A bicycle accident can cause serious financial hardship for you and your family. The medical bills seem to never stop coming. You may be out of work for long periods, worried about how you will support your family. But you shouldn’t suffer these consequences when someone else’s negligence caused the accident.
A St. Charles Parish bicycle accident lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help. We can help you seek compensation for your damages and alleviate the financial hardship caused by your bicycle accident.
You Can Get Compensation for Your St. Charles Bicycle Accident
No two bicycle accidents are the same, so it’s difficult to say exactly how much compensation you can get after a bicycle accident. Many factors that can influence how much compensation you may be entitled to, including:
- Your age at the time of the accident
- How the accident occurred
- The number of liable parties
- The number of potential sources for compensation
- The type and severity of your injuries
We can help you recover compensation for the following economic and non-economic damages:
- Medical bills
- Cost of future medical treatment
- Lost wages and benefits
- Lost earning potential and career advancement
- Disability and an inability to work
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Funeral costs and loss of spousal or parental support for wrongful death
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Why Choose Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers
The Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers team has over 250 years of combined experience, and we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. We’re ready to put that experience to work for you and your family. Here’s what we can do to alleviate the stress of recovering compensation after a bicycle accident:
- Collect and review evidence of your accident
- Interview witnesses
- Estimate the cost of your economic and non-economic damages
- Consult with experts to make projections of future medical costs
- Assess your bicycle’s damage
- File insurance claims and fill out necessary paperwork
- Determine negligence and pursue claims against liable parties
- Handle all communications from insurance companies and legal representatives
- Negotiate a settlement on your behalf
- File a personal injury lawsuit
- Represent you, your family, and your pain and suffering in civil court
Don’t let the cost of a lawyer stop you from seeking justice and compensation after a bicycle accident. We take cases on a contingency basis, meaning you don’t owe us any upfront costs or fees. Our fee comes out of the settlement or court award we win for you.
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Determining Who Is Liable for Your St. Charles Parish Bicycle Accident
A St. Charles Parish bicycle accident lawyer from our firm can determine who was negligent and caused the accident to strengthen your insurance claim and build your personal injury lawsuit, if necessary. To prove negligence, we must demonstrate that:
- The party owed you a duty of care.
- They breached their duty of care, thus committing negligence.
- Their negligence caused the accident.
- The accident caused your injuries and led to subsequent damages.
Depending on the circumstances of your bicycle accident, we may have multiple parties to hold accountable. These parties may include:
- A driver or other motorist
- A pedestrian
- Another bicyclist
- A government entity responsible for maintaining roads and trails
- A private company whose employee was negligent
- A manufacturer that produced the faulty part that caused your accident
- Another third party directly or indirectly involved in your accident
Typically, we can seek compensation through a negligent party’s insurance policy. For example, we might file a claim with a negligent driver’s auto insurance company. We may also be able to file claims through any insurance policies you have on your bicycle, other vehicles, or other available policies.
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Louisiana Bike Laws Protect You
The state of Louisiana enforces many laws that aim to protect bicyclists. One of the most important laws is RS 32.194, establishing that bikes are vehicles with the same rights and responsibilities as other vehicles on the road. However, motorists may not be willing to share the road with bicycles or be vigilant in watching for them as they navigate city streets.
Here are some common causes of bike accidents in St. Charles Parish and any relevant laws that are meant to protect bicyclists in these situations:
- Dooring: This refers to when a driver or passenger opens their vehicle door on an oncoming bicyclist. Per RS 32.283, people in motor vehicles must pay special attention to bicycles before opening their doors, and they are not allowed to leave their doors open for extended periods.
- Aggressive driving: Drivers can show aggression in many ways, including tailing bicycles, trying to run them off the road, or not having enough passing distance when overtaking. RS 32.76.1, also known as the Colin Goodier Protection Act, requires motorists to have at least three feet of passing distance to protect bicycles from being clipped or run off the road.
- Speeding: When drivers speed, they shorten the time they have to react, such as stopping when they see a bike to avoid a collision.
- Drunk driving: When drivers operate vehicles under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they are impaired. They have slower reaction times, act recklessly, or may not be paying close attention to other road users, like bicyclists.
- Distracted driving: Texting and driving and other distractions can reduce response times, impair line of sight, and more. For example, a distracted driver may not see a bicyclist signal to turn.
- Driving in the bike lane: Per RS 32.203, motor vehicles are not allowed to use the bike lane unless they make a turn or are entering or exiting a roadway. Cars may try to use bike lanes as turning lanes or hog the road.
- Harassing bicyclists: Per RS 32:201, no one is allowed to “harass, taunt, or maliciously throw at or in the direction of” a bicyclist, whether they’re riding or stopped. This act can cause a bicyclist to get distracted, knocked off their bike, or forced to take unsafe evasive maneuvers, all of which can cause an accident.
- Not looking for bicycles when turning or switching lanes: Drivers are responsible for checking their mirrors and windows to look for bicyclists before making turns or switching lanes. Not doing so is especially hazardous near a bike lane or trails.
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Let Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Take Your Bicycle Accident Case
You may be running out of time to file a lawsuit for your bicycle accident case. You only have one year to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in the state of Louisiana, per CC Art. 3492 and CC Art. 2315.2, respectively. The attorneys at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers are ready to review your case and help you explore your legal options for seeking justice and compensation for your bicycle accident.
Contact our office serving St. Charles Parish for your free case evaluation.
Get The HelpYou Need(337) 777-7777To Schedule a FREE CONSULTATION
24 hours a day • 7 days a week
