When bikes and motor vehicles collide, bicyclists often sustain devastating injuries. These wrecks can happen anywhere, but they are especially common in intersections where motorists fail to keep a watchful eye out for cyclists.
If you have been hurt in a bike crash, our dedicated personal injury attorneys are ready to help you get the recovery you deserve. You have a limited amount of time to seek justice after a collision, so you should contact a Waseca bicycle accident lawyer without delay.
Bike accidents lead to more serious injuries for several reasons. In many Waseca bicycle crash cases our attorneys handle, visibility plays a role. Because bicycles are smaller and quieter than cars, distracted drivers may not see a nearby cyclist until it is too late to avoid a crash.
However, the most significant reason is the lack of safety features on a bicycle. While cars have seat belts and crumple zones to protect their passengers, cyclists are exposed to oncoming traffic. If you are struck by a car while cycling, your body is likely to absorb the bulk of that impact.
Finally, most serious bike accidents result in the rider being thrown to the ground after the collision. This secondary impact could cause additional injuries.
Bicycle accidents can happen for a variety of reasons. If negligence played a role in the Waseca bike wreck, an attorney can help pursue a legal claim against the at-fault party. Some of the common factors that lead to these claims include the following:
Drivers often cause crashes when turning at intersections without checking for cyclists in bike lanes or crosswalks. A rider who has the right-of-way may suddenly crash into a turning vehicle.
Distraction is one of the most dangerous factors involved in a motor vehicle collision. If a driver takes their eyes away from the road for a moment, they could miss the signs of an oncoming hazard until it is too late to avoid it.
Drivers are required to give bicycles enough room to ride safely on the road, but that does not always happen. In some cases, motorists who attempt to pass a slower cyclist will clip their bike, causing an accident.
Dooring wrecks happen when a driver or passenger opens a car door directly into a cyclist’s path. This is most common when a vehicle is parked on the side of the road, and a driver carelessly opens a door without looking first.
Under the state’s comparative fault rule outlined in Minnesota Statutes § 604.01, more than one person can be held responsible for a crash when determining compensation.
You can still recover compensation as long as you were not more at fault than the other party for the accident. However, your monetary award will be reduced in this scenario based on your degree of fault.
Consider the following example. If the court determines that you were 25 percent responsible for the crash and your damages total $100,000, the final recovery would be reduced by 25 percent. In that situation, an attorney could help you recover $75,000 for the damages you sustained in the Waseca bike collision.
If you were hurt in a bike wreck, now is the right time to explore your legal rights during a private consultation with our firm. Our attorneys are based in Mankato, but we also serve the surrounding area. Reach out to speak with a Waseca bicycle accident lawyer from our firm today.
