Are you a passionate cyclist? Then you may already be familiar with all the risks involved in this matter. Picture this: You are riding your bike down the street and suddenly you are hit by a car. In one moment, your life can change dramatically. Bicycle accidents often result in serious injury, disability, and the need for lifelong medical care. And you deserve fair compensation for your suffering and losses.
Bicycle deaths are not uncommon and these cases call for wrongful death compensation .
This is why you need to retain our legal team of dedicated Houston bicycle accident attorneys at Calhoun Meredith.
In most cases of bicycle collisions, the cyclists' claims are not heard because they are naturally held responsible for their suffering, even though they were following traffic laws and only using the bicycle lanes.
But you don't have to worry...
We are your first line of defense against greedy insurance companies who will try to force a settlement that does not cover losses resulting from bicycle accidents.
What is the status of bicyclists under Texas law?
According to the Texas State Transportation Code , "a person who operates a bicycle has the rights and duties applicable to a driver who operates a vehicle." This means that cyclists are entitled to the same type of compensation as a car driver.
However, many cyclists do not get the maximum relief settlement they are entitled to (based on their claims) because they cannot fight on their own against an auto insurance company that wants to settle for an unfairly low lump sum.
Professional bicycle accident lawyers will ensure that your personal injury claim and subsequent settlement negotiations help you cover all economic and non-economic damages suffered under the insurer's insurance policy. Just be aware of the statute of limitations (laws that dictate time limitations), calling an attorney should be your number one priority.
Are you still entitled to compensation if you are partly at fault?
In some cases, you may be partially at fault for a bicycle accident, especially in the city (where traffic is heavier).
Even you might think that you were fully responsible because you were not wearing a helmet when the accident happened. Here's what an astute Houston bicycle accident attorney has to say on this topic: Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) recommends wearing a helmet as one of its top accident prevention tips, it's not required by law.
Also, even if you partially share fault for negligence with the other party, you are still entitled to compensation. The state of Texas applies the modified principle of comparative fault, which means that you receive compensation in proportion to your degree of responsibility, if it is determined that you are less than 51%.
An experienced Houston bicycle accident attorney will be able to correctly determine your degree of liability and negotiate the maximum compensation you are entitled to when handling your bicycle accident claim. Attorneys can also help you prove how unsafe street conditions contributed in some way to the accident (if they did).
What should you do if you were the victim of a bicycle accident?
One of the most common questions about bicycle accidents is what to do if you were hit by a vehicle while biking on city streets in Texas.
This is the answer:
Seek medical assistance
Call 9-1-1 and wait for the ambulance to arrive without trying to get to your feet, as you may have sustained serious injuries such as soft tissue damage, broken bones, or even spinal cord injury, as often happens with these types of accidents. Follow the recommendation of the paramedics and go to a hospital if deemed necessary.
Collect any physical evidence
If you are not in a lot of pain, try to gather evidence from the accident scene (to prove the other driver is at fault), including:
- Photos of your damaged bike and your visible injuries (the most valuable evidence)
- Contact details of eyewitnesses
- Details of the vehicle that struck you
- The driver's insurance information.
- Plus any police accident reports.
- You should also keep track of your losses, such as lost wages or lost enjoyment of life due to the impact.
Hiring a Houston Bicycle Accident Lawyer
You should contact a bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible. If you are unable to do so, have a family member contact the Calhoun Meredith Law Firm for an initial consultation to explore your options with your accident injury claim.
We will intervene immediately and handle all paperwork and negotiations with the at-fault driver and their insurance company. Therefore, all you have to do is focus on getting better, without worrying about the legal fight for your rights.
Since we are aware of all the technicalities used to evade blame for losses suffered in bicycle cases, we will be more than ready to help you recover all economic losses such as property damage, medical costs, and special damages.
And we will also help you secure compensation for your pain and suffering.
What can a Houston bicycle accident attorney do for you?
From the moment you retain us to represent you, we will appoint an experienced attorney to:
- Request access to the police report and collect information
- Discuss with eyewitnesses and get any photos/videos they took at the accident scene
- Contact the driver's insurance company and file a claim for compensation.
We will seek all types of remedies permitted by law in such cases, including:
- medical bills
- Loss of income for the period you will need to recover in the hospital or at home
- Loss of future earnings due to being disabled and unable to work
- Long-term nursing care
- Non-economic losses: pain and suffering.
Our personal injury attorneys know that large insurance companies will try to minimize your losses and the physical and mental suffering you are experiencing due to your accident injuries. . That's why we aggressively fight to bring you justice and make sure you get fair amounts of financial compensation for all your losses, even from accidents as misunderstood as bicycle accidents.
How much does it cost to hire a Houston bicycle accident attorney?
One of the key impediments that most people see in hiring a lawyer to fight their case is the hourly rate they have to pay. When you call Calhoun Meredith she will wonder how much of our advance rate is.
The answer is: nothing!
We work on a contingency fee basis. This means that we are paid at the end of settlement negotiation or trial (if amicable negotiations fail) of the compensation awarded to you.
This means that:
- Anyone can afford to hire an attorney to fight for their legal rights under bicycle accident personal injury law.
- We are motivated to succeed, in any case.
- You are awarded the maximum financial compensation in any scenario.
We are your ally in the most difficult moments!
Our team of professional bicycle accident attorneys at Calhoun Meredith use the strongest work ethic in dealing with each client. All of our inquiries are confidential and we are available 24/7 for case evaluations.
We, as your attorneys, will stand between you and greedy insurers who want to pay you as little as possible for your pain and suffering. We use our experience, knowledge of the law, and aggressive negotiation tactics to win fair financial compensation in every case we handle.
We urge you to contact us as soon as possible after you or your loved one has been involved in a bicycle accident with another motor vehicle. In the state of Texas there is a two year time limit from the date of the accident to file a claim, so call us now!
