Louisville Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Bicycle riders are at an increased risk of injury in an accident. Aside from helmets—when they are in use—cyclists have almost no structural protection in a bike accident. If a bike rider is struck by a car, the results can be catastrophic injury or even death.

In an accident between a motor vehicle and a bicycle, serious injuries can occur. Severe head injury, or traumatic brain injury, is one of the most common types of injuries sustained in a bike accident. Other common injuries include internal injuries, trunk injuries, and broken bones. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a bicycle accident, you may benefit from contacting a personal injury lawyer in Louisville who can fight for the compensation you deserve.

Bike Accident Statistics in Louisville

In its 2014 report, the City of Louisville determined that there is an average of 155 bicyclist-motorist crashes each year in the city. In nearly 63 percent of these crashes, the bicycle rider suffers some degree of injury, whether non-incapacitating, incapacitating, or fatal.

During the span of the report, 17 bicyclists were killed in accidents involving motor vehicles. Only about 30 percent of bicycle accidents involved non-incapacitating injuries.

Of course, these accidents are only those occurring in Louisville. The CDC offers a bigger picture of bicycle accidents as a national problem. The agency’s studies show that nearly 1,000 people were killed in bicycle accidents in 2013, and almost 500,000 people sought emergency room treatment for bike injuries. Lifetime medical costs and productivity losses from both fatal and non-fatal bicycle accidents reaches approximately $10 billion a year.

What are the Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Louisville, Kentucky?

One of the greatest risks to cyclists is inattentive motor vehicle drivers. In a majority of motor vehicle crashes involving bikes, the bicyclist was riding straight ahead just prior to the crash. Nearly half of motor vehicles in accidents were likewise driving straight ahead. However, in roughly 30 percent of crashes, a motorist was making either a left turn or a right turn at an intersection and either failed to notice or failed to yield to the bicyclist.

There are four key factors in causing or contributing to bicycle accidents:

1. Most crashes are occurring at intersections along major arterials
2. Motorist are not seeing or yielding to bicyclists
3. Bicyclists are failing to yield right-of-way
4. Bicyclist inattention

Distraction—by both bicyclists and motorists—is a key factor in bicycle accidents but a Louisville personal injury lawyer can help you gain financial compensation for the negligence of the drivers.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports that 80 percent of all bicyclist-motorist accidents occur under one of the following six conditions:

• Motorist turn/merge into bicyclist’s path
• Motorist overtaking the bicyclist
• Bicyclist turn/merge into motorist’s path
• Motorist failed to yield to bicyclist
• Bicyclist failed to yield at an intersection
• Bicyclist failed to yield midblock

Cycling can be a great benefit to health and the environment; however, there are certain risks involved because of the small profile of a bicycle and the lack of physical protection for a cyclist in an accident. For those injured in bicycle accidents, financial compensation may be available from liable parties through appropriate litigation with the help of a Louisville bike accident lawyer.

Contacting An Attorney

Medical bills, lost income or wages, pain and suffering, funeral expenses—any of these may be associated with a serious bicycle accident.

If you have been injured or if you are grieving the loss of a loved one, contact a Louisville bicycle accident lawyer from McCoy & Hiestand to see how we can help you get the compensation you need and deserve for the damages and losses you have sustained.