Louisville Bicycle Accident Attorney
There are plenty of bicyclists in and around the Louisville area. Unfortunately, there are also far too many bicycle accidents that cause serious injuries to riders. At Hendy | Johnson | Vaughn | Emery, we are here to help if you need a Louisville bicycle accident lawyer. We will investigate your case and work to secure the compensation you are entitled to.
Why choose Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery?
In the aftermath of a serious bicycle accident injury, victims need to find a Louisville personal injury lawyer with vast experience handling these types of cases. The law firm of Hendy | Johnson | Vaughn | Emery is ready to help.
- The sole focus of our firm is personal injury law. This has given us years of specialized experience that will help us secure the compensation you deserve.
- We pride ourselves on giving each client individualized attention. An attorney will handle your case directly from start to finish.
- We take all Louisville bicycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means our clients pay no legal fees until we secure the compensation they deserve.
Will an attorney be beneficial for your case?
Most people who are injured in a bicycle accident do not have the resources or legal experience necessary to properly secure the compensation they are entitled to without legal representation. Your Louisville bicycle accident lawyer will be responsible for:
- Gathering all evidence from the incident (any photos or videos, eyewitness accounts, accident reports, etc.).
- Ensuring that you are evaluated by a trusted medical professional.
- Properly calculating your total economic and non-economic damages.
- Communicating with insurance companies.
- Negotiating with all parties to secure fair compensation for your total losses.
You don’t have to worry about the cost of hiring an attorney at our law firm. You will only ever pay us as a percentage of the settlement or judgment award that we collect on your behalf. This payment arrangement means that our high-quality legal services are always affordable.
Bicyclist Rights and Responsibilities in Kentucky
Bicyclists are considered vehicles in the eyes of Kentucky law. This means that bicyclists are subject to all of the same rights and responsibilities as typical motorists. They have a right to ride in the road with other motorists, and they must obey all traffic signs and roadway rules. A cyclist cannot run a stop sign or ride in a direction opposite traffic, for example. Likewise, motor vehicle drivers must respect bicyclists’ right to the road. They cannot follow or pass too closely to a bicyclist or engage in other behaviors that could endanger a biker’s life.
Bicycle accidents can lead to severe injuries
Bicycle accidents are often devastating. According to the Kentucky Department of Transportation, there were hundreds of bike accidents throughout the state during the latest reporting year. Even if a bicyclist is wearing a helmet, that does not mean they will not sustain a serious injury. Passenger vehicles weigh several thousand pounds, and this can inflict serious injuries on a bicyclist if an accident occurs. It is not uncommon for the Louisville bicycle accident lawyers at Hendy | Johnson | Vaughn | Emery to help clients who have sustained the following injuries:
- Open head wounds
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones and dislocations
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Internal injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Permanent paralysis
- Severe road rash or lacerations
As a bicycle accident victim, you could be eligible for compensation for many different injuries. You may also qualify for compensation if a loved one tragically lost his or her life in a fatal bicycle accident in Louisville. Our wrongful death attorneys can guide your family carefully through this type of case to achieve justice and maximum financial compensation.
Top Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Louisville, KY
Learning the most common causes of bicycle accidents in Louisville could keep you safer on your bike.
In many cases, a bike accident is caused by the careless or negligent actions of vehicle drivers. The Kentucky DOT says the following are the most common bicycle accident causes:
- Drivers failing to yield the right of way
- Driver distraction
- Driver inattention (Not looking at the blind spots)
- Impaired drivers
Speeding, reckless driving, tailgating and other dangerous driver behaviors can also lead to bicycle accidents.
It is vital for drivers to understand that bicyclists have the right to use the roadway just like any other motor vehicle in most circumstances.
Who Pays for a Bicycle Accident in Kentucky?
Under Kentucky’s no-fault car insurance system, most drivers seek financial compensation from their own insurance companies after a car crash, regardless of fault. A bicyclist, however, may have different legal options. After a bicycle accident in Louisville, you are within your rights to seek financial compensation from the driver’s insurance company.
If you have personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, you can seek benefits from your own insurer first. Then, if your insurance does not fully cover your expenses, you can seek additional compensation from the other party’s insurer. All motor vehicle drivers in the state must carry minimum amounts of liability insurance to pay for the injuries and losses of others after accidents.
This type of coverage can pay for your medical bills, bicycle repairs, lost wages and other damages. To recover compensation from another person’s insurer, you or your lawyer must prove that that party is to blame for the accident. In addition to a driver, you could also hold a bicycle manufacturer, city government, company or another party responsible for causing the accident.
What if You Contributed to Your Injuries?
With PIP insurance, you can qualify for coverage even if you are at fault for your bicycle accident in Kentucky. Without this coverage or during a third-party claim, however, your comparative negligence could reduce the amount of compensation you receive from someone else’s insurer.
Kentucky’s pure comparative negligence rule states that a plaintiff’s degree of fault or negligence in connection to an accident will not bar the plaintiff from financial recovery. It will, however, reduce the compensatory award by an equivalent amount. If you are found to be 10 percent responsible for your bicycle accident, for example, your settlement award could be reduced by 10 percent from $100,000 to $90,000.
Note that your failure to wear a bicycle helmet could be used against you during a bike accident case. If the defense can prove that you most likely would not have sustained your injury – such as a head or brain injury – had you been wearing a helmet, this could reduce your financial recovery. It is difficult to prove the helmet defense, however; especially as adult bicyclists in Kentucky are not legally required to wear helmets.
Is there compensation for a bicycle accident?
If you, a family member or someone you care about has been injured in a bicycle collision that was caused by another person’s careless or negligent actions, contact the Louisville bicycle accident attorneys at Hendy | Johnson | Vaughn | Emery today. Our qualified and experienced team of accident lawyers is ready to get to work investigating what happened so we can secure the compensation you need. This can include:
- Coverage of medical bills and expenses
- Lost wages if you cannot work while recovering
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of enjoyment of life damages
- Possible punitive damages in cases of gross negligence
If you or a loved one need a Louisville bicycle accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or by calling us at (859) 578-4444.
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