We are encouraged to ride our bicycles for our own health and for the health of the environment. Cyclists build cardiovascular strength, burn calories, and develop long, lean muscle while creating zero emissions. The “win” column sees lots of checks when we cycle–that is, at least, until we experience a bicycle accident.
Bicycle accidents quickly put a series of checks into the “lose” column as we suffer through physical injuries and their emotional and financial consequences. However, with help from an Oklahoma personal injury lawyer from BDIW, we can start erasing those losses. An Oklahoma bicycle accident lawyer from our team will work to recover your losses and secure compensation to help your recovery and bring you justice.
Bicycle Accidents in Oklahoma
For a recent year of data collection, the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO) reported 13 bicycle accidents causing fatalities and 226 causing injuries. There were 762 traffic accident fatalities statewide and over 30,000 injuries of varying severity. For the same year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 966 fatalities from bicycle accidents.
The reasons for bicycle accidents vary, and in some cases, there may be more than one cause and more than one negligent party. Common reasons for accidents include:
- Distracted driving–on the part of the vehicle driver, the cyclist, or both
- Inadequate buffer–drivers may not leave enough space between their vehicle and the cyclist, making collisions more likely, and leaving cyclists with fewer ways to avoid collisions with other cars or barriers
- Reckless driving–whether speeding or weaving in and out of lanes, drivers who operate their vehicles recklessly are less likely to notice or react to cyclists
- Ignoring traffic lights or stop signs–both vehicle operators and bicyclists must follow the rules of the road
- Turning without looking–cyclists and drivers need to “look both ways” before making turns. Vehicle drivers are more likely to look in both directions when making a right on red, for example
- “Dooring”-drivers fail to look for cyclists before opening the driver’s side door to exit the car, and causing the cyclist to crash into the door
While these causes focus more on driver or cyclist maneuvers, there are other common causes of bicycle accidents. Vehicle or bicycle malfunctions are one. Road defects, poor lighting, and road obstacles are others.
Our Team Is Here To Assist You Every Step Of The Way.
SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY TODAYYour Oklahoma Bicycle Accident Attorney Will Investigate
Determining the cause of your accident is an important part of filing a personal injury claim. Victims can only collect a settlement if they prove the at-fault party’s negligence caused the accident and subsequent damages. Your lawyer will investigate the accident to identify the party at fault and gather evidence to prove that party’s liability.
Some bicycle accidents are entirely the fault of someone other than the cyclist. Sometimes, however, the cyclist bears some responsibility. Oklahoma traffic laws grant cyclists the same privileges as drivers of motor vehicles but also hold them accountable for the same duties as drivers. They also establish specific behaviors bicyclists must comply with or avoid.
These regulations govern when and how cyclists should or should not pass other vehicles, where they should situate themselves on the road, and even how cyclists riding together should position themselves as they ride. It is to the at-fault party’s benefit to find as much fault with the bicyclist as possible under Oklahoma’s negligence laws. To protect yourself from unwarranted blame, secure representation from a knowledgeable bicycle accident lawyer in Oklahoma.
How Oklahoma’s Negligence Laws Work
Bicycle accident victims often sustain serious injuries requiring extensive medical interventions. Getting substantial compensation to cover those costs and other laws is essential to recovery. Under Oklahoma’s modified comparative fault system, victims have the opportunity to collect damages, but with conditions.
As long as victims are less than 50% responsible for causing the accident leading to their injuries, they can pursue damages from the at-fault party. These are the rules for Oklahoma personal injury claims under Oklahoma’s modified comparative fault laws. However, if victims meet this standard but still bear some percentage of fault, they will see a reduction in their compensation according to that percentage of fault.
If you are assigned 30% of the fault for an accident, you can still hold the at-fault party accountable. If your total settlement amount is calculated at $100,000, you can collect $70,000. Clearly, it is important to have an experienced attorney protecting you from inflated blame and from being assigned unwarranted fault.
Damages Your Bicycle Accident Attorney in Oklahoma Will Pursue
A substantial settlement is critical for victims’ recovery and future financial stability. Cyclists have little to protect them when they collide with or are hit by motor vehicles or upon impact with the road or other obstacles. Injuries sustained are often serious and can include:
- Bone fractures
- Head injuries: broken teeth or jaw and skull fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries: concussions, brain bleeds, or permanent brain damage
- Spinal cord injuries: causing partial or total paralysis, chronic pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in affected areas
- Neck and back damage
- Internal injuries: bruised organs and internal bleeding
- Soft tissue damage
- Abrasions and lacerations
Along with the medical costs incurred by these injuries, victims will lose wages as they need time off from work to recover, sustain property damage, and pay out-of-pocket for others to fulfill tasks they can no longer manage alone. Because of these physical and financial stresses, victims typically suffer emotionally as well. A skilled Oklahoma bicycle accident lawyer will value these losses with precision, not overlooking any details, and demand a settlement adequate to cover them.
We Fight for You
With over 65 of combined experiences, the attorneys at BDIW have been fighting for Oklahoma’s residents injured by another party’s negligence. Now, we are ready to fight for you. By holding at-fault parties responsible, we help our clients recover and keep our community safer.
To get started, connect with us. Give us a call or send us a message today. We will set you up with a prompt, free case consultation with a compassionate, experienced Oklahoma bicycle accident lawyer from our team.
