Maryland Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Recovering the Damages You Deserve

Even when wearing protective gear, bicyclists commonly suffer very severe, life-threatening injuries when involved in a collision. Not only is it unfair, it’s unjust for injured cyclists to bear the financial burden of injuries caused by a reckless or distracted driver. Thankfully, bicycle accident victims can seek compensation to cover expenses related to their injury and damage to their property through a personal injury lawsuit.

Damages that can be recovered from a bike crash, include:

• Pain and suffering
• Hospital bills
• Bike repair or replacement
• Rehabilitation costs
• Lost wages and loss of earning potential

To understand your right to compensation after a bike crash, contact Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers today! Our legal team can evaluate your case during a free consultation.

Can I Seek Compensation from My Auto Insurance?

Your auto insurance policy may cover you if you have been injured by a negligent driver while riding your bicycle. However, insurance company adjusters and their defense attorneys may fight hard to reduce the value of your claim in order to avoid paying out a large settlement. It is important that you have someone working just as hard on your side, looking out for your best interests, like the Maryland bike accident attorneys at Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers.

Bicycling Safety Tips

Bicyclists in traffic are allowed the same right-of-way privileges that motor vehicles enjoy and, yet, they are often ignored or overlooked. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) does a study each year to determine how many bicycle accidents, injuries, and deaths occur in the United States. In 2016, 840 bicyclists died in traffic collisions in the United States. Drivers either have a harder time seeing bicyclists because they are smaller than other vehicles, or they are simply not looking for them. Distracted and negligent drivers are a real hazard to bicyclists.

There are a number of steps you can take to help lessen your injuries or to prevent an injury altogether:

• Wear a helmet. Just as drivers are always told to wear a seatbelt, bicycle riders should always wear a helmet. A helmet is the single best way to lessen or prevent serious injuries from a biking collision. Head injuries accounted for over 62% of biking fatalities. Yet, the U.S government conducted a Gallup poll and discovered that half of all bicyclists wear a helmet “sometimes,” and only 35% of riders wear a helmet most of the time. Be safe; always wear a helmet.
• Get a headlight. If you ride at night, you should definitely get a headlight for your bicycle. When you are near an intersection, oncoming traffic may not see you. If you have a headlight, there is a much greater chance you will be spotted.
• Ride with traffic. Common wisdom may tell you to ride against traffic so that you can see oncoming vehicles. This is dangerous. Cars pulling out of driveways or turning onto the street may not look both ways for traffic. They are probably only watching for cars that will impede their ability to enter traffic. Once their way is clear they will turn, perhaps without looking the other way, and you could get hit. Also, if a car hits you head on, the impact of the collision will be greater. Some studies suggest your risk of being hit is seven times greater if you are riding against traffic.
• Don’t stop in a blind spot. If you pull up alongside a car at an intersection, make sure they can see you. If the car is expecting to turn right and doesn’t see you, you run the risk of being hit when the light changes or the car chooses to turn on red. At an intersection it is much safer to ride behind a car.
• Make yourself seen. Consider wearing a reflective vest or a safety triangle. Reflective gear can make you more visible during the night or during the day. You can never been too careful when on the road. Be careful if choosing to ride on sidewalks. Often, cars may not be able to see you when you cross the road if you are entering from the sidewalk. A rear light is also a worthwhile purchase.

Talk to a Skilled Bicycle Accident Attorney Today

Bicycle riding is a healthy and environmentally safe way to travel. However, if you do not take these safety precautions, it can also be dangerous. Please use caution whenever taking to the street. If you or a loved one is hit by a motor vehicle, you may be eligible for compensation. Our Maryland bicycle accident lawyers at Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers help protect the rights of bicyclists in and around Maryland. We will provide you with a free case evaluation.