A bicycle crash can quickly become an absolute disaster for bike riders. After a collision with a vehicle, your injuries might be severe, and you might have a hard time covering your costs and damages on your own.
After a bicycle crash, you can sue the driver, or multiple drivers, who caused the accident. Figuring out whom you can name in a lawsuit depends on how your accident happened. Many bike crashes are caused by speeding drivers, distracted drivers, or dooring accidents. Your next step is finding evidence that helps us prove the defendant caused the accident and supports your claims for damages. Witness testimony, photos, and videos are very useful pieces of evidence, and more evidence might be found using details from the police report regarding the crash. We also need evidence of your damages, including economic and non-economic injuries.
Drivers are required to give the same courtesy and respect to bike riders as they would to other drivers on the road. Accidents happen when drivers fail to share the road, and our bicycle accident lawyers can help you get justice. For a free case review, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Holding Someone Responsible for an Atlanta Bicycle Accident
When you file a lawsuit for your injuries and damages after a bike crash, you might need to evaluate numerous parties to determine who should be held liable. Our bicycle accident lawyers can help you sue the driver who hit you and other damages that might have contributed to the crash.
We need to look closely at the driver who hit you. While many drivers claim things like the bike rider came out of nowhere, or another driver caused the accident, they might not be telling the full truth. Even if the driver did not intend to hit you or cause an accident, they can still be held responsible for their negligent behavior behind the wheel.
It is possible that more than one driver is involved in the accident. In such cases, we can help you sue multiple drivers you believe share responsibility for the accident. For example, if two drivers were driving at an unlawfully high rate of speed, and one driver caused the other to swerve into you on your bike, both drivers can be sued because both drivers contributed to the overall accident.
Sometimes, it is difficult to properly identify the drivers in your crash. Ideally, drivers should stop, render aid if necessary, and wait for law enforcement to arrive at the scene. Unfortunately, drivers sometimes flee the scene before the police arrive and might be charged with a hit and run. In that case, the police will conduct a criminal investigation to find the driver, but your civil lawsuit might be on hold until criminal proceedings are complete.
How Your Bicycle Accident in Atlanta Might Have Happened
Bicycle accidents can be unpredictable, and many injured bike riders claim they never saw the car coming. In other cases, bike riders might see the vehicle coming but cannot get out of the way in time to avoid an accident. Speed is a huge factor in bike accidents, and the faster a car goes, the more damage it can do to a defenseless bike rider. If the driver was ticketed for speeding after the collision, our bicycle accident attorneys can use the ticket as evidence in your lawsuit.
Distracted driving is a common element of many bicycle crashes in and around Atlanta. Maintaining focus on the road is perhaps the cardinal rule of driving. With so many distractions behind the wheel today, many drivers break this rule and lose focus. Cell phones, GPS devices, and even passengers are common distractions for drivers. Distracted drivers usually do not mean to cause accidents, but they should still be held accountable for their negligence.
Often, bike riders travel in bike lanes that run alongside parking lanes. If a driver in a parked car opens their door without checking behind them, they might cause a dooring accident. The bike rider might crash into the car’s open door, suffering severe injuries. Bike safety relies heavily on drivers being aware of their surroundings and taking precautions. When drivers are negligent, even by opening a door at the wrong time, they can be held liable in a lawsuit.
Finding Evidence for a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in Atlanta
The tricky thing about evidence is that it could look like anything and come from almost anywhere. If something is relevant to your case and tends to show one way or the other whether the defendant was negligent, it might be admissible as evidence.
Witnesses may provide evidence through valuable testimony regarding their firsthand knowledge of your bike accident. Many witnesses are eyewitnesses who watched the accident happen in front of them. Other witnesses might not have seen the accident but instead have other firsthand knowledge relevant to your case. Our bicycle accident lawyers can assist you in finding potential witnesses for your case.
It is common in many accident cases, particularly car accidents, for people to take photos and record videos of the crash scene. These photos and videos are often for insurance purposes, but they can also be used as evidence in a lawsuit. These photos might preserve details lost or in dispute in your case.
The police must be called after your accident to investigate and write a police report. If you are having trouble finding evidence, the police report might shed some light on the situation. For example, the names of witnesses interviewed by the police and details about what happened to pieces of physical evidence might be contained in the report. We can use this information to find that evidence and use it to your advantage.
Contact Our Atlanta Bicycle Accident Attorneys for Help
Our bicycle accident lawyers can help you file a lawsuit after a crash in Atlanta. Speak to our team for a free case review to get started. Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
