A bicycle accident can be devastating. Bikes don’t offer the same protection from collisions that cars and trucks do. That means bicycle accident injuries can often be more severe, even in minor accidents. Victims and their families can become burdened by medical debt, lost wages, and stress.
If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, you can seek compensation for your injuries. A LaPlace bicycle accident lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help hold negligent parties accountable.
How Our Bicycle Accident Attorneys Help Victims and Their Families
The team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers has over 250 years of combined legal experience in personal injury law. We’ve helped recover over $600 million in cash settlements for our personal injury clients, including for bicycle accidents. We’re proud to offer our legal counsel on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you don’t pay unless we win or settle your case.
The process of recovering compensation for a bike accident can be stressful, tedious, and time-consuming. You and your family can focus on healing while we:
- Collect evidence of your accident and injuries
- Interview witnesses
- Determine liability and negligent parties in your accident
- Calculate your damages
- Apply Louisiana bike law and personal injury law to your case
- File insurance claims
- Take calls and emails from the insurance company and other party’s legal representatives
- Negotiate your settlement
- File a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit
- Represent you in court as necessary
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Louisiana Laws That Apply to Bicycle Accident Cases
Consider the following laws that may come into play in your bicycle accident case.
Bicycles Are Vehicles
Bicycles are considered vehicles that have the same rights and rules as cars, trucks, and motorcycles, per RS 32.194. That means motorists owe you a duty of care and must share the road with you.
It’s safest for bikes to stay as close to the right-hand side of the road as possible unless when making left-hand turns or if there is a bike lane. If you have to make a left-hand turn, you should always use the proper signals to alert motorists.
Motorists Must Maintain a Safe Passing Distance
When a motorist wants to pass a bicycle on the road, they must have at least three feet of passing distance per RS 32.76.1. This is to prevent motorized vehicles from clipping bikes as they pass.
Motorists Cannot Drive in Bike Lanes
Cars, trucks, and other motorized vehicles are not allowed to drive in or block bike lanes, unless making turns or entering or exiting a driveway or roadway, per RS 32.203.
Motorists Must Take Care When Opening Their Door
If a motorist is parked in an area where bicycles may travel, they should take special care to check for incoming bicycles before opening their door, per RS 32.283. Opening a car door in front of an oncoming bicycle is known as “dooring.”
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What to Do After a Bicycle Accident
You should seek medical attention after a bicycle accident, even if your injuries don’t seem severe. A doctor can assess you for minor and severe injuries, document your injuries, and start treating you. Your accident-related medical records are important evidence in your bicycle accident case.
Call 9-1-1 and file a report while at the scene of the accident. You can also file after leaving the scene. Take photos and videos of the accident scene, capturing property damage, road hazards, traffic signs, and more. Write down what you remember from the accident, and consider keeping a pain journal, which can serve as additional evidence of your need for compensation.
A bicycle accident lawyer from our firm can handle all communications for you to protect your rights to recover compensation.
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Types of Bicycle Accidents Around LaPlace
A bicycle accident can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Whether you’re riding on the Mississippi River Trail or on the streets around LaPlace, you may have been injured due to one of these common causes of bicycle accidents:
- Dooring
- Aggressive driving
- Speeding
- Failure to look for bikes when turning or switching lanes
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Driving in a bike lane
- Road hazards, like potholes or damaged trails
- Part malfunctions, including car parts or bike parts
Bicycle Accident Injuries
You may be able to recover compensation for the following bicycle accident injuries:
- Road rash
- Bruises and scrapes
- Concussions
- Sprains
- Fractured bones
- Internal organ damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Typically, the more severe your injuries, the more treatment you need and the more medical bills you accumulate. A bicycle accident attorney from our firm can help you determine how your injuries impact your compensation potential.
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Who Pays for Bicycle Accident Losses?
Most bicycle accidents occur due to someone’s negligence. We can investigate your case to determine negligent parties who may be liable for your accident. We have to prove that:
- The party owed you a duty of care.
- They breached their duty of care
- That breach caused your accident.
- The accident led to your injuries and subsequent damages.
Some parties we might be able to hold accountable for your bicycle accident include:
- A driver or other motorist
- Another bicyclist
- A government agency
- A private company
- A manufacturer
How Much Compensation Can I Get for My Bicycle Accident?
It’s hard to give you an estimate of how much compensation you may be able to recover from your bicycle accident until we review the specific facts of your case. Many factors can influence your compensation, including:
- Your age at the time of the accident
- The type and severity of your injuries
- How the accident happened
- The number of negligent parties
Recoverable Damages for a Bike Accident
Some damages you may be compensated for include:
- Current and future medical treatment costs
- Current and future lost income and benefits
- Property damage
- Wrongful death costs, like funeral expenses, loss of parental support, and lost family income
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
You May Have Limited Time to Pursue Compensation for a Bicycle Accident
In Louisiana, you only have one year from the date of the accident to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent party per CC Art. 3492. If you have lost a loved one in a bicycle accident, you still have just one year to file your wrongful death lawsuit per CC Art. 2315.2.
Trust Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers to Handle Your Bike Accident Case
The team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers is ready to take on your bike accident case. We can help you determine how much time you have to file and exhaust all of your legal options for recovering compensation, no matter how your bike accident occurred or its impact on your life.
Contact our office today for a free case evaluation.
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