At McDonald Worley, a Las Vegas bicycle accident lawyer can help victims of bicycle accidents pursue compensation for their injuries. Accidents involving bicyclists often result in major injuries. After an accident like this, you may not be able to ride your bike anymore. Even worse, you may be too seriously injured to work. When it comes to bicycle accidents, Nevada is an at-fault state. That means that if you are a victim of one of these accidents, you can seek compensation for the injuries that you sustained.
Working with a qualified lawyer is important for any type of accident. It is especially important, however, for accidents involving bicycles. If you decide to pursue compensation for your injuries, there are certain steps that you need to take to protect your rights. Along with collecting evidence, you also need to file a claim if you want to recover any money for your injuries or expenses. One of our Las Vegas personal injury attorneys can help you put together a compelling case, improving your chances of getting the money you are owed.
Table of Contents
- 1 Common Scenarios That Cause Bike Accidents in Nevada
- 2 What Types Of Injuries Are Most Commonly Sustained In Bike Accidents?
- 3 What Steps Should You Take Following A Bicycle Accident?
- 4 How Are Bicycle Accidents In Nevada Viewed From A Legal Standpoint?
- 5 How Can You Improve Your Chances Of Winning A Lawsuit After A Bicycle Accident?
- 6 Drivers Have A Responsibility To Share The Road With Bicyclists
- 7 Book A Consultation With a Las Vegas Bicycle Accident Lawyer At McDonald Worley
Common Scenarios That Cause Bike Accidents in Nevada
Typically, bicycle accidents occur when cars, trucks, or other vehicles on the road collide with cyclists. Sometimes, however, other situations can result in accidents. For instance, if a pedestrian isn’t watching where they are going, they could step out in front of a bike. Alternatively, if one of the parts on the bike is defective, it could cause an accident to occur. As an example, any of the following could lead to accident-related injuries for cyclists:
- Tires that blow out unexpectedly
- Gears that don’t function properly
- Brakes that fail
- Helmets that don’t provide adequate protection
- What Are The Benefits Of Working With A Bicycle Accident Attorney In Nevada?
When an accident occurs, an insurance company may make a settlement offer. No matter how tempted you are, don’t accept the offer until you have a chance to talk to a personal injury attorney in Las Vegas.. Insurance companies try to pay as little as possible to protect their bottom line. That means that you are most likely owed far more than the amount that they are offering. A good lawyer can help you get the most money possible in your case through the use of techniques like these:
- Conducting a thorough investigation of the accident to figure out how best to proceed from a legal standpoint.
- Determining which parties to file a claim against to get the most compensation, whether that means the insurance company of the driver, your insurance company, or an outside party such as a business or a government organization.
- Calculating the value of your case.
- Putting together a demand letter.
- Communicating and negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf.
- Creating legal documents related to your case.
- Following proper legal procedures.
- Representing you in the courtroom.
- Handling any motions that are made during the time leading up to your trial, whether that means making motions on your behalf or dealing with motions made by the defense.
- Identifying any potential complications with your case and finding ways to overcome those challenges.
- Negotiating a settlement.
- Presenting evidence in the courtroom during your trial.
- Handling any appeals
- Collecting whatever judgment is awarded.
Getting fairly compensated for your injuries requires a lot of different steps. When you work with a bicycle accident lawyer in Las Vegas, they will walk you through the process from start to finish. With the right lawyer on your team, you can focus on healing while they handle the legal details of your case.
What Types Of Injuries Are Most Commonly Sustained In Bike Accidents?
When bicyclists collide with cars or pedestrians, certain injuries occur more commonly than others. Fractured bones are quite common, as are injuries to the soft tissue of the body, including the muscles and skin. Major accidents involving bicyclists commonly result in head injuries, as well, often causing trauma to the brain.
What Steps Should You Take Following A Bicycle Accident?
Before doing anything else, have any injuries treated by a medical professional. Next, notify the police that the accident occurred. They will create a detailed report about the accident, which can be used as evidence in your case. You should also get as much information as you can at the scene of the accident. That includes gathering the contact information for anyone involved in the accident as well as any nearby witnesses. Insurance information should also be exchanged. Snap some photographs of the scene, as well, and pick up any parts of your bicycle that are broken since they can be used as evidence.
How Are Bicycle Accidents In Nevada Viewed From A Legal Standpoint?
Accidents involving cyclists commonly occur in Las Vegas. Here at McDonald Worley, our lawyers have previous experience handling bicycle accidents in the area, which means that they are familiar with how bicycles work, how to reconstruct accidents like these, and how the roads in the area are designed to accommodate bicyclists. All of these elements could be important to your case.
When vehicles collide with cyclists, the driver of the car or truck is nearly always at fault.
Drivers have an obligation to keep an eye out for bicycles and motorcycles. Any bicycles traveling on the road should be treated as if they were another vehicle. For instance, if you are in the right lane along with a bicyclist and are getting ready to turn right, you need to yield to the cyclist before turning. It is also illegal to drive in a bike lane unless you are crossing it to pull off of the road.
Driving laws change quite frequently, including those involving bicycles on the road. Even if drivers are not familiar with these laws, they are still responsible for their actions. Anytime you ride a bike, you have certain legal rights. If an accident occurs and you are injured, reach out to us right away to see how we can help you protect those rights.
How Can You Improve Your Chances Of Winning A Lawsuit After A Bicycle Accident?
To win your case after a bike accident in Las Vegas, you need to prove that your injuries were the direct result of a driver’s negligence. To win your case, you need to be able to show that the driver wasn’t exercising caution while driving. In some cases, that means proving that they broke the law in terms of how they were driving. Even in situations where they were obeying the law, however, you can still win your case if you can show that the driver was not using the same amount of care that a normal person would use under the same circumstances. When filing your claim, you also need to provide information about your injuries, including how they will affect you today as well as in the future.
People who are riding bikes have just as much of a right to be on the roadway as cars. Drivers of vehicles are responsible for avoiding bicyclists on the road. That means following at a safe distance, only overtaking bicyclists when conditions are safe. Winning your case is usually just a matter of showing that the actions of the driver led to the accident and any resulting injuries.
Drivers and cyclists alike need to understand traffic laws surrounding bicycles on the road to avoid accidents.. Incidents involving bicycles often lead to serious injuries, including injuries that involve the head or spine.
- Vehicles and bicycles are subject to identical traffic laws. That means that anyone on the roadway needs to stop at stop signs, obey traffic lights, and stop for pedestrians.
- Bicyclists can only ride after dark if they have a working headlight. They also are required to have reflectors on the rear of their bike so that they can be seen by drivers at night.
- Cyclists should ride with the traffic flow to minimize the risk of accidents.
- Cars and bicycles need to have fully functioning brakes. These brakes need to be capable of stopping the vehicle within 25 feet.
- Cars, trucks, SUVs, and bicycles are only allowed to carry the maximum number of passengers recommended by the manufacturer.
- If there is a bike lane available, bicyclists are required to use it. If there is no bike lane, they need to ride on the right-hand side of the road. The only time this rule doesn’t apply is if there are dangerous conditions in the right lane. For instance, if there is road construction, the bicyclist can move to a different part of the road to avoid danger.
- Cyclists need to signal with their arms when turning at least 100 feet before the turn, just like they would if they were driving a vehicle.
- In many areas, headphones and earbuds are forbidden while riding a bike.
Bicyclists should also wear a helmet at all times. Helmets minimize the risk of head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. Having said that, serious injuries can still occur even when cyclists are wearing helmets.
Anytime you are involved in a bike accident, you should always see a doctor, even if you don’t believe you are injured. Injuries to the brain can occur quite easily, even if you don’t hit your head or neck very hard. The faster you get medical treatment, the more likely you are to get a good outcome when injuries like these occur.
Book A Consultation With a Las Vegas Bicycle Accident Lawyer At McDonald Worley
If a bicycle accident caused you or a loved one to sustain injuries in the Las Vegas area, our qualified lawyers will gladly evaluate your case for free. We work hard to make sure accident victims get the maximum amount of compensation they deserve. After evaluating your case, we will come up with an action plan that will improve your chances of being fairly compensated for your damages and injuries.
After accidents like these, claims need to be filed within a certain amount of time. Avoid allowing the other party to delay your claim as a way of trying to make you miss the filing deadline. If you wait too long, you may lose your right to seek compensation.
At McDonald Worley, we go above and beyond to provide top-quality legal representation for victims of bicycle accidents. We handle every part of the claim for you, from the earliest stages until you receive your final payout. For us, nothing is more rewarding than helping our clients get successful outcomes in their cases.
Don’t delay. Instead, reach out to our Las Vegas injury firm today to talk about your bicycle accident. Not only can we help you understand your legal rights but we also can ensure that you are fairly compensated for your injuries. Contact us today to start resolving your case right away.