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Whether you bike to work or you bike for fun, safety should always be a top priority. However, accidents still happen all the time. Because bicyclists are extremely vulnerable, injuries sustained in a bike accident can be quite serious, or even catastrophic, including traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and severe physical injury. If you’ve been injured in a bike accident, a Michigan bicycle accident lawyer can help you recover compensation for your losses.
Our Michigan personal injury lawyers at Christensen Law are here for you. We can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, gather evidence to help prove liability in your case, and represent you at trial if necessary to gain you the fair compensation you are entitled to. Let us help hold negligent parties responsible for your devastating losses and injuries. Call now for a free consultation.
Michigan Bicycle Accident Lawyer Build Strong Cases for Your Compensation
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the costs of bicycle accidents in the U.S. exceed $23 billion annually. These costs, on an individual level, can often be a considerable burden. After a severe injury, you should focus on rest and recovery.
However, it’s easy to get stressed instead as you try to navigate the complex insurance claim process and seek compensation to pay your medical bills. One of our Michigan bicycle accident attorneys can negotiate for you to get coverage for your accident and injuries.
Losses we can recover on your behalf include:
- Medical expenses: Injury expenses quickly add up and may include emergency room visits, doctor appointments, physical or rehabilitative therapy, surgeries, prescriptions for pain management, and other types of medical bills. Our lawyers want to make sure both current and future medical losses are covered when seeking compensation.
- Lost wages: You may miss some work after suffering injuries in a bicycle accident, or you may need months to recover before you can do aspects of your job again. Losing income from missed work days is stressful, but lost wages can be compensated.
- Other damages: Depending on the nature of your accident, you may also be entitled to additional damages like pain and suffering from the at-fault driver. These non-economic damages are designed to compensate you for the harm you experienced from the accident.
How Michigan’s No-Fault Insurance Affects Your Bike Accident
Michigan requires motorists to purchase no-fault auto insurance, which includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP). PIP pays all reasonable and necessary medical expenses. Under Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 500.3107, it also covers up to 85% of lost wages for three years of work and provides payments for three years of household services.
If a loved one lost their life in the accident, PIP also allows for some coverage of funeral expenses. Insurance companies’ policies differ on the amount of coverage for burial costs, but the policy allowance must not be less than $1,750 or more than $5,000.
However, as a bicyclist, you may not have your own no-fault auto insurance. If you have your own PIP, that would be the first way your medical expenses would be covered. If you do not have your own coverage or a spouse with coverage, but you live with a relative who does have coverage, then you may be able to be covered under their policy. However, PIP may not cover all your expenses as it has limitations.
The next step would be PIP coverage under the at-fault driver’s insurance. However, again, your medical expenses and lost wages may exceed the amount covered by PIP. In this case, you could bring a liability claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver if your situation meets certain criteria, such as severity of injuries or permanent disfigurement. One of our Michigan bicycle accident lawyers can go over all of your legal options with you during your initial free case evaluation.
How Do Michigan Bike Laws Affect Your Accident Case?
Bicyclists must always follow Michigan’s bike laws. These include:
- Using proper hand signals when stopping or turning
- Remaining seated on your bicycle seat
- Staying as far right as possible
- Staying off freeways
- Keeping both hands on the handlebars, except when signaling
- Having properly working brakes
Likewise, those in vehicles must also obey certain laws and rights pertaining to bicyclists. Proving that a negligent driver disregarded these laws can help show that they are liable. These laws include:
- Leaving at least three feet of space when passing a bicyclist
- Traveling at a speed that allows for a safe braking distance when following a bicyclist
Your city or township may have adopted additional rules governing motor vehicles and bicycles, so it is essential to know those as well. A Michigan bike accident attorney will be familiar with all the state and local laws that pertain to your case.
How Can a Michigan Bicycle Accident Attorney Prove Liability
In personal injury cases, such as bike accidents, you need to be able to prove that someone else was at-fault for your accident. Some common reasons that a motorist may be liable for your accident include:
- Distracted driving, such as looking at their phone, eating, or holding a conversation with a passenger
- Failure to yield
- Speeding
- Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Sideswiping or dooring
Proving liability can be complicated, as another driver or at-fault party may not want to take responsibility or there may have been multiple causes behind the accident. Our Michigan bike accident lawyers will gather and analyze evidence as part of the process to build a successful case. They may do this through:
- Interviewing witnesses
- Obtaining surveillance footage, such as from security cameras, traffic, or dash cams
- Analyzing evidence collected from the scene, such as photographs of the accident
- Reviewing police reports and medical records
- Talking to experts, such as those who do accident reconstructions
Our Michigan Bike Accident Lawyers Look at All Possible Liable Parties in Your Accident
When a bike and its rider are hit by a car, injuries are often severe and may even be fatal. Vehicle-bike accidents are unfortunately common. Data from the Michigan Traffic Crash Facts indicates that almost 1,500 bicyclists were involved in accidents with vehicles in 2023. They are often the result of a motorist failing to follow general safety laws about sharing the road with cyclists, but the full picture of negligence may be more complex.
Our lawyers look at all the possible causes of an accident, as there may be more than one liable party. For example, a driver may have been following a bicyclist too closely, and their brakes were not properly installed, leading to a more catastrophic accident. When accidents happen, a Michigan bicycle accident lawyer at our law firm can help protect your rights and recover the compensation that you are entitled to.
In the event that a loved one was killed in a bicycle accident, you may be eligible to seek wrongful death compensation. One of our Michigan wrongful death lawyers can assist you to seek financial compensation after your devastating loss.
What Should You Do After a Michigan Bicycle Accident?
While a Michigan bike accident lawyer can gather evidence and build a case for you, there are some things you can do immediately after an accident to help strengthen your claim. These include:
- Seeking Medical Care: It’s essential to take care of your injuries and begin a treatment plan. Medical records are also often helpful in proving the extent of your injuries, as well as showing the severity of an accident.
- Calling the Police: Officers from your local Michigan police department will help secure an accident scene to help ensure the safety of everyone involved. They will also interview witnesses, gather evidence, and file a police report. Police reports can be vital pieces of evidence for proving liability.
- Taking Photos: You should only do this if it is safe to do so and you are physically able to. Photographs of the accident, damage to your bike, and of your injuries can be helpful in proving your claim.
How Quickly Do You Need to Act After a Michigan Bike Accident?
While the pressure of financial worries can often mean you need to work fast to recover compensation, there are other reasons why this is necessary. In the state of Michigan, you typically have only three years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit or a wrongful death suit.
One of our Michigan bike accident attorneys can ensure that you meet these deadlines, and that any paperwork needed is filed correctly. The sooner you reach out to us, the better.
Contact a Michigan Bicycle Accident Attorney at our Firm Now
The pain of your injuries and the road to recovery are already heavy enough weights on your mind. A Michigan bike accident lawyer can carry the burden of recovering your financial losses so you don’t have to.
Our legal team at Christensen Law leads with compassion. We will listen to your story and work hard to protect your rights as an accident victim. We will pursue compensation for all of your losses, so you can focus on healing. Our case results include a $2 million dollar settlement for a bicycle accident victim. Call us today for a free case evaluation.
