After a bike accident, many injured riders do not get fair treatment from the insurance companies. Recent studies show that settlements for injuries suffered in cars are up to 30% to 40% higher than for the same type of injuries suffered by cyclists.
In many cases, a bicycle accident results from a motorist’s negligence or inattentiveness while operating his or her vehicle. The following are some common types of bike accidents:
- A motor vehicle driver turning directly in front of a bicyclist;
- An automobile driver entering the street from a driveway or parking spot and pulls out into traffic in front of the bicyclist;
- A motorist’s failure to yield at an intersection or running a stop sign or red light;
- A vehicle driver’s inattention while driving past a bicyclist;
- An automobile driver’s failure to look both ways when resuming travel after stopping at a stop sign;
- An automobile driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Our skilled bike accident lawyers will do the following for our clients:
Investigate and, where appropriate, closely analyze any damage that occurred to the bicycle, such as chipped paint, stressed metal, bent wheels and torn brake pads; examine the remains of a bike wreck and seek to counter a motorist’s typical claims that a cyclist was speeding or squeezed the brake levers too hard or swerved into traffic.
Due to the increase in bike traffic throughout the United States and North Carolina, many cities have constructed special bike lanes. Parks now have trails which are accessible to bicycles, and some vehicle manufacturers are even offering bike racks as standard equipment. However, many motorists do not respect the bicyclists’ rights to share the roads and, more importantly, many cyclists have not been properly educated on how to legally and safely share the roads with automobiles.
If you’ve been injured in a North Carolina bicycle accident, call the dedicated bike accident lawyers at Daggett Shuler today or fill out the form below to set up a free, no-obligation consultation today.