Las Vegas Bicycle Accident Attorney

Las Vegas is well known for its gambling, shows, and night life, but some people may be surprised to learn that the League of American Bicyclists has named Las Vegas one of America’s cycle-friendly cities. The city recently invested half a million dollars in bike racks and lockers for the downtown area and now is home to 390 miles of bike lanes, including many miles of scenic trails through the natural wonder that is the magnificent Mojave Desert!

Many Nevadans are discovering the pleasures of bicycling for fun, fitness, and getting to and from work or school. But with a growing number of bicycles on the road, injuries and fatalities from crashes involving bicycles and motor vehicles are also increasing. Bicycling is a superb aerobic exercise and a way to reduce your impact on the environment. But if you cycle regularly, you’ve certainly encountered drivers who behave as if they should have the exclusive use of the roads.

In Nevada, we have our share of drivers who are impaired, distracted, careless, speeding, aggressive, impatient, or who just don’t get it that the law requires them to safely share the roads with cyclists. Drivers of this sort pose a serious threat to bicycle riders. They may try to pass too closely and force a bicycle off the road, or treat a bike lane as if it were meant to be a passing lane for cars. These driving behaviors can easily cause a crash, sometimes resulting in devastating spinal cord injuries, compound fractures, internal injuries, road burn and bruising, facial injuries and scarring, and above all, traumatic brain injuries. Three-quarters of cyclist fatalities are caused by head injuries, and brain trauma is among the most catastrophic of all injuries for those who survive.

These serious medical conditions often require months and sometimes years of medical care and rehabilitation services, as well as a substantial amount of time out of work. If you’ve been injured in any type of cycling accident, it’s important to speak to an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in order to protect your rights to recover just compensation for your medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost current earnings and future earning potential, and your pain, suffering, and damaged quality of life.

Because cyclists often collide with much heavier cars and trucks it is not uncommon for riders to experience life altering injuries such as:

• Brain trauma
• Compound fractures
• Severe multiple fractures
• Spinal injuries and paralysis
• Burns and bruises

What Nevada’s Law Says about Sharing the Road with Cyclists

Nevada law imposes a duty of care on every driver regarding bicycles on the road. A driver is forbidden from:

• Intentionally interfering with the movement of a person lawfully riding a bicycle
• Overtaking and passing a person riding a bicycle unless it can be done safely without endangering the bicycle’s rider . . .

and is required to:

• Yield the right-of-way to any person riding a bicycle … on the pathway or lane
• Exercise due care to avoid a collision with a person riding a bicycle.

You Need a Good Lawyer for Your Nevada Bicycle Accident Case

If you’ve been injured on your bike by a car or truck, you may be entitled to recover money from the driver of the vehicle that hit you. Your best course of action after a bike accident is to consult a personal injury attorney who handles many bicycle accident cases. Bicycle accident claims can be difficult, especially when they involve very serious or catastrophic t injuries. Insurance companies rarely pay these claims without a fight, so you need a strong and experienced advocate on your side.

Why You Need a Bike Accident Lawyer

You may be tempted to try negotiating a settlement with the insurance adjuster from the company that covers the driver who hit you, but this is nearly always a mistake. Chances are, you have no idea what a fair payment would be for your injuries. Insurance companies know this and use it to their advantage whenever they can.

The goal of the insurance company is to pay the least amount possible and they will usually try to settle with you for much less than your case is worth. The adjuster will often suggest that a lawyer is not necessary. That’s because they know that once you are represented by a seasoned personal injury attorney, they can expect to have to pay much more—an amount that is adequate, fair, and sufficient to compensate you for your full range of damages, both your economic damages and those non-economic damages that affect your quality of life: pain, suffering, disability, disfigurement, inconvenience, and loss of enjoyment of activities and hobbies.

An experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney handles bicycle injury and wrongful death claims continually, and knows what your case is worth and how to get the company to pay the full value. Eric Woods has a long history of obtaining serious compensation awards for his clients in his thirty-plus year career as a Nevada personal injury attorney. He knows the law, and he knows the tactics insurance companies will use to try to diminish or deny your claim, and he knows how to overcome those tactics.

Free Legal Consultation for Your Bike Accident

There is never a charge for a consultation with Eric Woods, one of Las Vegas most successful and experienced personal injury attorneys. Put his more than thirty years of success and experience to work for you. You risk nothing, because you don’t pay anything unless you win your case and recover money. Call Eric today at (702) 737-0000 to protect your right to a better tomorrow.