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Bicycle Accidents

Chattanooga Bicycle Accident Attorneys

Chattanooga Bicycle Accident Attorneys

Put our experience, knowledge and passion to work for you

Some bicycle accidents are fairly straightforward: the cyclist trips a wheel on an object on the ground, or otherwise loses control of the bike. There are many accidents, though, that involve a motor vehicle colliding with a bicyclist. These incidents are scary, causing emotional trauma and physical harm to the biker. Drivers have the legal duty to take caution when bikers are on or near the road. If you have been injured in a bike accident caused by a negligent driver, you may have cause for legal recourse.

Wagner Workers Compensation & Personal Injury Lawyers provides knowledgeable legal counsel to those injured in bike accidents caused by driver negligence. We want to help you recover the compensation necessary to obtain proper medical treatment, reimburse your lost wages and more. Our Chattanooga bicycle accident lawyers fight for you and your family when you feel like no one else will.

Bike crash injuries and their causes

Cyclists have a lot of options for riding, either on concrete paths like the Chattanooga Riverwalk, or on mountain bike trails at Raccoon Mountain. A day on the trails can be lovely, but there are still many ways you can sustain an injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 49,000 cyclists were injured in collisions with cars in 2019, and more than 840 of them died. About 5% of the total number of fatalities were children aged 14 or younger, and 98% of all fatal crashes involved a light truck, like an SUV, pickup truck, or van. A bad accident can lead to:

In terms of driver negligence, a bike accident could be caused by a motorist:

  • Driving while distracted
  • Driving while intoxicated
  • Speeding
  • Failing to obey traffic laws and signals
  • Not paying attention to bicyclists on the road
  • Not paying attention in a parking lot or driveway

Determining fault in a bicycle accident case

To pursue a legal claim in Chattanooga or the surrounding areas, the plaintiff (the injured biker) must prove the defendant (the reckless driver) was at fault. This involved showing the defendant was negligent, meaning:

  • The driver had a duty to exercise reasonable caution in the given situation
  • The driver breached that duty
  • The breach caused actual harm (damages) to the plaintiff

Know that the injured biker cannot share more than half of the blame for the accident. The driver needs to be 51% or more responsible for the collision. “Modified comparative fault” is the legal standard in Tennessee. Essentially, it means that your final compensatory award may be reduced according to how much you are at fault. If you were 10% to blame for the accident, your compensation is reduced by 10%.

To prove that the driver was negligent, your attorney will present a series of evidence that includes your medical records, expert witness testimony, police reports, eyewitness statements and more. The point is to show that another reasonable person in the same position would have acted differently. The other point is to show that this collision resulted in actual damages to you, including medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and/or pain and suffering.

Getting a bike crash attorney in Chattanooga to fight for you

The thought of pursuing a legal claim may seem overwhelming, but there are resources available to help you. Wagner Workers Compensation & Personal Injury Lawyers represents hard-working people like you in bicycle accident and other accident claims. You do not have to burden yourself by doing this alone. Let our personal injury lawyers help you right away — call 423-756-7923 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free initial appointment with one of our experienced lawyers. We help clients in Chattanooga, North Georgia, Cleveland, TN and the surrounding regions.