Cherry Hill Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Did you know that the biking regulation laws in New Jersey require bicyclists to be equipped with “a bell or some other audible device that can be heard at least 100 feet away, but not a siren or whistle?” Bicycles must also have a headlamp, and you can’t hitch a ride with a bus or vehicle.

More importantly, “Every person riding a bicycle on a roadway is granted all the rights and subject to all of the duties of the motor vehicle driver.” That speaks directly to sharing the roads and yielding to the right of way of others.

On many levels, bicyclists have more of a burden to avoid getting into an accident. Too often, car drivers do not pay close attention to their blind spots for an approaching cyclist who could be fast approaching. As a result, serious collisions between a bicyclist and a vehicle can happen, leading to injuries and property damage.

If a collision between your bike and an automobile caused your serious injuries, you can find support from an experienced Cherry Hill bicycle accident lawyer. At Folkman Law, our attorneys have been helping bicyclists seriously injured in collisions in South Jersey for decades. We want to help you find a fair and fast remedy in your own case, so schedule a consultation to discuss your case with a member of our legal team today.

Where, When, and How Bike Accidents Occur

How common are bicycle accidents? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are around 45,400 injury crashes with bicyclists each year. Although the majority of car accidents happen at intersections, NHTSA data suggests that 62% of bicyclist fatalities occur on our county’s roads, not at intersections. Those same statistics reveal that over half of all bicyclist fatalities occur at dawn, dusk, or in night-time conditions.

Cycling Crashes That Are Most Common (and Why)

Bicycling is a great option for commuting to work, exercising, or just having fun. However, certain types of crashes involving bicyclists happen more than others. Those include

Left-Hand or Right-Hand Turn Bicycle Accidents

Intersections are designed to have vehicles come to a stop and yield to traffic. Those stops are either signs or traffic lights. When a driver isn’t paying attention to those stops or is taking the stop to check their phone, they can miss a cyclist who is making a left-hand or right-hand turn. A bicyclist will typically be on the driver’s right side and riding into a blind spot.

Dooring Bike Crashes

A dooring accident occurs when a bicyclist slams into the door of a car just as it is being opened. This type of collision typically happens in busy urban areas where cars are parked near the sidewalk. These bike collisions most often take place on the driver’s or passenger’s side.

Each of the above driving behaviors can result in a cyclist suffering serious, costly injuries. A Cherry Hill bicycle accident lawyer like ours can help you secure compensation for them.

Possible Injuries a Bicyclist May Suffer in a Collision

An injury from a bike accident, such as one of the following, can lead to a bicyclist incurring mounting medical bills and lost time at work.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The previously cited New Jersey biking regulations outline how anyone under 17 must wear a helmet while riding a bicycle. Most cyclists know the importance of wearing a helmet. Unfortunately, even with a helmet, bicyclists are vulnerable to suffering a head injury, leading to a TBI, if they take a tumble during a collision with a motor vehicle.

Severe Road Rash

Road rash can be as painful as a third-degree burn. It can also require the same level of treatment, such as skin grafts and physical therapy rehabilitation.

Fractures and Sprains

When someone falls off a bike, they can attempt to break that fall with their hands and knees. That can lead to fractures and sprains. Anyone who suffers such an injury could be looking at four to six weeks in a cast. That can hinder working and partaking in many of your daily activities.

There will be a cost associated with any one of these injuries, and that has to be factored into the final settlement your Cherry Hill bicycle accident attorney can help you secure. You don’t have to wait until you’re completely healed to speak to an attorney. The sooner you get the process started, the quicker you can find a resolution.

Who a Cherry Hill Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Hold Liable for Your Injuries

It is essential for your bike injury claim to clearly establish liability. Your bike accident lawyer can help gather the evidence to support your claim against the driver. However, the driver is not the only person who can be held liable for this accident. If the motorist was driving a work vehicle, the company that owns the truck or car could also be held liable if it can be proven that they were lax in training or supervising their drivers, for example.

Municipal and state government agencies are responsible for keeping roads safe and free from hazards. That means taking care of potholes and removing debris. If those scenarios were factors in your accident, your Cherry Hill bicycle accident lawyer might be able to establish a claim against one of those public agencies.

There might also be an issue with a defective part of your bicycle. In those cases, your attorney could pursue a claim against the bike manufacturer. That would be considered a third-party product liability issue.