According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), crashes involving bicyclists have been on the rise since 2009. In 2019, 846 cyclists lost their lives in accidents nationwide.
In Washington, 2018 was the peak year for bicyclist fatalities and serious injuries. In that year, 15 people lost their lives and 124 were injured. In 2020, these figures stood at 11 and 95, respectively.
Obviously, if you’re struck by a motor vehicle while riding your bicycle, the chance of serious injury can be high, and NHTSA says that the higher the speed of the vehicle involved, the greater the chance of injury or death. The likelihood of dying from a collision with a motor vehicle increases from 8% at 31 mph to 50% at 47 mph.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle crash with a vehicle anywhere in Washington, our team of experienced bicycle accident attorneys in Issaquah at Pearson Law Firm, P.S. is ready to provide guidance. We are located in Issaquah, but we proudly serve clients throughout the counties of Pierce, King, Thurston, and Snohomish, and across the state.
Our team has been handling accident claims and personal injury lawsuits in Issaquah and surrounding areas of Washington for more than 40 years, and we’ll be happy to listen to your story, assess the situation, and assist you as you seek the compensation you deserve for your injury or loss.
Generally speaking, a bicyclist must observe the same laws as an operator of a motor vehicle, which means observing all traffic signs, signals, and other rules of the road. As for the bicycle itself, the state does have laws on the book regarding brakes, lights, and other mechanical requirements for the safe operation of a bicycle. There is no statewide bike helmet law, but individual counties have mandated them.
The NHTSA, in its analysis of bicycle accidents in the country, points to several causes that can be shared by both the driver and the cyclist, the first of which — as mentioned above — is not complying with traffic laws and roadway signs and signals. Other causes include:
If you are struck while out bicycling and your injuries don’t necessitate immediate medical help, there are important steps you need to take to file a claim against the driver’s insurance or even initiate a personal injury lawsuit. Concrete steps include:
Washington is an “at-fault” auto insurance state, which means you can file a claim against the driver’s insurance company. This is when you will start getting calls from that insurance company’s claims adjusters. These people are trained professionals who know the tricks of the trade. They will try to get you to say or agree to something that they can use to low-ball or even deny your claim.
Don’t get involved in this insurance company ploy. Instead, let our experienced Issaquah bicycle accident attorneys handle the negotiations for you. At The Pearson Law Firm, P.S., we represent only victims, not insurance companies. We can help you pursue a personal injury lawsuit in Issaquah or surrounding areas of Washington, which can sometimes result in a much higher reward than an insurance settlement, because of the payout caps in the policy of the at-fault driver.
Another key factor is Washington’s use of a “pure comparative negligence” rule. This means that in a bicycle accident, both the bicyclist and the vehicle operator can be at fault.
Say your bicycle’s rear reflector somehow malfunctions and the tailing driver strikes you. You might be assigned 30% (or more or less) of the blame. If the total amount of compensation is $50,000 for injuries and other damages, you would only be eligible to receive 70% of that, or $35,000, representing the driver’s percentage of fault.
When you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, our Issaquah personal injury lawsuit team at The Pearson Law Firm, P.S. is here to help. We offer personalized service, so you will always be in the loop as we help you pursue the compensation you deserve. We are proud to represent you wherever you’re located in Washington, including Issaquah and throughout the counties of Pierce, King, Thurston, and Snohomish.