Lakewood Bicycle Accident Attorney
Bicycle accidents often result in life changing or even fatal injuries. Our Lakewood bike accident lawyers can help you recover the compensation you and your family deserve. Call our law firm today for a free consultation. The Lakewood bicycle accident attorneys at Front Range Injury Attorneys help clients recover compensation for injuries caused by careless drivers who crash into cyclists. We know bike accidents can cause catastrophic injuries, such as broken bones and traumatic brain injuries. We can help you and your family recover compensation for your injuries, medical bills and lost wages.
Front Range Injury Attorneys is your trusted choice
At Front Range Injury Attorneys we care about helping our clients throughout their cases. We believe clients are best served when our Lakewood bike accident lawyers participate in their cases from start to finish. We help our clients get the best treatment for their injuries. By building up your case from the beginning, we build a strong case to get the best results.
No Fee Unless You Win
Our law firm represents clients on a contingency fee basis. That means you don't pay us until we recover on your case.
Expertise with bicycle crash claims
Our Lakewood bicycle accident attorneys understand your injuries and how to tell your story to the insurance company or a jury. We get proven results with a 98% success rate.
Communication is important to us
We maintain communication with you through your case. We want you to know what's going on with your case and the work we're doing for you.
How a bicycle accident attorney can help you
Physical, emotional, and financial difficulties may result from a collision between a car and a bicycle or from a collision with a stationary object. You can hire an attorney to provide qualified assistance with these difficulties. The law requires a Lakewood bicycle accident attorney to fight for your interests. Even without this commitment, your attorney will work for the best outcomes because he or she genuinely wants to assist you and your family in recovering from a catastrophic event. As you concentrate on getting well and recovering, your Lakewood bicycle accident lawyer can look into the incident, gather proof to back up your claim, put you in touch with crash experts to testify, and take many other actions to help you win your case.
What damages can I recover?
The monetary compensation, or damages, that can be obtained following a bicycle accident take into account the victim’s particular losses. In Colorado, a wounded accident victim may be entitled to compensation for both tangible (economic) and intangible (non-economic) losses resulting from the collision. You can detail all of your compensable damages with the aid of a bike accident attorney in an insurance claim or legal action. They may consist of:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Lost capacity to earn future wages
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Bicycle damage
- Potential punitive damages
Generally speaking, the severity of the victim’s harm enhances the value of an injury case. So, a cyclist who sustains a major or catastrophic injury may be entitled to a sizable cash settlement from the negligent driver. Ask our Lakewood personal injury lawyers to assess the value of your bicycle accident claim if you’re interested.
Can I recover compensation if I didn't wear a helmet?
Colorado does not yet have a general cycling helmet law. No matter their age, riders in Lakewood, Colorado are not required to wear helmets unless they are riding an electric bike. The Colorado courts typically disallow the helmet defense since helmet use is not mandated for bikers. The helmet defense is an argument made by the defendant that their level of responsibility for a bicyclist’s injuries is reduced or eliminated entirely because the victim was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.
Only when there is a reasonable possibility that the injury could have been avoided or lessened had the cyclist been wearing a helmet is the helmet defense available. This normally is not an effective defense because Colorado law does not require helmet use while biking. That won’t prevent you from receiving compensation in Colorado if the defendant tries to utilize the defense of comparative negligence for any other justifications, such as asserting that you caused the bicycle accident through a careless act or omission.
Colorado is a state that uses modified comparative negligence. According to this law, even if a plaintiff is judged to have contributed less than 50% to an accident, they may still be eligible to receive a portion of the financial damages. You won’t be able to receive compensation if your accident was partially or entirely your fault. Otherwise, your percentage of culpability will be subtracted from your compensatory award.
How long do I have to file a claim?
According to Colorado Revised Code Section 13-80-101, the statute of limitations in Colorado is two years for ordinary personal injury claims and three years for car accidents. A statute of limitations is a deadline that must be met in order to make a claim. If you fail to file within the allotted time, either the Municipal Court will not hear your case or the defendant will be able to dismiss your claim on the grounds that the statute of limitations has expired. This is why it’s crucial to get in touch with a Lakewood bicycle accident lawyer at Front Range Injury Attorneys right away.
What to do after a bike accident in Lakewood
Do your best to maintain your composure if you are hurt in a bicycle accident in Lakewood, and keep in mind that there are some steps you should take to safeguard your physical and legal safety. The eight key actions are as follows:
- To report the bicycle accident, call the police.
- Don’t admit fault for the bicycle collision.
- Till the paramedics arrive, try to keep your movements to a minimum.
- At the scene of the accident, record as many images and videos as you can.
- Gather details about the driver and any witnesses.
- Get medical help right away.
- Make a claim by contacting the driver’s insurance provider.
- Hire a bicycle accident attorney.
Don’t worry if you can’t complete all of these procedures; an accomplished bicycle accident lawyer may still assist you in developing a strong injury claim. Speak with a bike lawyer at Front Range Injury Attorneys to find out the value of your case before accepting a settlement from an insurance company.
Causes of bicycle accidents
The Colorado Department of Transportation‘s most recent data indicates that 16 cyclists died in motor vehicle collisions in a single year. In Colorado, there have been 33 percent more fatal bicycle accidents in the last five years. Most bicycle accidents may be avoided. These frequently result from the negligent or dangerous acts and attitudes of motorists. Examples include:
- Dooring bike riders
- Failing to yield right of way
- Distracted driving
- Driving while intoxicated
- Backing out without checking for bikes
- Driving or parking in bicycle lanes
- Tired driving
- Reckless driving
- Failing to check blind spots
- Following or passing too closely
- Passing at a crosswalk
- Speeding
Environmental factors may also make bicycle accidents more likely. For instance, rain, snow, sleet, and fog can make it more likely for a driver of a car to miss a bike. Accident-causing flaws on the roadside include guardrails that are missing and potholes. One of the first steps in requesting financial compensation is figuring out what caused your bicycle accident.
Common injuries sustained in bicycle accidents
When hit by a car, a bicyclist is very likely to sustain injuries. Cyclists are not protected by metal shells or airbags, and many do not even wear helmets. A rider can get injuries both during the first collision with the automobile or truck and during the subsequent impact with the road. These injuries may consist of:
- Skull and facial fractures
- Eye injuries and other face injuries
- Mouth, teeth and jaw injuries
- Concussions
- Other traumatic brain injuries
- Cuts, scrapes, road rash
- Lower extremity injuries
- Rib fractures
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
An accident victim’s injuries from a bicycle may have a long-term or even permanent impact. Even a little injury can be uncomfortable and incapacitating enough to keep you from working for a while. After a bicycle accident in Lakewood, you can be entitled to financial compensation if you’re found to have any kind of harm.
Who is responsible for a bicycle accident in Lakewood, Colorado?
Colorado is a state with fault insurance. This means that you will submit a damage claim to the at-fault party’s insurance carrier following a bicycle accident. You should contact the driver’s insurance company to submit a claim if you think they are to blame for your accident. In contrast, even if you weren’t at blame for the collision, you would still submit a claim with your own insurance company in a no-fault state. In order to bargain for adequate financial compensation, you or your Lakewood accident attorney will need to establish that the policyholder is to blame for your bicycle accident. Depending on the details, you might be able to name more than one person or entity as being responsible for your accident.
Colorado bicycle laws
A Colorado law that has been broken is a frequent reason for bicycle accidents in Lakewood. For instance, a driver of a car might violate the speed limit, blow through a stop sign, or fail to give way to a biker. In Colorado, there are some rules that specifically apply to bikers. A cyclist is required to be aware of and compliant with the following laws:
- Bicyclists cannot ride in the street alongside a motor vehicle
- Bike riders must ride as close to the right side of the road as practical
- Sidewalk riding is permitted by Colorado but municipalities can prevent bikes on sidewalks by ordinance
- If bicyclists can ride on sidewalks, they must yield to pedestrians
- Bicyclists must stop at all red lights
- Bikes may ride slowly through stop signs as long as they yield to pedestrians
- Bicycles must be equipped with the required equipment, including lights for nighttime riding
Motorists must be aware of and abide by Colorado’s rules pertaining to cyclists. For instance, when overtaking or following behind bikes, motorists must leave at least three feet between their vehicle and the rider. Bicyclists are vulnerable road users who should be treated with respect and consideration by motorists. Any traffic law violation in Colorado could result in a bicycle accident.
How to file a bicycle accident claim in Lakewood
The first thing you should do if you are hurt in a bicycle accident in Lakewood and want to submit a claim is to get in touch with the other driver’s insurance provider. Inform them about the mishap and file a formal complaint. At this time, you are not required to know or provide them with every aspect of the crash. After that, speak with a lawyer who can assist you with the demand letter.
The demand letter is a letter that you submit to the defendant’s insurance provider outlining your claim, breaking down your damages, and requesting a specified sum of money in order to conclude your legal dispute. A line indicating your willingness to file a lawsuit if your demands are not met should also be included in the demand letter.
The insurance provider will launch an investigation after receiving your claim and demand letter. The insurance provider must react to your claim quickly and render a decision within a reasonable amount of time. If your claim is approved, settlement talks will begin for your case. At this point, Lakewood bicycle accident cases are typically settled with a favorable insurance offer.
You might need to launch a lawsuit if your claim is rejected or if the insurance provider won’t pay a reasonable amount. You or your attorney must correctly complete the claims form and deliver it on time to the Municipal Court in the City of Lakewood in order to launch a bicycle accident case in Lakewood. The courthouse’s phone number is (303) 987-7400, and its address is 445 S. Allison Parkway in Lakewood, Colorado.
Contact a Lakewood bicycle accident lawyer today
After getting hurt in a bicycle accident in Lakewood, Colorado, you demand an explanation. We will listen to your story at Front Range Injury Attorneys and provide you with accurate information and counsel. Our Lakewood bike accident lawyers can assist you with the claims filing procedure and compensation negotiations if we think your case has validity. Whatever it takes, we’ll do it on your behalf to get justice. To schedule a free consultation, kindly get in touch with us at 720.826.4399 or on the internet.
