Bicycle Accident Lawyer Greenbelt, MD
Everyone knows that it’s very common for bicyclists to be injured on the road when other drivers aren’t paying attention. However, as any experienced bicycle accident lawyer Greenbelt, MD residents trust will tell you, it’s also fairly common for bicycle accidents to occur due to road hazards. In many cases, these are hazards that don’t affect passenger and commercial vehicles as significantly, and therefore they are ignored — but for bicyclists, even a small change in the road’s surface can be enough to cause a serious accident.
If you’re involved in a bike accident due to a road hazard, you may be able to hold the local municipality liable for your damages. This often depends on how the accident occurred and whether any organization or agency had the responsibility of keeping the roadway safe. It’s wise to speak with a skilled bicycle accident lawyer in Greenbelt, MD who can review the details of your situation and determine if you have a viable case.
Basic Liability
The key with premises liability lawsuits is being able to prove that another person or entity had a responsibility to keep the area reasonably safe. Additionally, you must be able to show that this party either knew of the hazard or should have known of the hazard, and had a reasonable amount of time to repair or remove the hazard.
Proving liability with road hazards can be difficult because you must first determine which department or agency — if any — was responsible for keeping the road safe. This could be the town, city, county, state, or another public agency. A good bicycle accident lawyer in Greenbelt, MD will likely inform you that, after this, you must be able to prove that the municipality or agency was negligent and that they could have eliminated or mitigated the hazard, had they exhibited the proper care.
Suing the government for an injury is definitely complicated, but it’s not impossible. A bike accident lawyer should be able to help you determine which municipality or agency could be held accountable.
Common Road Hazards for Bicyclists
Some of the most common hazards for bicyclists pose little to no threat at all for other vehicles on the road. Unfortunately, this means that small problems are often overlooked until they cause a serious accident.
Large potholes are one of the biggest concerns and they are problematic for bicyclists and vehicle drivers alike. For bicyclists, however, even the smallest cracks and holes in the road can tip a bike off balance and lead to an accident. Bicyclists are more likely to notice (and be affected by) poor repair work than other drivers.
As a trusted bicycle accident lawyer in Greenbelt, MD will tell you, railroad tracks and sewer grates can also pose serious threats for bicycles. If rail tracks curve in a certain direction or if sewer grates are facing the wrong direction, a bicycle wheel can easily get stuck. Although it’s not always possible to fix something major like the direction of a railroad track, local governments are expected to make these areas reasonably safe for everyone who uses the road and are expected to provide ample warning if there is a hazard.
When determining liability for a bicycle accident related to a road hazard, a bike accident lawyer would likely examine the type of hazard and the precautions that an agency could have reasonably taken to prevent harm.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a bicycle accident as a result of a road hazard, do not hesitate to contact Cohen & Cohen to speak to a bicycle accident lawyer Greenbelt, MD residents are proud to have in their midsts.
