If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, you may be struggling to cope with pain, bills, and an uncertain future, especially if you’re missing work. A bicycle accident lawyer in Warren can take some of the pressure off of you as you navigate the Michigan legal system.
Though no dollar amount can undo the trauma you have suffered, a favorable settlement or court award can give you the financial support you need to move on from catastrophic injuries and hold the responsible parties accountable. Call Christensen Law today at 248-900-9000 to get started with a free consultation.
Compensation for Seriously Injured Bicyclists in Warren, MI
When bicyclists suffer severe injuries through no fault of their own, the negative financial effects can be significant and long-lasting. By pursuing a personal injury claim with a Warren personal injury attorney, you can recover damages covering a wide range of accident-related losses.
Economic damages will account for tangible costs like emergency room treatment, hospital fees, medications, assistive devices, and wages lost during recovery and residual disability. Because catastrophic injuries can greatly impact one’s earning potential far into the future, your lawyers will ensure that your lifetime losses are calculated. We will also calculate the value of those more difficult-to-quantify non-economic damages. These include pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
Every case is different, but it is easy to overlook possible compensation if you try to handle your case on your own. Long-term damages take careful calculation, while non-economic losses can be hard to estimate without the input of experts. Instead of trying to crunch the numbers, let our lawyers handle everything so you can focus on rest and recovery.
How Michigan’s Bicycle Laws Can Affect Your Accident Claim
Michigan has several bicycle laws that, if not followed, may negatively impact accident claims involving bicyclists. MCL 257.657 states that bicyclists on the roadways have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. However, MCL 257.660 states that if you’re lawfully operating your bike on a crosswalk, you have the rights and responsibilities of a pedestrian.
How Michigan’s laws may affect your claim is complex, with many factors involved, and where you were riding your bike at the time of the wreck is just the beginning. Some examples of how the state’s laws can affect a bicycle accident case include:
- Bicyclists must ride with traffic flow or as close to the right curb as possible. Breaking this rule can lead to allegations of bicyclist liability if a crash occurs with oncoming traffic.
- Not riding single file when being overtaken can similarly lead to liability arguments if an accident happens with a car passing a group.
- Failure to use required lights, reflectors and reflective gear at night opens claims of bicyclist negligence if struck.
- Disobeying traffic control laws – like running red lights – can diminish claims even when motorists are primarily at fault.
- Drinking and biking also triggers comparative negligence arguments if intoxication contributed to causing an accident.
- Not wearing a helmet provides insurers with grounds to reduce head injury compensation for lack of safety equipment.
According to Michigan Statute 600.2959, Michigan is a pure comparative negligence state. So bicyclists can still recover reduced damages, even if you were partially at fault – unless you bear the majority of the responsibility in the collision. However, if you followed all of the state’s relevant bicycle laws, it will strengthen your case.
Understanding the Liability in Your Claim
Drivers owe a duty of care to pedestrians, which means they have an obligation to pay attention and look out for them. However, pedestrians also owe a duty of care to drivers, which includes following laws, such as not jaywalking.
With Michigan’s comparative negligence laws, both the bicyclist and the driver can both be liable in an accident. When this happens, each party’s compensation (if any) can be reduced based on their percentage of fault. If you are more than 50% responsible, you can’t file for compensation at all.
The other lawyer may try to accuse you of causing the accident and placing your blame over this 50 percent threshold, risking your ability to seek compensation. Let our lawyers fight back against these tactics and get you the recovery you need.
Hiring a Christensen Law Attorney for a Bicycle Accident in Warren, Michigan
A bicycle accident attorney can help you navigate complex laws while your are recovering. Personal injury and liability are tricky for most accident victims because:
- The laws favor drivers: Michigan’s auto-centric laws and insurer-friendly courts make navigating injury claims challenging without legal experience.
- Proving liability is complex: Bicycle laws, duties, and determining actual fault requires thorough investigation, which is difficult if you don’t have experience.
- Insurers are more than willing to push back: Auto insurers frequently dispute claims, delay payments, and minimize settlements without attorneys who will push back harder.
You may want to seek our help because:
- You may have long-term damages: Severe injuries need lifetime care, and you may need a lawyer’s experience to accurately assess this type of compensation.
- Lawyers have strong negotiation skills: Navigating comparative fault laws and achieving maximum settlements relies on leverage that lawyers can provide.
- Our lawyers have trial experience: If we cannot negotiate fair compensation with he insurer, our lawyers aren’t afraid to take bicycle accident injury cases to court.
- Having an attorney will level the playing field: Large insurers have immense resources, which is daunting for the average injury victims. Having an attorney can balance the scales.
Our Warren bicycle accident lawyers vow to be strong advocates for people like you by fighting for your full legal rights and financial recovery at every step.
How Much Does a Warren, Michigan, Bicycle Accident Lawyer Cost?
After a bicycle crash, your first question may be: what will a lawyer cost me? We understand your concern. Many assume hiring an attorney is expensive, but contingency fee arrangements make justice accessible to anyone.
We use contingency fee arrangements for accident cases. This means you pay us nothing upfront. We only collect our fee if we first win you compensation. Our fee comes out of your settlement or award, so you pay us nothing out of pocket. Only if we get you money do we then take a percentage as payment.
Don’t worry about legal costs stopping you from pursuing fair compensation. Find out how a Warren bicycle accident lawyer from our firm can help when you call for a free case review at 248-900-9000. It costs nothing to discuss your options with us after a crash, so reach out today.
How Long Does a Bicycle Accident Settlement Take?
How long it takes to settle your bicycle injury case in Warren, MI, depends on many factors. Every case is different. Some main things that impact timing are:
- Your specific injuries and outlook. In general, the more severe your injuries are, the longer your case will take to settle.
- Your medical needs now and in future. Extensive treatment takes time, which means your claim will take longer.
- If you can’t work fully or at all. Major lost wages will typically extend cases.
- If you have permanent lifestyle limitations now due to harm. It can take longer to calculate these damages.
- If damages exceed insurance limits. “Excess” claims mean more negotiation.
- Your lawyer’s reputation. Strong trial lawyers often settle faster and for greater compensation.
- The at-fault driver’s insurance company, adjuster and policy limits. Difficult insurers may stall negotiations to try to get you to settle for less.
Your attorney’s experience along with the willingness of the insurance company to provide fair compensation play a big role in timing. We’ll pursue the quickest possible settlement your unique situation allows. We know how challenging this process can be, but we will do what we can to get you the compensation you deserve in a timely manner.
There Are Time Limits for Filing a Lawsuit After a Bicycle Accident
Dealing with the aftermath of a bicycle accident can be overwhelming, but it is important to reach out to our firm as soon as possible after your accident. you only have three years to file your lawsuit for compensation. Even if you are not fully recovered from your injuries, you should speak to our team. The sooner we can get started on your case, the better. Building a strong case takes time and evidence fades, and the deadline starts on the day of your accident. If you miss the filing deadline, you could forfeit your opportunity to seek fair compensation for your losses. Some exceptions may apply, but our lawyers can determine if they apply to your case.
Get a Free Consultation With a Warren, MI, Bicycle Accident Lawyer
At Christensen Law, we listen to your concerns, protect your rights, and work tirelessly to win the maximum possible compensation in your case. Our bicycle accident lawyers in Warren are happy to answer your questions about your right to compensation in Michigan. Reach out to us today to learn more about your options.
