If you are on this page – you may have suffered an injury while riding a bicycle in Maryland. Bike accidents unfortunately can often be severe. If you have suffered a bicycle injury – at Alpert Schreyer Personal Injury Lawyers we understand how upsetting this can be for you.
You may be in a pain. You may be worried about your job. You may be worried about your medical bills. You may be worried about your finances. You may be worried about a lot of different things.
Serious bicycle injuries adversely affecting every aspect of your life. It’s important to find out if you are owed financial compensation for your pain and suffering. We are looking forward to serving you in any way you can. Contact us or call (301) 932-9997 to schedule your free legal consultation at Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers LLC.
How The Bicycle Accident Lawyers At Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers Can Help You Get Your Life Back On Track
If you’re worried about the cost related to hiring an experienced injury attorney – don’t. Our injury attorneys will never ask you to pay anything upfront. We will finance your entire case. We only get paid when we win your case. If we don’t win – you owe us nothing.
Don’t delay. The insurance company is not on your side. Believe me – the insurance company always act nice on the phone – but they are doing everything they can to lower how much they pay you in the end. What you say yourself to an insurance adjuster can later be used as evidence against you. What your attorney says on your behalf cannot be held against you later. Always have let your lawyer communicate with the insurance company for you.
Insurance council studies show that if you hire an experienced lawyer for your injury claim – you will get 3.5 times more money when your claim resolves.
Get an experienced Maryland Bicycle Injury Lawyer working for you right away – so can protect the value of your case. We will not stop until we get you the best result possible.
We Have the Experience, Resources & Skill You Need
Did you know the first automobile collision in American history happened in New York City in 1896 and involved a motor vehicle killing a cyclist? More than a century later, bicycle crashes continue to occur on our roadways on a daily basis. With little to protect them, cyclists are nearly always the ones who get badly injured. Additionally, recent studies have shown that the car driver is at fault for car versus bicycle accidents the majority of the time.
Recovering fair compensation after a bicycle accident can be confusing and difficult, with the insurance adjuster trying to undervalue your claim or delay payment. Do not let your rights be violated in any way – involve a Maryland bicycle accident attorney who has the resources and experience to protect you.
Determining Who is At Fault for Your Accident
Proving who is liable for the crash is the first major hurdle in acquiring compensation for the victim’s losses. The Maryland bicycle accident lawyers will look at the following factors when determining liability in your case:
- Car drivers pulling out of a parking spot or driveway and neglecting to look for cyclists
- Drivers failing to look out for bicyclists at stop signs
- Cars turning directly in front of bicycles
- Motorists running stop signs or red lights when cyclist are at intersections
- Speeding, drunk driving, driving while distracted, and other forms of driver negligence
A motorist can also be held responsible for injuries caused even if there was no collision, such as when the bicyclist swerves to avoid a car door opening or a driver who cut them off. Our legal team utilizes the accident report, eye-witness statements, medical experts, and even accident reconstructionist to determine the exact cause of your bike crash.
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.