in helping those who have been hit by a car while walking or riding a bicycle recover compensation. Our skilled Rolling Meadows bicycle and pedestrian accident attorneys will strive to recover the highest possible award or settlement on your behalf. Call 312-236-2700 for a free consultation. 

Source: 

https://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/coexisting-with-bicyclists-10-rules-for-drivers.html