Dallas Bicycle Accident Attorneys

Injured in an accident? Call our trusted Dallas law firm for help.

Office Location: 1910 Pacific Avenue, Suite 6000, Dallas, TX 75201

Bicycles offer several benefits. First, bike riding is an excellent way of getting exercise. Bikes are a cost-effective method of transportation, and they allow you to navigate congested roadways more efficiently. Unfortunately, being on a bicycle also leaves you vulnerable to accidents caused by drivers with whom you share the road.

If you have suffered an injury while traveling by bicycle in Dallas, contact Stuart J. Guss, Accident Injury Lawyers.

We are a national law firm based with multiple offices around the country, including Dallas. We also work with affiliate law firms that share our focus and dedication to excellence in most states. No matter where you are located, we may be able to help you, so call or contact us now. We are open, for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-898-4877, or you may contact us now by clicking here to submit your case for review.

Bicycle Accident Guide

Hiring a Dallas Bike Accident Injury Lawyer With a Track Record

When you have suffered an injury in an accident while traveling on your bicycle, you need an advocate. You need someone willing to provide you with answers, who understands Texas law, and who will advocate aggressively on your behalf.

That is exactly what you will get when working with Stuart J. Guss, Accident Injury Lawyers. For more than two decades, we have worked tirelessly so that those injured through no fault of their own find justice. We have the combined experience to deal with insurance companies or, when needed, to present your case for litigation in court. Our team works hard to make sure they hear your voice.

We are always aware that past results are not always reflective of potential future success. However, you can feel confident knowing we do not give up without a fight. Our team is client-focused, and we will do everything possible to get you the best possible result. Contact Stewart J Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, today to get started.

Bicycle Accident Injuries Are Serious

Let’s face it; a bicycle is no match for an automobile. Even worse, larger cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks can also cause accidents when traveling on a bike.

As a bicyclist, you could face:

• Head and neck injuries - According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), most head and neck injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), occur during a bicycle versus auto accident. Always take these injuries seriously. They can cause life-long problems and, in some instances, could lead to death.
• Broken bones - There is no doubt a fall from a bicycle can result in a broken bone. Being thrown from a bicycle because a motor vehicle hit you increase the chances of broken bones. Arm, leg, hip, and fractured pelvis injuries can result from a Dallas bicycle accident.
• Road rash - When an accident throws you from a bike, your body may continue to slide across the roadway or sidewalk before coming to a complete stop. Depending on the distance your body travels, you could suffer deep abrasions, leading to infections and serious scars.
• Back injuries - You may be forced to deal with back pain that could be the result of a ruptured or fractured disk, damage to your spinal cord, or other back injuries following a bicycle accident.

Every accident is different, as is everyone's physical condition. Therefore, it is impossible to know how an injury might impact a person traveling by bicycle.

Following up on all recommended medical treatments after a Dallas bicycle accident is necessary to help ensure you can get the care you need to recover as much of your pre-accident health as possible.

Dallas Bike Accidents and Liability

Following a bicycle accident, determining fault is a necessity. It is impossible to recover financially from your losses if you do not know who was responsible for the accident in the first place. In one recent year, there were more than 2,000 bicycle accidents across Texas. These accidents accounted for nearly 80 deaths and as many as 900 injuries. These numbers are frightening if you are considering taking advantage of using your bike to travel around the city.

Some parties you can hold liable for your bicycle accident injuries include:

• The driver who struck the bicycle
• Another driver on the roadway
• A tire or other auto part manufacturer
• A government entity if a defect in the roadway caused the crash

Keep in mind some requirements must be met to prove someone is liable. The basic premise is that the person or entity owed the victim a duty of care, breached the duty of care, the breach caused an injury, and the victim suffered a financial loss.

In the case of a bicycle accident, proving a duty of care is relatively simple. All drivers must maintain control of their vehicles while traveling on Dallas roadways. This establishes the duty of care. If a driver strikes a bicycle operator, they have breached that duty of care.

It is nearly impossible to imagine any situation where a collision between a car and a bicycle does not injure a bike operator. Proving an injury is relatively easy.

Finally, financial losses are inevitable following a bike collision because, at a minimum, a victim will have their bike damaged and have medical bills due to their injury. This proves the burden of liability.

Stuart J. Guss, Accident Injury Lawyers, have experience dealing with bicycle accidents, and we understand the necessary steps to investigate accidents thoroughly to prove who was at fault. We can work closely with you to make sure we leave no stone unturned in our efforts to assist you with your claim.

Financially Recovering From Dallas Bicycle Accidents

Immediately after a bicycle accident, your thoughts are on your physical recovery. This is perfectly natural. However, as the days turn into weeks, your family faces financial challenges. Either you cannot return to work, are getting more bills than usual, or a combination of the two stresses your bankbook.

Since Texas is not a no-fault state, you will have to file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company.

Before you do this, however, do not jeopardize your legal options.

• Medical recovery - In a best-case scenario, get a complete picture of your physical recovery before filing a claim. This ensures that you know your long-term prognosis. Your settlement may not cover your losses if you fail to include your long-term medical care needs in an initial claim.
• Return to work - Once your physician has reported your ability to return to work, we can gather a full picture of the losses you suffered in terms of wages and income. These losses could include vacation time you sacrificed and sick days you may have had to use as part of your recovery. We can also consider other losses, such as benefits, when you are ready to file your claim.
• Long-term losses - If your injuries will result in permanent scars, an inability to return to your former employment, or you suffered mental health challenges from your accident; we want to include these claims. Anxiety after an accident often leaves a victim feeling vulnerable and unable to resume normal activities.

By working closely with a Dallas bicycle accident lawyer at Stuart J. Guss, Accident Injury Lawyers, you would have the information to know the right time to file an accident injury claim, so you are fully compensated for your losses. Filing a claim too soon could mean you are not made financially whole following an accident.

“Not Our Fault”: How Responsibility Shifts After an Accident

When you are on a bicycle and struck by a car that runs through a red light, it seems relatively clear who is at fault. Unfortunately, not every accident scene makes the liable party clear. It takes time to reconstruct accidents, obtain witness statements, and identify the liable party.

When you suffer an injury on a bike trail, for example, Five Mile Creek Trail or Cottonwood Trail, you may find identifying a responsible party difficult. A parking lot accident could result in an injury to a bicyclist. This does not mean the driver will automatically accept responsibility, and in most cases, their insurance company will fight for them.

Insurance companies do not like to pay claims without attempting to mitigate their losses.

The insurance adjuster assigned to a bicycle accident claim will deflect the responsibility for the accident to others, including:

• Bicycle accident victim - They may do this by claiming the bicyclist did not pay attention, attempting to prove they had preexisting issues included in their claim, or claiming the victim is exaggerating their injuries.
• Blame the city - The insurer may blame the municipality by claiming lights did not work correctly, that the road contained defects, or a road obstruction resulted in an inability to see a bicyclist correctly. Even if this is correct, that may still mean the driver who struck the bicyclist bears some liability.
• Blame another driver - Drivers who swerve out of their lane, make a sudden turn, or take some other evasive action could result in another car striking a bicyclist. As with the blame-the-city option, this may not completely remove the driver's liability.

You must identify the responsible parties and hold them accountable. We understand that insurance companies will work hard to prove their client was either not at fault for the accident or that they were less at fault than other parties. Before submitting a claim, we identify each responsible party is and document the chain of events that led up to the injury, so we have a solid understanding of the percentage of liability of each party.

The Cost of a Dallas Bicycle Accident Lawyer

It is perfectly normal to be worried about costs after an accident. After all, you are not collecting your full income while out of work. You may also have additional unanticipated expenses from the accident. Therefore, we understand concerns about the cost of hiring an attorney to file a claim or negotiate a settlement.

Don't worry. When you hire Stuart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, you will not pay any upfront attorney's fees for representation. First, we offer a no-cost, no-strings-attached consultation. During the consultation, we can help make sure you know your legal rights, and we can tell you what we believe to be the strengths and weaknesses of your claim.

We may also be able to advise you as to what the difference might be between attempting to resolve your claim on your own versus hiring us to help. Should the best option for you and your family involve hiring an attorney and choosing to hire our firm, you will still not be paying anything out of pocket for attorney’s fees immediately. We take most personal injury claim cases on a contingency fee basis.

A contingency fee agreement, which we will review with you, allows you to hire a lawyer to work on your case immediately. You may need to pay some small fees regardless of the outcome of your case; unless we obtain a final settlement for you, you will not pay us attorney's fees. We do not accept payment unless we successfully conclude your claim. Our fee comes out of that settlement, meaning we will work on your case today for payment once we are successful.

Contact Stewart J Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers

When you have suffered an injury or lost a loved one in a Dallas bicycle accident, contact Stewart J Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, immediately for help. We are here to ensure that you get the justice you deserve, and we will work hard to ensure you are financially whole. We are proud of our record of advocating for victims and ensuring each victim understands their legal options.

The legal team of Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, is nationally recognized for protecting the rights of injured victims for more than 20 years. If a Dallas bike accident injured you, call our office right now for a free consultation! Because we take all of our cases on a contingency fee basis, you will not owe us a dime unless we win your case. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so call us today at 800-898-4877 or contact us now by clicking here.