Greenbelt Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

Bicycle Accident Lawyer Greenbelt, MD

How much a person can recover by filing a bicycle accident claim is dependant on many things that bicycle accident lawyers Greenbelt, MD residents recommend, may be able to help you with.

The shock of being involved in a bicycle accident can be significant. As a result, if you were recently struck by a car while cycling, you may be hesitant to assume the burdens associated with filing a personal injury claim. You may want to focus on your recovery or you may wonder whether you can handle any additional stress right now. These are perfectly normal responses to being struck while cycling. But please know that you do not have to navigate the legal process of filing a claim alone and that filing a claim now with the help of Greenbelt, MD bicycle accident lawyers, may significantly reduce your stress in the future.

When individuals are harmed as the result of accidents, their medical bills tend to mount quickly. If for no other reason than this, it may be worth your time to speak with an attorney about the possibility of filing a personal injury claim. If your claim is successful, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical bills as well as other damages.

It is worth noting that every case is different, so it is difficult to attach a dollar amount to specific claims in terms of what kinds of damages may be awarded. Cyclists who are partially at fault for accidents are likely to recover less than those who were not at fault, for example. In addition, those who suffered grave injury are more likely to recover significantly more than those who suffered minor injuries as a result of their collisions. Bicycle accident lawyers who are licensed to practice in Greenbelt and throughout MD will be best placed to give you an idea of what kinds of damages you may be awarded if you opt to file a claim.

Damages

When a personal injury claim is successful, a plaintiff is awarded monetary damages. These damages can be economic and/or non-economic in nature. Economic damages are tied to specific financial costs associated with an accident. For example, a cyclist struck by a car may be awarded economic damages that compensate for past medical expenses, current and future medical expenses, property damages, lost wages and other specific, objective costs associated with the harm caused by the accident.

Some personal injury plaintiffs are awarded non-economic damages in addition to economic damages. These are relatively subjective in nature and therefore vary more widely than economic damages do. Pain and suffering awards are examples of non-economic damages. No one can truly calculate the cost of pain and suffering, but these damages attempt to acknowledge that such consequences have occurred in the wake of an accident. Many people recommend the help of bicycle accident lawyers in Greenbelt or near where you were injured in MD to determine the kinds of damages you may be entitled to.

It is important to understand that it is virtually impossible to place a dollar amount on how much financial compensation a cyclist can recover if he or she is successful in his filing a personal injury claim. Although an attorney can provide an estimate of a possible economic damage award based on medical bills, etc., one can never be sure what a judge and/or jury may ultimately see fit to award. In addition, many cases settle before trial and settlement amounts can vary significantly. Finally, as previously noted, cyclists who are not at fault are likely to recover greater damage amounts than those who are partially or totally at fault for the harm caused by an accident.

To help you make more informed decisions about how to proceed with your bicycle accident injury claim against a negligent person or people, contact reputable Greenbelt, MD personal injury lawyers who are experienced with successfully defending the rights of accident victims and their families.

According to a Greenbelt, MD bike accident lawyer, yes, you can sure the driver in your bike accident if you can prove that the driver was at fault and not you.

If you did happen to be doing something wrong you can still file a lawsuit. Bikers have the same responsibilities on roadways as drivers do to follow the rules of the road. Additionally, bicyclist have special rules aside from drivers. First off bicyclist should wear helmets, however, this is not required for adults. Even though it is not required, a jury can find someone (event an adult) negligent for not wearing a helmet. Furthermore, bicyclist must not violate any laws such as driving on the right side of the road or not having proper reflective gear on during night hours.

As any good Greenbelt, MD bike accident lawyer will tell you, even if these factors were violated, the biker still has the right to sue the other party. However, the percent of the fault placed on the other party will be lower. This means if you were considered by the jury 60% at fault but your recovery awarded was $10,000 than you would only receive 60% of that $10,000.

Other people to sue

There can be many factors that play a role in your bike accident other than just the driver. These sources can include but are not limited to:

• The bike manufacturer
• The bike distributor
• The county or whoever regulates the safety of the roads
• The owner of the property you were hit on
• A bike repair shop
• Any company who sells accessories for your bike
• The helmet company

Timing

An experienced Greenbelt, MD bike accident lawyer will likely inform you that in a bike accident, adults have exactly two years from when the accident occured to bring a case if the case was related to another person like a driver. If your case is related to  public entity in anyway however, your case needs to be filed within six months of your accident. Additionally, if you have a child killed in a bike accident you will need to file the case in six months.

If your child is involved in a bike accident (but not killed), you will have until that child turns 19 to file your case. This may be a lot of time depending on your child’s age however, it is not wise to wait a long time. The longer you wait, the more evidence will be lost and this will not help your case. The more evidence there is the better off you and your child will be.

Government entities

A skilled Greenbelt, MD bike accident lawyer may also inform you that government entities in bike accidents are related to accidents in which the government in involved in some way. For example if a government is informed of a pothole and they just ignore the complaints and do nothing to fix it but you get hurt on that pothole, you will likely have a case. Some other scenarios related to government entities are;

• Accumulations of snow or ice
• Cracked pavement
• Obstructed or hidden fixtures, i.e fire hydrants
• Excessively gravelly roads
• Inadequate signage, for bikes and traffic
• Poor road design
• Dangerous intersections
• Overgrown foliage
• Inadequate lane markings

Protect your rights after a bike accident by contacting the legal team at Cohen & Cohen. Call today to set up your free consultation with a trusted Greenbelt, MD bike accident lawyer.

Should You Still Seek the Advice of Bicycle Accident Lawyers if your Health or Auto Insurance is Paying Your Medical and Property Damage Bills?

Even if your health and/or auto insurance are helping to cover the cost of medical expenses and the costs of property damage your accident caused, such as damage to your bicycle or smartphone, neither you nor your insurance companies’ should have to pay because of someone else’s negligence. If you have just been through a traumatic bicycle accident and are suffering from injuries because of it, even though it is tempting to just hope for the best while trying to heal, this often leaves innocent bicycle accident victims and their families in serious debt.

One of the many reasons that people recommend enlisting the help of bicycle accident lawyers who are licensed to protect injured people in Greenbelt and throughout MD is so that they can fight for you and your rights while you focus on trying to heal and trying to get back to the life you knew prior to your accident.

What kinds of compensation can Greenbelt bicycle accident victims get from negligent parties that caused their accident?

The kinds of compensation a Greenbelt, MD bicycle accident victim may be able to get help from a personal injury lawyer to seek, are dependent on the specifics of their accident and the extent to which they were injured. If one or more parties’ negligence is what caused the bicycle accident you were in, you may be entitled to compensation. Common reasons that bicycle accident victims seek compensation for expenses related to their accident include but are not limited to:

• Emergency services
• Medical costs including, doctor visits, hospital stays, costs of surgeries,
• Procedures and treatments, prescription and over the counter medications, etc.
• Loss of income
• Loss of benefits
• Loss of childcare
• Loss of household management and maintenance
• Loss of abilities
• Loss of quality of life
• Pain and suffering

If you have tragically lost a much loved family member, you and their other surviving members may be entitled to compensation for the above as well as for one or more of the following:

• Funeral expenses
• Burial or cremation costs
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of parental support and guidance
• Grief and suffering

If you or someone you love has been injured because of someone else’s negligence, it may be time to discuss your rights with a personal injury lawyer who knows how to successfully defend the rights of bicycle accident victims and their families.

For highly rated Greenbelt, MD bicycle accident lawyers with over 25 years experience successfully defending the rights of injury victims and their families, contact Cohen & Cohen f

Questions About Filing a Claim

If you have questions about filing a legal claim in the wake of a bicycle accident, please consider contacting an experienced personal injury attorney. Meeting with an attorney will not compel you to take any specific action whatsoever. Having a confidential consultation will simply allow you to be advised of any legal options available to you and will help you to ensure that the choices you make moving forward are as informed as possible under the circumstances.

For highly rated bicycle accident lawyers Greenbelt, MD bicycle accident victims and their families can rely on, contact Cohen & Cohen for a free case evaluation with no obligation.