Tennessee bikers and cyclists often take to the roads and trails of Murfreesboro for fun in the sun. The numerous bike trails in the area present many riding opportunities for those who enjoy spending their days outdoors.
Most bicycle accidents are caused by careless motor vehicle operators. If you or someone you love has sustained injuries in a Tennessee bicycle accident which was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover monetary compensation under the law.
A Murfreesboro bicycle accident lawyer may be able to negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company or pursue litigation through the court system. Begin discussing your case with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Steps Bicyclists Can Take to Avoid Collisions
When bicyclists ride their bicycles on public roads in Tennessee, they are normally held to the same standards as motor vehicle drivers and are required to obey the same signs and signals – including stop signs, yield signs, speed limit signs, traffic lights, and other traffic control devices. Bicyclists should also ride their bicycles in a designated bike lane if one is available on the side of the road.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
No matter how careful a bicyclist is, serious accidents can still result. When it comes down to a car versus a bicycle, the bicycle almost always loses. Murfreesboro bicycle accident lawyers have seen the following accidents most frequently:
What are Dooring Accidents?
Dooring occurs when the driver or passenger of a parked car suddenly opens the car door into the path of an oncoming cyclist. This usually causes the cyclist to fall off the bicycle, hit the ground, and sustain very serious injuries and damages.
Since bicyclists have very little protective covering – with the exception of their helmets – a direct impact with the ground can cause very serious injuries, including fractures, broken bones, concussions, traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s), soft tissue injuries, permanent scarring, and death.
Proving that a Motor Vehicle Driver was Negligent
In order for an injured cyclist to recover for injuries and damages sustained in a bicycle accident, the cyclist must ordinarily prove that the motor vehicle driver failed to drive reasonably under the circumstances, proximately resulting in the cyclist’s injuries and damages. Injured parties should speak with a Murfreesboro bicycle accident lawyer about their options for recovery.
Bicycle accidents typically happen very quickly, and it is oftentimes difficult to tell exactly what happened or who caused the accident. In these cases, an accident reconstructionist, along with eyewitnesses to the accident scene, may be able to help an injured plaintiff prove the liability (or fault) aspect of a personal injury case.
Contact a Murfreesboro Bicycle Accident Attorney
The at-fault driver’s insurance company is never on the cyclist’s side. An insurance adjuster will try anything and everything to reduce or eliminate the insurance company’s exposure in a bicycle accident case – even going so far as to place some (or all) of the blame on the injured cyclist. A Murfreesboro bicycle accident lawyer can advocate for on an individual’s and fight for their right to recover monetary compensation.
The insurance company has a legal team. You should too.
