Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Nashville

The one-year deadline to bring a bicycle claim

Tennessee gives an injured cyclist just one year from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104, one of the shortest windows in the nation, and it does not pause while you recover. The physical evidence disappears even faster: paint transfer, the position of the bike, and marks on the road are cleared within hours, and any camera footage is often gone within days. We investigate immediately to preserve the proof and protect the deadline.

The fifty percent bar and the blame drivers shift to cyclists

Tennessee stops a cyclist's claim at fifty percent, and drivers know a jury is quick to blame the rider. Under the modified comparative fault rule from McIntyre v. Balentine, a cyclist who is fifty percent or more at fault recovers nothing, and below that line the recovery is reduced by their share. Drivers almost always claim the cyclist swerved, ran a light, or came out of nowhere. We use the physical evidence and any available video to show the driver failed to share the road safely, and the most seriously injured cyclists are treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the region's Level I trauma center.

A cyclist's right to the road and the driver's duty to share it

Under Tennessee law, a cyclist has the right to use the road, and a driver must give a safe distance when passing a rider. Many crashes happen when a driver passes too closely, turns right across a cyclist's path, or opens a door into a bike lane. We investigate how the crash happened, including whether the driver gave the space the law requires, to establish the driver's liability instead of letting the blame fall on the rider.

Tennessee's bicycle helmet law

Tennessee requires only cyclists under sixteen to wear a helmet. Adult riders are not required to, and a driver's insurer cannot use an adult's choice not to wear one to defeat the claim. If an adjuster tries to blame your injuries on the absence of a helmet, we keep the focus on the driver who caused the crash.

Serving injured cyclists across Middle Tennessee

Our Nashville team represents injured cyclists across Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Cheatham, and Robertson counties. We handle claims for riders hurt in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Lebanon, Mount Juliet, Smyrna, and La Vergne.

Reports, treatment, and filing your case

A bicycle crash on the city streets of Nashville is investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, which prepares the official report. We help you obtain that report and your records from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and when a fair settlement cannot be reached, we file your lawsuit in Davidson County Circuit Court.

Contact a Nashville bicycle accident attorney

If a careless driver left you injured on your bike, you deserve dedicated legal help, and Tennessee's one-year deadline means you have limited time to act. Call (615) 697-6779 for a free, confidential case review. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Speak with a Nashville bicycle accident attorney

Common questions

A driver passed too close and clipped me. Is that against the law in Tennessee?

Yes. Tennessee law requires drivers to give cyclists a safe passing distance, and a driver who fails to do so and strikes a rider has breached that duty. We use the point of contact, the damage, and any witnesses or video to show the driver did not give you the room the law requires.

I was hit by a car door opening as I rode past parked cars downtown. Who is responsible?

The person who opened the door into your path is generally responsible, because they have a duty to check for traffic, including cyclists, before opening a door. We identify the vehicle and the person who opened the door and pursue the claim against them.

Can I recover for damage to my bike and gear along with my injuries?

Yes. The full replacement cost of your bicycle, along with a damaged helmet, cycling computer, and other gear destroyed in the crash, is part of your claim alongside your medical care and other losses.