The aftermath of a serious bicycle accident can be frightening and overwhelming. Victims often face severe injuries that keep them out of work and result in costly medical bills. Daily pain, discomfort, and stress caused by the accident have a significant impact on quality of life and lead to depression and anxiety. If someone else’s carelessness caused your accident, you deserve accountability and compensation for their negligence.
The dedicated Jefferson bicycle accident lawyers at LawtonCates stand up for injured cyclists and fight to hold negligent drivers accountable. We can lead you through the legal process, protect your rights, and fight for the recovery you deserve while you focus on healing. Contact us today for your free, no-obligation consultation and learn more.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
It only takes one small mistake or moment of distraction for a driver to cause life-altering harm to a cyclist. Some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents our personal injury lawyers see include the following:
- Distracted Driving – Drivers who text, adjust GPS systems, talk on the phone, or scroll social media can easily fail to see a cyclist and cause a devastating crash.
- Failure to Yield – Many crashes occur at intersections when drivers turn left or right without checking for bikes. Even a slow-moving vehicle can cause severe injuries when it pulls in front of a cyclist.
- Unsafe Passing – Some drivers pass too closely or crowd cyclists, clipping them or forcing them off the road.
- Speeding – Speeding vehicles often can’t stop in time to prevent a collision, and the increased impact force often causes life-altering harm.
- Dooring Accidents – Parked drivers who open car doors without checking mirrors can send a cyclist flying over their handlebars or swerving into traffic.
- Poor Road Conditions – Potholes, debris, uneven pavement, and missing signage create hazards for everyone on the road, especially cyclists, who lack the protection a passenger vehicle provides.
Each of these causes comes with unique liability questions. An experienced bike accident lawyer in Jefferson, WI, can investigate the circumstances of the accident to uncover what caused it and who might bear responsibility for your injuries.
Types of Injuries in Bicycle Accidents
Bicyclists have little protection compared to drivers. Even with a helmet on, the consequences of a collision with a car or truck can prove devastating, and potentially even fatal. Common bicycle accident injuries our firm sees include the following:
- Broken wrists, arms, collarbones, ribs, and legs
- Road rash and severe lacerations that can require skin grafts
- Facial injuries and dental trauma that can require reconstructive surgery
- Internal bleed and organ damage in high-impact collisions
- Spinal cord injuries that can lead to partial or total paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries that require lifelong care
The emotional trauma that comes with these accidents often represents the most significant damage. Our team carefully assesses every impact of your injuries when calculating maximum compensation.
How to Prove Fault in a Bicycle Accident Case
To recover your rightful compensation, you must not only prove that someone else caused your injuries, but also show how your injuries have affected your finances and your daily life. To do that, your bicycle crash lawyer in Jefferson will likely seek out the following:
- Police Reports – The official accident report can provide critical details about the crash that your lawyer can use to build your claim. Those details include the date and time of the accident, statements from involved parties and witnesses, and an accident diagram.
- Medical Records – Insurance companies may claim your injuries are not connected to the accident. Strong medical documentation helps refute those claims.
- Witness Interviews – A third-party account of the accident can provide key details and lend credibility to your claim.
- Traffic Camera or Dashcam Footage – Video evidence can show exactly how the collision occurred and prevent insurers from deflecting blame.
- Expert Analysis – In some cases, accident reconstruction specialists can piece together the details of the crash to establish liability.
Wisconsin follows a modified comparative negligence rule for bicycle accident compensation. Under this rule, you can recover compensation provided you bear less than 51 percent of the responsibility for the crash. However, courts will reduce your payout by the percentage of fault you bear.
Insurance companies often attempt to shift blame to take advantage of comparative negligence. Our attorneys can push back by building a strong, evidence-based case for holding the at-fault party fully accountable.
What Compensation Can You Recover in a Bicycle Accident Case?
When a negligent driver causes serious harm, Wisconsin law allows you to recover compensation for that harm. That includes both personal harm and financial losses. Depending on the circumstances of your case, your compensation can include the following:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disfigurement or disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Property damage
Why Choose LawtonCates for Your Bicycle Accident Case?
The stakes are high when pursuing compensation in a bicycle accident claim. You need legal representation with the skill, knowledge, and perseverance to fight for the outcome you deserve. The following is why we believe the team at LawtonCates would make an excellent choice for you:
- Over Six Decades of Experience – Our firm has proudly protected the rights of injured Wisconsin residents for more than 65 years.
- Dedicated Representation – You’ll receive direct advice from a skilled attorney with a track record of success in cases just like yours.
- Personalized Attention – We’re intentionally selective about the number of cases we take on so we can give every client the attention they need.
- A Network of Experts – Our firm maintains strong partnerships with medical and complex liability experts who can provide crucial testimony when building your claim.
- Clear Communication – We skip the complicated legal jargon and explain everything to you in plain English so you’re never left in the dark about your case.
- No Fees Unless We Win – You don’t pay us anything up front, and you won’t pay anything at all unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
As one client wrote about their experience working with LawtonCates, “Lawton Cates is top notch! They kept me informed the entire time and answered any questions I had immediately. Great attorneys!”
We’re committed to providing such high-quality legal support to every client who reaches out to us for help.
Contact a Jefferson Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
If you’ve suffered injuries in a bicycle accident caused by someone else’s careless actions, you need a skilled personal injury attorney to protect your rights. LawtonCates offers decades of legal experience, straightforward guidance, compassionate support, and relentless advocacy as you seek justice for your injuries. Contact us today for your free, fully confidential consultation.