Marietta is a beautiful part of Georgia, found right outside the hustle and bustle of Atlanta. It’s a great place to walk and ride your bike to get where you need to go. Unfortunately, just like in busier parts of the state, you are at risk as a bike rider. With minimal protection from being struck by a vehicle and falling, your injuries will likely be severe if you are involved in an accident.
You have rights if you are injured in a bicycle accident caused by a negligent or reckless driver. The most important right you have is to recover compensation for your injuries and losses.
To protect your rights and ensure you can focus on your recovery, contact our Marietta bicycle accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Matthew C. Hines as soon as an accident occurs. We will investigate the case and help you collect the full compensation you deserve.
Hiring a bicycle accident attorney in Marietta lets the lawyers and insurance companies for the at-fault party know you are serious. It also tells them that you will know and deny any “lowball” settlement offer.
The insurance company for the at-fault party will be more likely to offer you a fair settlement when you have legal representation. The main reason for this is because of the costs associated with going to court. Insurance companies want to protect their bottom line, and having to court and pay a settlement doesn’t do this.
With the help of a Marietta bicycle accident lawyer near me, you can feel confident that you will get a fair settlement offer for the injuries and damages you sustained.
It’s best to contact our office as soon as you can after your accident. Georgia has a statute of limitations of just two years for personal injury claims. The sooner you contact our office, the sooner one of our experienced attorneys can get to work on your case. We will work to ensure you receive a fair settlement offer as quickly as possible.
The amount of your settlement will depend on several factors, including the damages you experienced and the circumstances of your case. While this is true, most bicycle accident victims are entitled to the following damages:
In some situations, you can also recover damages for pain and suffering. This is based on your total economic damages. The more serious your injuries are, the more you can receive for pain and suffering. Our law firm has a track record of success representing bicycle accident victims. You can look at our record to see that our goal is to help you recover the maximum amount of compensation possible for your case and situation.
When you hire our legal team, you can feel confident that we will gather evidence and use that evidence to show how the other party is liable for the accident. We work to build a strong case against the driver that caused the accident; however, this is a process that takes time.
We will use our experience and resources to help prove your case. This often includes eyewitness statements, accident reconstruction, toxicology reports, and more. While we have seen many different types of bicycle accidents through our years of practice, some of the most common causes of injured cyclists include:
While these are very common causes of bicycle accidents, some are caused by issues that are not as easy to determine. Our legal team knows how to look past the simple and obvious explanations for an accident to determine if there was an underlying issue that caused it. If we discover details that complicate the case, such as damaged road signs, several drivers involved, or something similar, we will use our evidence to hold all responsible parties liable.
We understand that the thought of hiring a lawyer is stressful. After all, thinking about the cost can be overwhelming. However, we provide representation for our clients on a contingency fee basis when it comes to personal injury claims. This means that we don’t collect payment until your case is over. Our payment comes from the settlement you receive. If no settlement is received, you pay us nothing. This means that it does not matter your financial situation; we can provide the quality and experienced legal representation you need and deserve.
If you are involved in a bicycle accident, there are several injuries you may experience. These injuries usually result from one of the following situations (however, this is not a comprehensive list).
If you are riding where cars are parked on the side of the road, someone might hit you with a door as they exit their vehicle. Be sure to ride a minimum of four feet away from the vehicles when cycling. You should also watch for vehicles in turn lanes or with emergency flashers on, as dooring incidents can also happen in these situations.
Another cause of bicycle accidents is if you pull your bicycle to the right side of a car when you reach an intersection. Even when there is a bike lane, you should avoid doing this. When the vehicle starts to turn right, it may turn into you or even run you over.
When you are riding through an area, make sure to look down to ensure you aren’t going to run into debris or a pothole. You should also maintain a safe speed, which will help you avoid potholes. Be sure your bike remains loose if you see something coming up on the road, which will help prevent an accident.
Remain alert and watch for buses and large trucks. Bigger vehicles like this have many blind spots, and they won’t be able to see you as well as smaller cars. Do not approach these vehicles on the right side, and try to avoid blind spots as much as possible.
If you are injured in a bicycle accident caused by someone else, our legal team can help you recover the compensation you are entitled to. Get in touch with our legal team today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your claim and situation. We will fight aggressively for your rights to a fair amount of compensation.
