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Bicycle Accident Injuries
Bicycle accidents, especially ones involving motor vehicles, can result in serious or life-threatening injuries. In Wisconsin, almost every time a bicyclist is involved in a motor vehicle accident, he or she is likely to suffer injuries. In 2012, over 1,100 bicyclists were involved in accidents, and 1,049 suffered injuries while 11 were killed as a result of the accident. This translates to an average of one bicyclist injured every 8.3 hours. As recently as March 24, 2015, a 22-year-old Sheboygan native was riding his bicycle in the morning when a pickup truck collided with him. He suffered injuries as a result of the accident and died the next day.
Bicyclists and motor vehicle operators are required to obey the rules of the road. Generally, these rules include exercising ordinary care for their own safety and the safety of others. They are also required to obey the traffic laws.
If you were riding your bicycle and suffered injuries as a result of a motor vehicle accident, you should consult a bicycle accident attorney who will assist you in getting the compensation you need and deserve.
The Intersection of Negligence: Motorists and Bicyclists
Usually, when a bicyclist suffers injuries from an accident with a motor vehicle, the cyclist will sue the motor vehicle operator for negligence. These cases boil down to two main questions: 1) if the driver was negligently or recklessly operating the motor vehicle that caused the bicyclist’s injuries; and 2) if the bicyclist was negligently operating the bicycle or if the bicyclist contributed to the accident.
Was the Driver of the Automobile Negligent?
Negligence comes in many shapes and sizes. As mentioned above, an operator of an automobile has a duty to exercise ordinary care to other drivers on the road, which includes bicyclists because they share the road with automobiles. If the driver of the automobile was distracted, speeding, running stop signs, attempting to pass the cyclist, or crossing into the bike lane, he or she could be found in breach of this duty.
Was the Bicyclist Negligent?
If the bicyclist is found to be negligent, this could change the outcome of the entire case. For example, if the cyclist is riding down the wrong side of the street, driving outside the bike lane, running through a red light or turning into traffic, he or she could be found to have acted negligently. If any of these examples were the case, the bicyclist would receive reduced damages for the injuries they suffered as a result of the accident with the motor vehicle or they would be entitled to no damages at all if they were over 51 percent at fault. In some instances, if the bicyclist negligently caused the accident with the motor vehicle and this negligence caused injuries to a third party, the bicyclist could be held liable for the injuries sustained by the third party.
Frequently, accidents between bicyclists and automobiles are complex in nature and involve serious injuries. These accidents come down to the two questions addressed above; whether the driver was negligent or whether the bicyclist was negligent or contributed to the accident. If you were a bicyclist involved in a motor vehicle accident and sustained injuries as a result, you should contact an experienced Milwaukee injury attorney who will passionately pursue your case, preserve your rights and get you the compensation you deserve.
