BICYCLE ACCIDENT LAWYER, LEXINGTON, KY
THE TROUTMAN LAW OFFICE CAN HELP YOU RECOVER FINANCIALLY FROM YOUR BICYCLE ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENCE OF OTHERS
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident due to the negligence of someone else, you will need an experienced bicycle accident attorney in Louisville, Lexington and throughout the state of Kentucky to help you with your claim. Matt Troutman of the Troutman Law Office has been a bicycle accident attorney since 1986. Mr. Troutman has prosecuted thousands of personal injury claims and he will handle your claim personally from start to finish.
The number of bicycle accidents and bicycle injuries and deaths are rising over the last 10 years due to the increase in the United States of bicycle riding for fitness. Historically, mostly children rode bicycles in their neighborhoods, but now adults and senior adults by the thousands are using bicycle riding as their exercise to stay healthy. No longer is bicycle riding limited to the neighborhoods. Now, bicyclists are riding on the busiest streets and narrow country roads where they are difficult to see and where they travel at a slow speed relative to motor vehicles and these conditions lead to more bicycle accidents and injuries. In 2015, the Governors Highway Safety Association reported that there were 12.2 % more bicycle deaths than the previous year, which was a higher percentage increase than motor vehicle deaths.
BICYCLE SAFETY TIPS
In order to ride a bicycle safely there are some basic common sense decisions that the bicyclist needs to make:
1. Do not ride at night. Even if you have some type of light or reflectors, it is extremely difficult for vehicles to see bikes in the dark.
2. Only ride on streets with speed limits of 35mph or lower unless there is a designated bike lane. The faster the speed a vehicle is travelling the less time they have to react to the bicyclist being on the road. The fact of the matter is that when someone is driving a vehicle, they are not expecting to encounter a slow moving bicyclist which lessens their reaction time to avoid the bicyclist and if the car is travelling at a higher rate of speed, then the time to react to the bicyclist is even less.
3. Follow the rules of the road. Remember that the bicyclist has to follow the rules of the road just as the vehicle is required to and everyone must look out for each other. If you ride your bike thinking the cars must look out for you and you do not have to keep a look out for the cars, then you are more likely to have an accident and it will probably be your fault. Bicyclists must stop at stop signs, stay in a lane of traffic and make turning signals just like motor vehicles. Review the link below that provides some of the basic bicycle laws for the state of Kentucky. Cities have specific bicycle laws as well, such as in downtown Louisville where riding a bicycle on the sidewalk is prohibited. Please see the Louisville bicycle laws link below for more information.
4. Always Wear a Helmet. Statistically, most of the bicyclist deaths occur when the bicyclist is not wearing a helmet. Wear a helmet and other saftey equipment.
5. Be Careful in Bike Lanes. Do not think that because you are in a bike lane that you are completely safe. Watch out for car doors opening into your lane, cars making a right hand turns across bike lanes, and debris in bike lanes.
WHAT INSURANCE COVERS ME IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT?
The insurance analysis to help you with your bicycle accident can be complicated and it will benefit you to have an experienced bicycle accident lawyer like Matt Troutman of the Troutman Law office to help you maximize your insurance benefits and reduce the financial burden of your accident.
If you were struck by a vehicle, then the kentucky no-fault insurance on the vehicle that struck you will provide $10,000.00 of insurance to pay for medical expenses and partial lost wage reimbursement even if you caused the accident. If the car striking you was uninsured, then you can use your automobile no-fault insurance even though your automobile was not involved in the accident. If there is no contact between you and the automobile and there is no way to prove they caused you to fall from your bicycle, then you may be limited to using your health insurance to pay medical expenses. If the car that struck you did not have enough insurance to pay for your damages - medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and etc. - then you may be able to make a claim for underinsured motorist benefits under your own automobile policy.
As you can see from the above brief discussion, the insurance anaylsis after a bicycle accident can be complicated and you need to consult with an experienced bicycle accident attorney like the Troutman Law Office as soon as possible.
WHAT TO DO AFTER A BICYCLE ACCIDENT
Call or have someone call 911 and report the accident. If anyone has stopped to help have them put their contact information in your cell phone through a text and have pictures taken of the accident scene. Obviously, if your injuries are serious, you may not be able to take pictures and etc. The most important thing to do is get help for your injuries. Contact the Troutman Law Office and remove the burden of having to do much after the accident.
GET YOUR BICYCLE ACCIDENT CLAIM EVALUATED FOR FREE!
Accidents involving motor vehicles and bicycles can involve serious injuries and recovering financially from them can be complicated. These claims often hinge on the liability issue and, therefore, a thorough and expert accident investigation is needed as soon as possible to make these claims successful. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a bicycle accident, you need to contact the Troutman Law Office as soon as possible so that your rights can be protected. Click here and submit the details of your accident immediately or call attorney Matt Troutman on his cell phone at 502-648-9507.
HELPFUL LINKS:
Kentucky Motor Vehicle & Traffic Laws
Kentucky Motor Vehicle Licensing Laws