Bicyclists can ride on the street like other vehicles, as well as the sidewalk. There are laws in every state to allow bikes to ride safely in the nation’s streets along with cars. Cars are to share the road with people on bikes, just as cars have to share the road with pedestrians jogging or walking in the area. If a person is on a bike and traveling in a street, they also can pass a vehicle on either side and ride through a red light if there is no danger from other vehicles at the intersection. While they have the right to share the road, they are at a disadvantage because they aren’t protected from the elements from a serious collision with a vehicle, which can lead to serious injury if an accident happens.
Damages Associated with a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit
Some things that can be brought forth in a personal injury lawsuit include medical expenses as well as rehabilitation expenses, lost wages or future earnings, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other damages. An experienced bicycle accident attorney can help you in calculating the total amount of damages that you’re entitled to as a result of your injuries. Remember, many biking injuries can be serious and even debilitating, which can change the lives of people involved in these types of losses forever.
Common Types of Bicycle Accidents
Some of the most common bicycle accidents include:
- Left-turn collision: When a car makes a left turn, the bicyclist may have the right of way and will be sideswiped because of the negligence of the car driver to see the bicyclist or to follow those applicable laws between cars and people on bikes.
- Right-turn collision: This occurs when a vehicle turns right into the bicyclist and doesn’t yield to the person on the bike.
- Door collision: This happens when a bicycle is passing, and someone opens their door into the path of the bicyclist without looking to see if a bicyclist was traveling safely down the street.
- Rear end crash: A bicycle is rear ended by a car that is following too closely to the individual on the bike, and the bike rider suffers a collision and injuries as a result of this situational error by the car driver.