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Houston Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Traveling by bicycle is an economical, environmentally friendly, and enjoyable mode of transportation. Unfortunately, it can also be hazardous. According to bicycle accident statistics around 130,000 bike accidents occur every year in America. Sadly, many of these are the direct result of motorists failing to obey the rules of the road and drive safely.

If you or a loved one was injured due to a negligent driver or other reckless parties, you may be entitled to compensation. A bicycle accident lawyer in Houston can review your case and help you better understand your rights.

After sustaining serious injuries in a bike accident, don’t hesitate to contact us at the Law Office of Denise Adkison-Brown. You’re likely facing medical expenses that will continue well into the future, and your financial health shouldn’t be hindered simply because someone else was unsafe behind the wheel.

With a skilled Houston bicycle accident attorney on your side, you can worry less about the insurance company or legal process and instead focus on recovering from your bicycle accident injuries. It’s not fair that you’re going through these difficulties, but a Houston bike accident lawyer can help you weather the storm.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Houston

Although some Houston bicycle accidents occur from road hazards or slippery surfaces, car and truck driver negligence also leads to a significant number of bike crashes. Unfortunately, these incidents make up a significant proportion of the about 1,000 bicycle accident fatalities every year. Some of the most common causes of these negligent bicycle collision include:

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of death on American roadways. When drivers fail to pay attention to their surroundings, they become significantly more likely to cause a bicycle accident. There are three main types of distracted driving, and each of these acts violates traffic laws in Texas. They include:

  • Visual distractions: Taking your eyes off the road.
  • Manual distractions: Placing your hands somewhere other than the wheel.
  • Cognitive distractions: Focusing on something other than driving.

These negligent acts lead to thousands of bicycle crashes every year. Such distractions include texting, talking on the phone, grooming oneself, or eating while driving. If it’s proven that a driver was engaged in these behaviors during an accident, an accident victim will likely be able to recover compensation.

Impaired Driving

Motorists operating motor vehicles under the influence are often unaware of a bicyclist’s presence on the road until it is too late. Impairment by drugs or alcohol impacts a driver’s ability to make safe decisions while behind the wheel, and this can result in dangerous outcomes for cyclists. Of course, impaired driving is more than just negligence—it’s a crime.

Due to this fact, bicycle accident victims can often successfully seek punitive damages when injured by impaired drivers. This form of compensation does more than help cover medical bills and replace lost wages. It is meant as a form of additional punishment against the defendant due to extreme recklessness. A bicycle accident lawyer in Houston can help you figure out if you’re entitled to such damages.

Aggressive Driving

Crashes can occur even when motorists are aware of a bike’s presence on the road. Some motorists cause accidents when they follow a bicycle too closely, attempt to pass it, or try to avoid letting them merge into traffic. Other crashes occur when motorists speed and are unable to stop in time to avoid striking a bicycle.

Carelessness While Parked

Some of the most serious accidents occur due to “dooring” from parked cars. This occurs when a driver exits their motor vehicle into the path of oncoming bicyclists. The opening of the car door into traffic can knock the cyclist off their bike and cause serious injuries. Even with the car itself being at rest, this type of bicycle accident can still prove detrimental.

Houston attorneys have extensive experience investigating bike wrecks. A knowledgeable local lawyer could review the details of an incident and guide an individual through the process of pursuing a potential claim. Bicycle accidents often result in a long road to recovery for injured victims, but an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you get justice.

How Can Houston Bicycle Accident Attorneys Help?

All the bicycle safety tips in the world can’t always prevent accidents caused by negligence. A reckless driver behind the wheel of a motor vehicle can change your life in a moment. When this happens, though, do you need a bike accident lawyer on your side?

After all, the insurance company is very likely to contact you to discuss your injury claims, and they may even seem very concerned with your well-being. Unfortunately, this is all part of a well-practiced process to minimize the compensation you’re able to get.

This is one of the biggest reasons you need Houston bicycle accident lawyers on your side. Experienced attorneys deal with insurance adjusters all the time. They know all the tricks of the trade and how the insurer will try to lead you into admitting some level of fault.

Personal injury attorney Denise Adkison-Brown spent a decade working for insurance companies, so she understands all the tricks they’ll attempt to minimize compensation following bicycle accidents.

Attorneys can help in many other ways as well since they have:

  • Greater access to resources (e.g., expert witnesses, investigators)
  • Experience in taking personal injury cases to court
  • A better understanding of Texas bicycle laws
  •  Knowledge regarding long-term effects of bicycle accident injuries

Perhaps the biggest benefit offered by a personal injury lawyer in your bicycle accident case, though, is the ability for you to focus on getting your life back. Insurers may try to discuss your accident claim while you’re still in the hospital—oftentimes while you’re medicated and not thinking clearly. A Houston bicycle accident lawyer can end this type of harassment and handle the insurers for you.

Fortunately, there’s a good chance your injury claim will never make it to court. Around 95% of such claims never do—including those related to bicycle accidents.

After all, an insurance company often prefers not to take their chances in court—particularly once bicycle accident attorneys get involved. If it does come to this, though, a bike accident attorney can handle all the necessary paperwork and steps required to seek compensation at trial.

What if I Was Partially Liable for My Bicycle Accident?

Bicycle accidents often occur when a negligent driver runs into unexpecting cyclists. However, it’s not always the case that they’re fully at fault. After all, many accidents in Houston occur due to mistakes by multiple parties.

Fortunately, this doesn’t mean you can’t recover compensation for your bike accident. That’s because Texas is a modified comparative negligence state. This means victims can receive damages from an injury claim even if they played some role in their accident.

When cyclists are partially at fault for their injury, though, they won’t receive the entirety of the court award for their bicycle accident claim. That’s because damages are reduced by the injured party’s percentage of fault.

For instance, a jury may decide that a bicycle rider was 10% at fault for their accident for failing to wear reflective gear. If a court award of $1 million is granted, the at-fault party would be relieved of paying $100,000 of this award (i.e., 10%). Still, the cyclist would receive $900,000 to cover their personal injury claim.

One of the most important things to remember is that you shouldn’t make any guesses on your own. Even if you’re convinced right at the accident scene that you’re mostly at fault, you may not fully understand all the facts involved. This is where experienced bicycle accident attorneys can be extremely beneficial.

There are certainly bicycle accidents where cyclists cannot recover damages, but you won’t know your specific situation until you speak with an attorney. Contact the Law Office of Denise Adkison-Brown today, and we’ll help you decide how to best move forward.

Bike Crashes Often Cause Significant Injuries

Bicycle riders often have nothing other than helmets to protect them when they fall off their bikes and hit the hard pavement—or when a larger vehicle hits them. Consequently, when bikes are involved in car accidents, it’s not uncommon for bicyclists to suffer debilitating and often life-altering severe injuries.

This can lead to years of medical bills and even cause permanent disabilities. After such an accident, a bicycle rider will most frequently face the following common injuries:

Some of those wounds result in permanent mobility limitations or disfiguring scars, and this can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression. Of course, emotional harms do not require debilitating injuries to form. Many bicyclists are unable to enjoy their favorite hobby even after fully recovering due to the fear of being injured again.

Additionally, many physical and emotional injuries are so severe that they prevent an accident survivor from returning to work. This will result in financial strain on the injured person and their family. A dedicated Houston bike accident lawyer can work with injured bicyclists to seek the compensation they deserve in order to treat their injuries and get their lives as close back to normal as possible.

Contact a Houston Bike Accident Lawyer Today

Being involved in a bicycle accident is traumatic in a variety of ways. Not only do you have to worry about medical expenses and a potentially long road to recovery, but you also frequently encounter difficulty from the insurance company.

This is the last thing you need when recuperating from severe injuries, and if your case has to go to trial, it may seem like there’s no end in sight for the troubles you’re going through. This is where an experienced bicycle accident attorney can help.

After a bike crash, working with a seasoned Houston bike accident lawyers is a crucial step in building a path to resolution. You probably have several questions about your legal rights and options. A knowledgeable lawyer can answer these questions and help guide you through the legal process—all while allowing you the time to focus on healing from your severe injuries.

Contact us at the Law Office of Denise Adkison-Brown by calling (713) 714-6206 today for a free consultation. With Houston bike accident lawyers on your side, you’ll be better prepared to fight for the financial compensation you deserve.