Crashes between motor vehicles and bicyclists can be very serious for the person riding the bike.
Usually, the driver and any passengers in the car are not hurt, but bicycles lack the safety features of a car, such as seat belts, airbags, and a solid metal frame and roll cage. As a result, the bicycle rider is much more likely to be injured, sometimes severely.
In Tennessee, there were 370 accidents involving pedal cyclists in 2020 alone. Of these, 12 were fatal, and 317 resulted in injuries.
Common injuries for bicyclists include broken bones, head injuries, lacerations, and internal injuries or bleeding. Unfortunately, these can lead to expensive medical bills, lost time at work, and sometimes chronic pain or permanent disability.
If you or a loved one have been hurt after being hit by a car, you may be wondering how to pay all of these expenses or if the driver who hit your bike may be liable. The best way to get specific answers about your situation is to seek a free consultation with a Tennessee bicycle accident lawyer.
How Will a Tennessee Bicycle Accident Attorney Help Me?
If you’ve got questions, Ali Awad, the founder and managing attorney at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, has answers.
Known as “the CEO Lawyer,” Mr. Awad has transformed a small law firm into an 8-figure firm in three short years. Additionally, his firm was voted the fastest-growing law firm in the United States, beating out 499 others in 2021.
The CEO Lawyer also has more than a million followers on social media who look to him for timely legal advice.
If you or a loved one has been injured, don’t wait – call Ali Awad for a no-obligation, free consultation of your case. The CEO Lawyer and his team work on a contingency basis, which means they don’t get paid unless and until you do.
You have nothing to lose by calling (423) 777-8888 to learn all the options for your case.
How Can You Reduce the Risk of Being Injured in a Bicycle Accident?
Here are some tips to help reduce the risk of accidents and injuries:
- First, always wear a helmet, even if you’re just going out for a short ride. Make sure your helmet fits properly – many sporting goods stores are happy to help you find the right size. It should fit snugly and shouldn’t move around on your head when worn.
- The same applies to your bicycle – it should be a good fit for you. A bike that’s too large for you can be harder to control, increasing your risk of accidents.
- Make sure that you and your bike are as visible as possible! Reflective clothing and helmets are great ideas. A white front light, red rear light, and reflectors on your bike help make it easier for drivers to see you.
- Check your clothing before you start. Ensure your shoelaces and pant legs aren’t in danger of getting caught in the bike chain, prompting a fall.
- If you need to carry items, put them in your backpack or a secure carrying case on the back of the bike. (You can buy one in sporting goods stores or online if you frequently carry things on your bike.) Avoid tying shopping bags to the handlebars or dangling them off an arm while riding your bike.
- Plan a safe route to where you’re going. Try to choose an option that keeps you away from heavy traffic. If you do need to ride on a busy thoroughfare, stay in the bike lane, signal appropriately when turning, and make every effort to only cross the road at crosswalks, if at all possible.
- Don’t be a distracted biker! It’s as unsafe for bicyclists as it is for car drivers. Don’t text, look at your phone, eat, or otherwise get distracted while riding. Instead, keep your eyes on the road and look out for potential hazards.
- Always assume other vehicle drivers on the road may not see you and act accordingly.
- Follow instructions from road signs and traffic signals, just like you should in a car.
- Keep an eye out for pedestrians – in some cases, they can cause bicyclists to get into accidents. (More on this later.) Always announce that you are passing a pedestrian on the left or right, either verbally or at least with a bell.
- Travel in the same direction as traffic, not against it. This will help you if the sidewalk ends unexpectedly and will make you more visible when drivers are making left turns.
- Before crossing a street, slow your speed and look very carefully for other vehicles, even if you have the light/the right of way.
- Also, be on the lookout for motorists exiting driveways who may not be able to see a bicycle easily. Unfortunately, it’s very common for people who turn in front of bicycles or motorcycles to say they just didn’t see the biker.
- Even if you’ve been biking for years, it never hurts to brush up on your skills and safety info by taking a safe biking class.
What Causes Bicycle Versus Vehicle Accidents?
Often, one or more parties are negligent, leading to a crash. Every accident is different, but here are some common causes of bicycle accidents:
- Negligent drivers. Motorists have a responsibility to drive safely and avoid collisions, both with other vehicles and with bicycles or pedestrians. This includes sharing the road. Often, accidents happen because the driver gets too close to a bicyclist, encroaches into the bike lane, turns in front of a bicyclist, or forces the bike off the road. Distraction is a big cause of negligence, but sometimes, even drivers who are paying attention fail to see a bicycle due to its size. In some cases, aggressive driving or feeling entitled to take more space on the road than necessary can also lead to crashes. If a driver’s negligence left you injured, contact a Tennessee bicycle accident lawyer right away to learn your options.
- Bicycle rider negligence. Tennessee uses comparative negligence laws, which means the court will take into consideration whether both parties may have contributed to an accident. If someone is found to be more than 50 percent responsible for an accident, they won’t be able to collect any damages from the other party/parties. However, if they are found to be responsible for less than 50 percent, they can collect an award minus the percentage they were at fault. For this reason, sometimes a car driver may be found to be 80 percent at fault, while the bike rider was 20 percent at fault. This could happen if the biker made a mistake, like failing to signal or riding outside the marked bike lane. At the same time, the car driver might still take the majority of the blame if they didn’t look before turning, ran a red light, etc.
- Pedestrian issues. As we mentioned earlier, pedestrians can sometimes cause accidents for bike riders. Like vehicle drivers, bicyclists are supposed to stop for pedestrians. Unfortunately, sometimes, a person on foot may cut in front of a biker. They may feel that this is less dangerous than darting out in front of a car. This leaves the bicyclist struggling to stop or swerve. Unfortunately, we’ve seen cases where the bicyclist ended up swerving into traffic or hitting a curb or other object that threw them off their bike. Colliding with a pedestrian is also a possibility and can result in injuries for both parties. If you can demonstrate that the pedestrian’s negligence or lack of adherence to traffic laws caused your accident, you may have a case against them.
- Road conditions or obstructions. These can be mere annoyances for someone in a car, but for a bicyclist, they can be a real menace. Potholes, ice accumulation, loose gravel or debris, oil slicks, road construction, and other issues can all pose a serious threat to someone riding a bicycle. It’s important to always look down the road for potential obstacles so you have time to avoid them. However, in some situations, a municipality may have failed in its duty to properly maintain the road, or another party may be responsible for causing an obstruction.
- Bike problems. Maintaining your bicycle is also essential. Sometimes, accidents occur due to issues with frames, brakes, chains, tires, or other bicycle components. If you didn’t perform regular maintenance on your bike, this may be your responsibility. However, in some situations, we find that a manufacturer may have produced a defective part or a professional who was paid to fix the bike made a mistake. If this is the case, you may have a claim against a third party.
What if I Was Hit by a Car and the Driver’s Insurance Company Denied My Claim?
Insurance companies make more money if they don’t pay claims, so they will use any and every excuse not to pay. Some of these excuses may be valid, but many are not.
Frequently, they will say the person filing the claim was actually at fault, not their client. This may be based on the version of events their client told them or told to the officer who responded.
But that isn’t always an accurate picture of what happened. In many situations, a skilled bicycle accident lawyer can refute other parties’ claims that you were at fault or other reasons the insurance company may give for declining your claim.
If your claim has been denied, talk to a personal injury attorney before you do anything else.
Trust Our Tennessee Bicycle Accident Law Firm
If you or a loved one have been harmed by the negligent actions of another party, you should consider securing legal representation. Ali Awad, the CEO Lawyer, is an experienced negotiator who can orchestrate a settlement with the insurance company on your behalf.
In three short years, Ali Awad managed to make a new personal injury law firm into an eight-figure company with some of the most experienced personal injury attorneys in the field. More than twenty years of experience means these attorneys have a successful track record of over 99%, and now they’ve brought their expertise to Tennessee.
The CEO Lawyer has more than a million followers on social media who enjoy his entertaining yet practical legal advice every day. If you have questions about your bicycle injury situation, call The CEO Lawyer and his team now at (423) 777-8888 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
