As a college town, Athens is full of bicyclists. People use bicycles as both a mode of transportation and a form of exercise. Unfortunately, drivers on the road do not pay much attention to bicycle safety, often resulting in serious injuries. If someone else was to blame for your bicycle accident injury, they are legally obligated to pay you full compensation. To explore the legal process, call Ruppersburg Injury & Accident Attorneys today to schedule a free initial consultation with a bicycle accident lawyer.
Georgia Bicycle Laws
As a bicyclist, you have both rights and responsibilities under Georgia law. You are legally entitled to occupy a lane in traffic, and if a driver wants to pass a bicyclist, they must allow at least three feet of room between them and the bicycle.
When a bicyclist is riding in traffic, they are regarded as any other driver. They must obey all traffic signs and signals and must travel as close to the right as practicable to allow drivers to pass them. Only bicyclists under the age of sixteen are required to wear a helmet.
Causes of Athens Bicycle Accidents
Drivers are more focused on themselves rather than paying attention to your safety. Many drivers don’t know the laws that protect bicyclists, and if they do, they don’t follow them.
Drivers can cause bicycle accidents in many ways, including the following:
- Following too closely behind a bicyclist
- Striking a bicyclist when not allowing enough room while passing
- Opening a car door into the path of a bicyclist
- Making an illegal turn and cutting across a bicycle
- Failure to check blind spots when changing lanes
- Reckless and aggressive driving
- Failure to see a bicyclist because of distracted driving
To receive financial compensation, you would need to prove that the driver was negligent in causing your bicycle accident injuries. Your attorney would investigate the cause of the accident, obtaining and reviewing all available evidence.
Common Injuries in a Bicycle Accident
You are completely unprotected from the impact of a car and the pavement as a bicyclist. Bicycle accidents have a far higher rate of fatalities and serious injuries than other crashes on the road.
Common bicycle accident injuries include:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Cuts and lacerations
- Internal injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Regardless of the type of injury you have suffered, you may be looking at an extensive rehabilitation period and significant medical expenses.
How Much Is My Bicycle Accident Claim Worth?
Once you can prove negligence, you would then discuss compensation with the insurance company. The driver of the vehicle is legally obligated to reimburse you for all damages that you suffer, regardless of whether they are economic or non-economic. Based on the severity of your bicycle accident injuries, your damages could be substantial. It is up to you to negotiate for every dollar you deserve.
Your bicycle accident compensation could include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages (or a reduction in your earnings capacity)
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Bicycle accident compensation covers both what you have lost and what you will endure in the future. You need an experienced attorney to help you estimate the value of your damages and how much to seek from the responsible party.
Why You Need a Bicycle Accident Attorney in Athens
The insurance company will use various tactics to avoid paying you the full amount of bicycle accident damages. The insurance company may try to blame you for the accident or understate your injuries, whatever is required to minimize their payout.
Following a bicycle injury, your attention is devoted to your health, as it should be when you have been through a physically traumatic incident.
Trust Ruppersburg Injury & Accident Attorneys to handle the details of your bicycle accident case and fight for your legal rights. We have earned a reputation with insurance companies that makes them take notice. Let us fight for you while you continue to focus on your recovery and family.
Frequently Asked Questions About Athens Bicycle Accidents
Will My Bicycle Accident Case Go to Trial?
Very few personal injury cases will see the inside of the courtroom, even if you have to file a lawsuit at some point. Most lawsuits eventually reach a settlement agreement.
How Long Will My Bicycle Accident Case Take?
It is hard to say how long your case could take. Much is up to the insurance company and how reasonable or unreasonable it is in settling your case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Bicycle Accident Claim?
Georgia law sets the statute of limitations for a bicycle accident claim at two years from the date you were injured or should have known you were injured.
Contact an Athens Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Attorney Michael Ruppersburg passionately fights for Athens area residents who have suffered a personal injury. He is from Athens and is an integral part of the local community. If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, schedule a free consultation with Ruppersburg Injury & Accident Attorneys to discuss your case and the legal process. To speak with a bicycle accident lawyer, message us through our website or call us today at 706.354.1000. The call is free, and you owe us nothing unless you win your case.
