Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Savannah

The two-year deadline to bring a Georgia bicycle claim

Georgia allows two years from the date of the collision to file a lawsuit under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, but a bicycle case is often won or lost long before then. The physical evidence is fragile: paint transfer on the vehicle, the position of the bike, and marks on the road are cleared quickly, and a driver who struck a cyclist tends to minimize what happened. We investigate immediately to lock down the proof.

Georgia's three-foot passing law

Georgia law requires a driver overtaking a cyclist to give at least three feet of space, and under the law as updated in 2021, the driver must change lanes to pass when it is safe to do so, or slow to ten miles per hour below the speed limit if they cannot. This rule, O.C.G.A. § 40-6-56, is a safety statute, and a driver who violates it and strikes a rider has broken a law meant to protect cyclists. Many Savannah crashes are exactly this: a driver squeezing past on a narrow historic street instead of waiting for a safe gap. We build the case around that violation.

The fifty percent bar and the blame drivers shift to cyclists

Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, 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 sign, or came out of nowhere, trying to push the rider over that line. 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 Memorial Health University Medical Center, the only Level I trauma center in southeast Georgia.

Georgia's bicycle helmet law

In Georgia, only cyclists under sixteen are required to wear a helmet. Adult riders are not, 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 coastal Georgia

Our Savannah team at 24 Drayton St, Suite 205 represents injured cyclists across Chatham, Effingham, Bryan, Liberty, and Bulloch counties. We handle claims for riders hurt in Savannah, Pooler, Tybee Island, Richmond Hill, Rincon, Garden City, Port Wentworth, Statesboro, and Hinesville.

Reports, treatment, and filing your case

A bicycle crash in the historic district is investigated by the Savannah Police Department, which prepares the official report, while one on a highway is handled by the Georgia State Patrol. We help you obtain your report and your records from Memorial Health, and for a Georgia crash we file in Chatham County State Court, with high-value claims heard in Chatham County Superior Court.

Contact a Savannah bicycle accident attorney

If a careless driver left you injured on your bike, you deserve dedicated legal help. Call (912) 207-8799 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 Savannah bicycle accident attorney

Common questions

A driver passed too close on a narrow historic street and clipped me. Is that against the law?

Yes. Georgia's three-foot passing law requires drivers to give cyclists at least three feet and to change lanes when they can, and a driver who fails to do so and strikes a rider has violated a safety statute. 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 on a rented bike and unfamiliar with the one-way squares. Does that make it my fault?

Not by itself. A visitor on a rental bike still has the right to use the road, and a driver still has the duty to pass safely and yield. We look at exactly how the crash happened rather than let the insurer assume a tourist must have been to blame.

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.