Collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles are not as common as some other types of accidents, but they often have severe consequences. These accidents can leave you with serious injuries, substantial medical expenses, and months away from work. If you are recovering from a serious injury after a bike wreck, our compassionate accident attorneys are here to help.
You have the right to pursue compensation for the damages caused by a bike accident. An experienced Willmar bicycle accident lawyer at our firm can investigate the collision and answer your questions about the compensation available to you.
Because cyclists have little protection during a crash, the resulting injuries are often severe. The force of the impact can throw you from the bicycle onto the pavement, another vehicle, or a fixed object. Some of the conditions that frequently occur as a result of these accidents include the following:
Some injuries are immediately obvious, but there may also be conditions that are not so easy to detect. For example, a traumatic brain injury might not leave obvious symptoms for weeks or months after the accident. Our Willmar bicycle wreck attorneys can help you seek justice for any of these injuries.
Determining who is responsible for a bike accident is a major part of any injury claim. If you sustained injuries in a bicycle accident in Willmar, our lawyers can help you pursue damages against the following parties.
Drivers have a responsibility to watch for cyclists and share the road safely, and collisions with bicycles are often the result if they fail to do so. These accidents often happen because a driver fails to yield the right-of-way, turns across a cyclist’s path, changes lanes without checking for bicycles, opens a vehicle door into traffic, or drives while impaired.
Pedestrians can also contribute to bicycle accidents. Actions such as walking into a bike lane without looking or entering a cyclist’s path unexpectedly can lead to an accident the cyclist cannot avoid.
Not every bicycle accident happens because of another road user. Defects with the bicycle or one of the other vehicles in the collision may lead to a crash. If a defective product contributes to a crash, the manufacturer or another company involved in placing the product into the marketplace may bear responsibility.
Government entities are responsible for maintaining public roads in a reasonably safe condition. If they fail to do so, it is possible to pursue an injury case against the government. It is important to note that there may be additional rules and deadlines that come with these cases.
Minnesota Statutes § 541.05 limits the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit after a bicycle accident. More often than not, you face a deadline of six years from the date of the accident. However, different deadlines and notice requirements can apply in certain situations, including claims against government entities. Because of these differences, it is a good idea to talk to our lawyers handling bicycle collision claims in Willmar early in the process to confirm how much time you have to act.
If a driver struck you while you were cycling, you could be entitled to financial compensation. Reach out to a Willmar bicycle accident lawyer immediately for a free consultation to discuss your options and pursue justice.
