Savannah Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Savannah, Georgia’s scenic streets, historic squares, and growing cycling community make it a popular city for bicycle commuters and recreational riders alike. Unfortunately, sharing the road with vehicles puts cyclists at serious risk. When a bicycle accident occurs, victims can suffer life-altering injuries, and navigating insurance claims and legal proceedings alone can be overwhelming.

The experienced Savannah bicycle accident lawyers at Childers & McCain can make all the difference. From investigating the crash scene to negotiating with insurance companies, a skilled attorney in Savannah will fight to ensure injured cyclists receive full and fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Why the Number of Serious Bicycle Accidents Is Increasing in Savannah

The number of serious accidents involving motor vehicles has been increasing this decade, and bicycle crashes are no different. More people are turning to bicycles as a mode of transportation, both to save money on gasoline and to avoid heavy vehicular traffic. At the same time that there are more cyclists, drivers are acting more carelessly and recklessly than they have in the past. They show much less respect for traffic laws, if they even know the rights that a cyclist has.

The bicycle accidents that do occur are more serious because of the following:

• Drivers are opting for larger vehicles, which results in crashes involving more force.
• Drivers are distracted, and the fact that bicycle accidents occur without warning means that they are more serious.
• An increase in reckless driving makes bicycle accident injuries more severe, especially because drivers are traveling at higher speeds.

You Have Legal Rights as a Cyclist on Savannah Roads

As a cyclist, you have the same rights on the road as any other vehicle in traffic. You are entitled to a lane in traffic. If there is a multi-lane road, you should stay to the right because you are moving more slowly than other vehicles. When other vehicles attempt to pass you on the road, they must slow down and leave three feet of space between them and the cyclist under Georgia law. In reality, many bicycle accidents are caused when drivers either do not give cyclists enough space or fail to slow down when trying to pass them.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Savannah

All it takes is one momentary mistake that a driver makes to cause serious injuries that can change the course of your life. Drivers may cause bicycle accidents by doing the following:

• Striking the cyclist when they are trying to pass them
• Opening a car door into the path of the bicyclist
• Not seeing the bicyclist because they are not paying attention
• Not reacting in time to avoid an accident because they were speeding
• Cutting across a bicyclist when they are making a left-hand turn
• Not yielding when the cyclist has the right of way

How to Seek Compensation for a Bicycle Accident in Savannah

The driver who was to blame for the bicycle crash was likely covered by a car insurance policy, assuming that they follow Georgia law. The insurance company becomes liable to pay for damages that their driver causes, up to the amount of the policy limit.

In many cases, you may begin your bicycle accident case by filing a claim directly with the insurance company. Here, you would present evidence that shows liability for the accident and medical documentation that proves your injury as part of your claim.

The insurance company then reviews your claim and determines whether to accept liability and make you a settlement offer. Afterward, you must negotiate the amount of your settlement with the insurance company because they never make you their best offer first.

Keep in mind, you always have the right to file a lawsuit against the responsible driver in court, even if you do not file a claim with the insurance company. If you do file a claim, and you are not getting the results that you want, you always have the right to open the case in court.

What Standard Must I Meet to Be Eligible for Bicycle Accident Compensation?

In any personal injury case, the legal standard that you must meet to be eligible for compensation is to show that someone else’s negligence caused your injuries. “Negligence” means that someone else injured you because they did something that would be considered unreasonable under the circumstances. The examples previously mentioned as “causes of bicycle accidents” would be considered negligence if you can prove that this is what happened.

You are not held to the same standard that a prosecutor is when they are trying a criminal case. You do not have to prove liability beyond a reasonable doubt. In a civil case, you must show that it is more likely than not that the facts you allege are true.

How Much Can I Receive for My Bicycle Accident Injuries?

The amount of compensation that you would receive is tied to two factors:

1. The amount of insurance coverage and assets available to pay for your injuries
2. The scope and extent of the physical injuries that you have suffered and how they have affected your life

Your bicycle accident compensation is broken down into the following elements:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Emotional distress
• Scarring and disfigurement

A family that has lost a loved one in a bicycle accident can file a “wrongful death” lawsuit to seek their own damages that they have suffered. Wrongful death compensation measures the value that the deceased person’s life had with regard to the family and individual family members.

Common Challenges in a Bicycle Accident Case

Bicycle accident claims tend to be worth more money due to the severity of the injuries involved. You can expect even more scrutiny from the insurance company when they know that they have to pay you a significant amount of money. This extra attention may mean that the insurance company tries to find a way to blame you for the accident.

Under Georgia’s “modified comparative negligence” law, the insurance company may be able to avoid liability entirely when they are able to show that you are more than 50% to blame for the crash. If you were less than half to blame for the accident, your compensation would be reduced by the percentage of blame that you bear.

You may also have difficulty proving the extent of your injuries. One tactic that the insurance company uses in settlement negotiations is to downplay your injuries because your compensation is based on them. You must be prepared to show not only how badly you have been hurt, but how your injuries have impacted your life.

Our Savannah Bicycle Accident Lawyers at Childers & McCain, LLC Will Fight to Get You the Settlement You Deserve

Our Savannah bicycle accident lawyers at Childers & McCain, LLC can work to recover full compensation on your behalf when you have been injured in a bike crash. To schedule a free consultation, submit our online contact form or call us today at 478-254-2007. Located in Macon, Georgia, we gladly serve clients in the surrounding areas.