Houston Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Houston Bicycle Accident Attorney

Our Houston Bicycle Accident Lawyers are here to help

Many people in Texas enjoy riding bikes during pleasant weather for transportation, enjoyment, and exercise. Cars and bicyclists must share the road, and it’s important that cars take proper care around cyclists. Cyclists have the right to a safe roadway, but unfortunately, vehicle drivers can fail in their duty of care. In accidents between motor vehicles and bicycles, cyclists suffer much more severe injuries and even death.

If you or a loved one was hurt in a bicycle accident, you need to gain legal representation. Working with a Houston bicycle accident lawyer will help you gain monetary compensation for your injuries and medical complications.

Stevenson & Murray: Your Houston Bicycle Accident Attorneys

When you suffer a personal injury because of a driver’s negligence on the road, it can be frustrating as well as painful. At Stevenson & Murray, we can proudly represent your interests as you recover. With years of experience working with bike accidents and personal injury law, we can strongly advocate for a settlement that covers your needs. With nearly 40 years of legal experience, you can trust our qualified attorneys to fight for justice for the harm done to you.

We can help if you need an attorney to represent you in negotiation with the driver’s insurance company to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. We are also more than willing to enter litigation if the insurance provider refuses to pay your complete damages. We know how stressful and frightening it is to be a cyclist in a vehicle crash. You could be facing medical complications well into the future, and your compensation has to reflect that in order to hold the responsible party accountable.

The Legal Responsibilities of Texan Drivers

If your bicycle was struck by a car or motor vehicle, there is a good chance that it was caused by the driver’s carelessness. Drivers have a responsibility to pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and other drivers on the road. Drivers are also responsible for cautious driving on the road.

Not every crash is the result of driver negligence. If a motor vehicle operator couldn’t have prevented the accident with reasonable care, it’s unlikely that the injured party can receive damages from them.

Texas is an at-fault state, meaning the victim of an accident can hold the person responsible liable for damages. Proving that a driver was responsible for an accident requires the resources and legal knowledge of an attorney. To prove negligence and liability, you must show that:

• The driver owed you a duty of care
• The driver was negligent in upholding that duty of care
• The driver’s negligence was a primary or significant cause of your injury

If these can be proven, you can seek compensation with a personal injury claim. If a driver fails to check blind spots, drives in bike lanes, or otherwise behaves negligently, the driver is liable for the damages they did to you. An attorney will be able to hold them responsible for their carelessness.

Why Do I Need a Bike Injury Attorney?

Some believe that they don’t need an attorney to handle a personal injury case. While civil claims like personal injury claims can technically be filed without legal representation, it’s often a very bad idea. Filing for damages is a lengthy and complicated legal process. Without an attorney, you’re responsible for filing the claim, gathering evidence, and complying with all legal deadlines. This is difficult enough if you aren’t also trying to recover from your injuries. Dealing with the claim, an insurance provider, or the opposing attorney can add to your stress and make healing much more difficult.

When you have a personal injury bike accident attorney working with you, they can handle much of this for you. An attorney can draft a claim and bring together necessary evidence with resources that you don’t have access to. An attorney can also negotiate with the other party on your behalf and also knows what legal timelines need to be met.

Without an attorney maximizing the damages you’re owed, you could be facing medical bills, lost income, and a host of other expensive damages. An attorney will be able to accurately calculate your current and future damages to ensure you are covered until you are through this difficult time.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents Involving Cars

If motor vehicle drivers are negligent or reckless, they can cause accidents that cause severe injuries to cyclists. Common causes of bicycle and auto accidents include:

• Distracted driving, such as texting, eating, or talking with passengers
• Drivers who fail to yield the right of way to cyclists
• Drivers who don’t provide enough space while driving near cyclists
• Reckless driving, including speeding, running stop lights or stop signs, passing through bike lanes, failing to look at intersections, or other traffic infractions
• Driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol
• Fatigued driving
• Badly maintained cars or vehicles

The most common ways that cars and cyclists get into accidents are:

• A driver makes a left turn into a cyclist who they failed to see
• A driver passes a cyclist and then turns directly across their path
• A driver hits a cyclist from behind
• A driver fails to yield the right of way
• A driver in a parked car opens their door and hits a cyclist
• A driver leaves a parking lot or driveway directly into a cyclist’s path

In some accidents, it’s hard to be sure who caused the collision. If this is your situation, you should discuss it with a qualified personal injury attorney in Houston. They may be able to find evidence to prove the negligence of the other party.

Houston’s Safe Passing Ordinance

In Houston, Texas, cyclists have additional protections when they are on the road. Also, pedestrians, horseback riders, and moped operators have protections as well. The ordinance requires at least three feet when a passenger car or light truck is passing cyclists and at least six feet for other trucks and commercial vehicles. Safe distances must be maintained when a vehicle is driving behind a cyclist, and the driver must take into account the weather conditions and traffic.

If you were in a bicycle accident in Houston because a car failed to give you the proper space, you might be able to hold them liable for negligent driving.

Common Injuries from Bicycle Accidents

A bicycle accident with only minor injuries is still worth gaining rightful compensation for. Unfortunately, many accidents between cars and bikes lead to cyclists suffering severe medical problems, disabling injuries, and even death. Whatever the injury that your or your loved one is dealing with, it’s essential to pursue legal action. Common cyclist injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Fractures and broken bones
• Spinal cord and spinal disc injuries
• Paralysis
• Organ damage and internal bleeding
• Lacerations and road rash
• Dental injuries
• Crushing injuries
• Amputations

Injuries may cause you financial hardship for a few months, or they may be long-lasting and cause you to have medical costs for the rest of your life.

Compensation You Could Receive for Bike Accident Claims

When you work with an experienced bicycle accident attorney, they can decide if you are eligible for compensation based on the actions of the driver. They can also determine what damages you may receive. You could receive monetary compensation for the following:

• Medical expenses and bills
• Lost wages from being unable to work during recovery
• Future medical costs for expected complications
• Pain and suffering
• Physical limitation or lowered quality of life
• Lost earning capacity if your injury prevents you from completing your job duties

Many injured cyclists are unaware of just how much in damages they qualify for. Insurance providers are likely to lowball an initial settlement. An attorney will be able to inform you if it’s a fair amount.

Negligent Cyclist Actions

Although drivers are frequently responsible for bicycle-car accidents, they are not automatically considered liable. A bicyclist can also cause or contribute to accidents and be held liable. Negligent behaviors include:

• Distracted riding, such as listening to music or failing to pay attention
• Riding in the dark or hard-to-see conditions without lights
• Riding against traffic
• Riding while impaired or under the influence
• Failing to use a bike lane when available
• Committing traffic infractions, such as failing to signal or stop at a red light

Though a cyclist may be found to be partially or mostly at fault, it’s rare that a vehicle driver suffers serious damages from the collision. If you are an injured cyclist who was partially at fault, it’s essential to have legal representation. An attorney can advocate for your interests and get you as much compensation as possible under comparative fault.

Texas Comparative Fault

If both parties share fault in the accident, then the amount of compensation the injured party receives is lowered. A driver may have been speeding, but the cyclist could have been in the wrong place. In that case, the damages the cyclist is awarded are reduced.

Texas’s comparative fault law still allows the injured party to receive compensation for the injury. The total settlement for the cyclist is reduced by the percentage that they were found at fault. If the percentage fault is 51% or more, the injured party can no longer receive compensation. A skilled attorney can argue down the percent responsibility to increase the damages you are awarded.

FAQs About Houston, TX Bicycle Accident Laws

What Do You Do After a Cycle Accident?

Firstly, determine if you need medical care, and contact emergency services if you do. Even if you feel fine, there is a strong possibility that you’ve suffered a head or neck injury that takes time to show symptoms. It’s wise to get medical attention even if you think it is not serious. At the scene of the crash, it’s also important to document and gather information. This includes the driver’s name, license plate, contact information, and insurance provider. Take note of any witnesses to the accident or security cameras.

Can You Claim for a Bike Accident?

If the accident was the result of negligent or reckless behavior from the vehicle driver, you likely have grounds to file a claim for compensation if you suffered damage or injury. A driver may be committing traffic infractions, speeding, passing in the bike lane, or failing to check for cyclists. If a driver caused an accident and your injury because of those negligent behaviors, it’s important to work with a bike accident attorney to get compensation. You may be eligible for damages to cover medical costs, lost income, and even pain and suffering.

Why Do You Need a Bicycle Accident Lawyer?

When you hire an attorney, you will have time to rest and recover from your injuries. Your attorney can gather evidence, draft your claim with accurate and supported information, and file your claim. An attorney can also represent you to the insurance provider or opposing party’s attorney, so you don’t have to deal with that extra stress and frustration. Your attorney will also negotiate for you, using all their experience with cases similar to yours. This can maximize the compensation you get from your claim.

Who Is Liable if a Car Hits a Cyclist?

It’s common for a vehicle driver to be at fault if they hit a cyclist, but this isn’t always the case. If the driver was negligent while driving, they would be held liable. However, drivers are not automatically liable for the crash. Cyclists can also behave negligently on the road. If both parties are found to be partly responsible for the crash, it doesn’t mean that no one can receive damages. Instead, the injured party can still file for compensation, but it will be reduced under Texas’s comparative fault law.

Work With an Exceptional Houston Bike Accident Lawyer Today

If you were a cyclist who was involved in a crash, it is important that you act quickly. The Texas statute of limitations, or deadline, to file your claim is two years from the date the accident occurred. After that, you are no longer able to receive compensation. It’s in your interests to find legal representation much sooner.

The sooner you contact a legal advocate, the more likely they are to secure strong evidence and prove fault in your claim. If you or a loved one was injured in a bike accident, you want an attorney working on your behalf quickly. Contact Stevenson & Murray, Attorneys at Law, today to see how we can help with your claim.