On any given day in the United States, you can find one headline after another online, on the air, and in newspapers that roar:
Bicycle Rider Killed in Downtown Accident
Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Bicyclist Crash
After Bicyclist Killed in Crash, Driver Sentenced to Eight Years for Vehicular Homicide
Woman in Bike Crash Reportedly Suffered Head Injury
Driver Asleep at Wheel in Car-Bike Fatal Accident
Bicyclist Killed in Hit and Run Accident
Bicycle accidents occur at an alarming rate across the country. Car collisions with bikers account for over one-third of all bike accidents. Approximately four fatal bike accidents occur in the United States daily. 75 percent of injuries caused by bike accident, including those arising from negligence motorists, are to a person’s head. With the significant risks associated with biking, if you bike you need to understand not only how to safeguard yourself on the road but how to protect your legal rights should you become the victim of a careless or reckless car driver.
Looking Beyond the Headlines
Odds are that if you dive under the headline of any news report about a car-bike accident, you will see common themes. For example, in the Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Bicyclist Crash news story, the car driver that cause the accident was driving under the influence. In this case, the driver that caused the fatal car-bike accident has used heroin before getting behind the wheel. Driving under the influence is a common cause of car-bike accidents, including fatal ones.
In the After Bicyclist Killed in Crash, Driver Sentenced to Eight Years for Vehicular Homicide
news report, the man who caused a fatal car-bike accident was also driving under the influence. The fatal car-bike accident occurred in an intersection, with the intoxicated car driver illegally entering the intersection against a red light, slamming into the innocent bike rider. In addition to driving under the influence, drivers who enter intersections against red lights or stop signs represent another common cause of car-bike accidents.
In the Woman in Bike Crash Reportedly Suffered Head Injury case, a woman sustained non-fatal injuries after a bike accident. The news story focused on the fact that the biker sustained head injuries, although the seriousness of these injuries were not known at the time of the publication of the report. As was noted previously, head injuries account for a considerable majority of injuries sustained in bike accidents of all types, including those caused by negligent motorists.
Bicycle Rider Killed in Downtown Accident is a news story worth mentioning. In this case, a motorist was responsible for the death of a bicyclist. No criminal charges were brought against the driver. A driver need not be charged with a crime associated with causing a car-bike accident that injured of killed a biker in order for a victim to pursue what legally is known as a civil claim. A bicyclist injured by a motorist need only demonstrate that a driver was negligent, not criminal, in order to pursue a claim for damages.
Driver Asleep at Wheel in Car-Bike Fatal Accident highlights another underlying cause of car-bike accidents, which is a fatigued car driver. In this case, the automobile driver was so fatigued he was asleep at the wheel. In addition, it’s important to note that inattentive car drivers are also responsible for a considerable number of car-bike accidents annually.
Finally, Bicyclist Killed in Hit and Run Accident reports a case involving a bicyclist killed in a hit and run accident. Sadly, every day in across the United States, bicyclists and pedestrians are injured and killed in hit and run accidents.
Protect Your Vital Legal Rights after a Car-Bike Accident
If you’ve been injured in a car-bike accident, or if you’ve lost a family member through this such a horrific situation, you must protect your legal rights and interests. Contact a bicycle accident lawyer from The Doan Law Firm any time of the day or night, 365 days a year by calling (800) 349-0000. A nationwide law practice, we’ve offices located from coast to coast across the country. We can schedule an initial consultation at no-cost to you at any one of our offices or a virtual appointment online. The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee promise to you: We never charge an attorney fee unless we win for you.