Bicycle Accident Lawyers in El Paso, Texas

CALL (800) 863-5312 TO SPEAK WITH EL PASO BIKE ACCIDENT LAWYERS FOR FREE

Bicycles offer an effective means of exercise for many while also offering a convenient mode of transportation. However, bicycle riding can instantly go from an enjoyable recreational activity to a disaster. A bike accident can have devastating consequences for victims, leaving them confused and injured.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a biking accident, call the experienced El Paso bike wreck attorneys from Zinda Law Group at (800) 863-5312 for a free consultation.  If we cannot win your case, you will not owe us anything.

WHAT MAKES BIKE ACCIDENTS UNIQUE?

While any vehicle accident can be devastating, bicycle accidents may often be much more serious because of the nature of bicycling.  Unlike automobiles, a bicycle offers almost no protection. While automobile passengers have some protection from accidents from airbags, seatbelts, and the vehicle itself, a bicyclist generally has no protection beyond a helmet. As a result, a bicyclist will have little protection when hit with the force of an oncoming vehicle. Bike accidents are thus much more likely to result in life-threatening injuries or death.  This risk increases exponentially along with the vehicle’s speed when it strikes the bicyclist.

COMMON CAUSES OF BIKE ACCIDENTS IN EL PASO

Bicycle accidents are often caused when a negligent driver collides with a bike.  The driver typically owes a duty of care to others on the road to avoid causing an accident.  Drivers must take special care to avoid crashing into bicyclists given their lack of protection against accidents. However, when drivers breach this duty, many such collisions with bicyclists may be caused by:

• Distracted driving
• Speeding
• Failing to yield the right-of-way at a crosswalk
• Running a red light or stop sign
• Failing to use a turn signal
• Stopping suddenly in front of a bicycle
• Side swiping bicyclists
• Disregarding traffic or weather conditions
• Opening vehicle door in front of a passing bicycle

COMMON BIKE ACCIDENT INJURIES

Due to the devastating nature of many bicycle accidents, many victims may suffer particularly catastrophic, life-threatening, or permanent injuries, which may include:

Broken Bones or Fractures

Given the force of a vehicle hitting a bicyclist, bones may be easily broken or fractured.  While these fractured or broken bones are typically not life-threatening or fatal, they may still take a long time to heal and may require splints, casts, reconstructive surgery, physical therapy, or other treatment.

Head Injuries or Traumatic Brain Injuries

Various head injuries, as well as traumatic brain injuries (TBI), may occur in bike accidents as a result of the force involved and lack of protection for bicyclists as their head collides with the vehicle or ground. Possible head injuries may include headaches, concussions, cracked or fractured skulls, brain swelling or bleeding, contusions, or TBIs. Common side effects of head injuries suffered in bike accidents may include impaired vision, memory loss, slurred speech, difficulties with balance, impaired motor function, brain damage, or other temporary or permanent effects. As a result of the severe nature of many head or traumatic brain injuries, many accident victims may never fully recover from these injuries but may suffer permanent impairment to their ability to speak, act, walk, or think.

Pelvic Injuries

With many bicycle crashes, the vehicle may collide with the bicyclist near the cyclist’s waist.  As a result, pelvic injuries may commonly occur.  These pelvic injuries may include bruised or broken hip or a bruised or broken pelvis.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are also common in bike accidents because of the traumatic and violent impact when a vehicle strikes the cyclist, followed by the cyclist crashing into the ground.  Spinal injuries suffered in bicycle accidents may range from comparatively minor injuries such as a lumbar or thoracic strain up to more serious or catastrophic injuries as a severed spinal cord or severe disc injuries.  Spinal injuries often have lengthy recovery times while still causing long-lasting or permanent back pain or even paralysis.

Internal Injuries

Internal injuries may occur in bike crashes due to the blunt force trauma of the vehicle colliding with the person or the cyclist crashing into the ground with very little protection for the cyclist.  These internal injuries may often be life-threatening if not immediately treated. Common internal injuries may include brain swelling or bleeding, internal bleeding, punctured lung caused by a fractured or broken rib, organ damage, or similar internal injuries that may not be readily apparent immediately after an accident.  Because of the potentially life-threatening nature of many internal injuries, it is especially important for victims of bicycle accidents to seek immediate medical attention even if there are no obvious signs of injury or the victim is experiencing only seemingly minor soreness or pain. 

WHAT TO DO AFTER AN EL PASO BIKING ACCIDENT

1. Contact an El Paso Bike Accident Lawyer

Bike accidents can be very confusing and traumatic for victims.  After seeking immediate medical attention for any injuries, accident victims should contact an experienced biking accident lawyer in El Paso as soon as possible.  Your attorney may begin by discussing your potential options, including whether you may be entitled to any compensation for the accident and who may be liable for your injuries.  With the often severe nature of injuries suffered in bicycle accidents, your lawyer may allow you to focus on your recovery while handling your claim for you.

2. Investigate Your Accident

Your attorney may often handle the investigation of the accident to gather witness statements as well as any available physical or photographic evidence of the accident scene and the vehicles involved in the accident.  Your attorney may also gather evidence documenting the extent of your injuries and the potential liability of any involved parties.  This may include any evidence that the driver negligently breached a duty of care to you, such as by running a red light or speeding, while proving that the driver’s breach caused both the accident and your injuries.

3. Negotiate a Settlement

After gathering available evidence and any necessary documentation, your attorney may then begin negotiating with the insurer on your behalf to pursue a potential bike accident settlement in El Paso.  Your lawyer will generally begin with an initial offer, or “demand,” while the insurance company will often refuse the initial offer before making its own counteroffer.  Each party may accompany their offer with an overview of available evidence that supports that side’s position.  This negotiation process will typically continue either until both sides reach a mutually agreeable settlement or, if the insurer refuses to agree to an adequate settlement, the case instead goes to trial.

4. Trial

If the insurance company refuses to negotiate with your attorney or refuses to agree to a satisfactory level of compensation, your attorney may then take your case to trial to prove to a jury, or judge, that the other party caused your bike accident and your injuries.  Your bike accident lawyer in El Paso will present evidence of the other party’s liability and documentation showing the extent of your injuries.

HOW A BIKE ACCIDENT LAWYER IN EL PASO CAN HELP

An experienced El Paso lawyer may help you with your claim at every stage.  An attorney may help you discuss your options and establish a plan immediately after your accident.  Your lawyer may investigate the accident and help gather documentation while leveling the playing field by going toe-to-toe with the insurer’s team of lawyers.  Further, a bike wreck lawyer may help you accurately document any pain and suffering you suffered as a result of the accident and help you navigate the procedures of filing a biking accident lawsuit in El Paso.  Finally, your attorney may negotiate on your behalf with the insurer to seek compensation.  A bike accident lawyer in El Paso may have the necessary experience working with insurance companies and handling personal injury cases.  This experience may be crucial to obtaining a satisfactory settlement from an insurance company while avoiding an expensive trial.

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT SPEAK TO INSURANCE COMPANIES WITHOUT A LAWYER

Insurance companies will often try to reduce the compensation they pay for covered accidents in any way they can.  Insurers typically have teams of lawyers who work with the insurance adjusters to look for any reason to reduce or avoid paying any compensation for your injuries.  This process may often include a call from the insurance company soon after your accident seeking to speak with you about the accident.  Even if they assure you that they are only seeking to help you or to speed along any settlement, the insurer will likely be looking to trick you or otherwise obtain a statement from you that may indicate any fault on your part for the accident.  Under Texas’s comparative negligence law, if the insurance company can show that you had any fault in causing the accident, they may be able to reduce or eliminate any compensation you may be entitled to for your bike accident lawsuit in El Paso.  By speaking with the insurance company without your attorney, you may inadvertently hurt your claim.  The best strategy for you in dealing with an insurance company after your accident will be to hire an experienced El Paso biking accident lawyer to speak with the insurer on your behalf.

GET HELP FROM A BIKE ACCIDENT LAWYER IN EL PASO TODAY

At Zinda Law Group, our biking accident attorneys may assist you with your claim.  We have years of experience in helping our clients seek the maximum compensation for their El Paso bicycling accident claims.

Call (800) 863-5312 today for a free consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers.  You will not pay anything unless we can win your El Paso biking injury case. That’s our No Win, No Fee Guarantee.