Bike Accident Victims May Be Entitled to Compensation for Their Injuries: Call Our Bicycle Accident Attorneys in Norristown, PA For Help
Riding a bicycle is both great exercise and a great way to get around. Whether you are using a bike to commute to work, run errands, or for fun, most bicyclists are able to safely enjoy their experiences on a bike. However, our bicycle accident lawyers in Norristown, PA, know that is not always the case. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), each year there are roughly 1,000 cyclists injured and 20 wrongfully killed in bicycle accidents. Many of these crashes were caused due to the negligence of a motorist.
This is why our bicycle accident lawyers at Silver & Silver have dedicated their practice to protecting the rights of victims and their families throughout Pennsylvania. Our bicycle accident attorneys in Norristown, PA, offer FREE consultations to advise victims and their families of their legal rights after a crash and how we can help recover their compensation. We pay the upfront costs and disbursements of litigation and defer our lawyers’ fees, only being reimbursed costs and getting our legal fees paid after we recover compensation for you in a settlement, verdict, or another award.
Liability in a Bicycle Crash in Pennsylvania
Bicycle crashes are generally handled like other motor vehicle accidents, with the exception that most cyclists are severely injured because they have no seatbelt, side curtains, airbags, or other safety devices to protect them. This means that bicycle accidents can be proven in one of two ways.
The first way is through the common law or judge-made law. A cause of action (or claim) under the common law for any personal injury case is based on negligence. A defendant is negligent when they fail to act reasonably, which unnecessarily exposes another to an avoidable risk of harm. Essentially, a defendant is negligent when they act recklessly and cause harm to the victim.
The second way to prove a bicycle collision case is through statutory law, which is legislatively made law. A victim injured by a defendant who violated a statute like a vehicle code may be able to automatically establish liability against that defendant. This is through the doctrine of negligence per se, and requires the victim to demonstrate that:
- the defendant violated a statutory law (like stopping at a red light)
- the victim was within the class of persons meant to be protected by the statute (like a bicyclist who has a green light to go), and
- the statute was meant to protect the victim from the type of harm that occurred (such as broken bones from being hit by a car).
A victim who can establish these elements will likely be able to automatically prove liability against a negligent defendant and only have to establish causation and damages. Bicycle crash victims can assert both a negligence and negligence per se claim against a defendant, often able to prove both.
Common Injuries in a Bicycle Crash
Once liability is established, a victim may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. There are a lot of possible injuries that could be caused by a bicycle crash. Our bicycle accident attorneys in Norristown, PA, could recover compensation for victims and their families for nearly any type of injury, including the following:
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- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Organ injuries
- Road rash or significant disfigurement
- Paraplegia
- Dislocated or separated joints
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder Injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Burn injuries
- Nerve damage
- Amputations or loss of a limb
- Wrongful death, and
- Any other serious or catastrophic injury caused by a negligent motorist.
Call Silver & Silver for Help from an Experienced Bicycle Accident Attorney in Norristown, PA
Our bicycle accident attorneys in Norristown, PA, at Silver & Silver, have the skill, resources, and experience necessary to help prove your injury lawsuit today. We offer FREE consultations and only get paid after you get paid. This means there is no upfront cost or financial risk to working with our bicycle accident lawyers in Norristown, PA, after a negligent party harmed you or a loved one.
Learn more by calling 610-638-7255 or by sending us a message through our “contact us” box available here.