How Can a Bicycle Accident Attorney in Duluth Help?
While you have the option of representing yourself during a bike accident injury claim, this can lead to mistakes that hurt your chances of recovering financial compensation. You may miss Georgia’s two-year deadline to file, for example, or accept less than you deserve by allowing an insurance company to take advantage of you.
If you hire an Duluth bike accident lawyer, on the other hand, you will prevent insurance bad faith tactics and optimize the outcome. Your lawyer can walk you through expensive and complicated legal matters to give you better peace of mind. An Duluth personal injury lawyer will do everything possible to ensure that you have what you need to recover from a bicycle accident.
Compensation Available for Injured Bike Accident Victims
All drivers in Georgia must carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability car insurance, as well as $25,000 in property damage insurance. If you bring an injury claim against a driver for causing a bicycle accident in Georgia, his or her liability coverage pays for your medical bills and bicycle repairs or replacement.
If the insurance company does not offer an adequate amount for your losses or denies your claim, however, your lawyer may have to file a lawsuit against the driver instead. A personal injury lawsuit could result in compensation not only for your medical bills and property repairs but also for pain and suffering and punitive damages, in some cases.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Duluth
In Georgia, the party at fault for causing a bicycle accident is responsible for paying for injuries and losses under the tort-based insurance system. Typically, this party will pay for losses through his or her insurance provider. As an injured victim, it is up to you or your attorney to prove the other driver is at fault. This will make you eligible for financial compensation through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Three of the most common causes of bicycle accidents in Duluth, Georgia are:
- Driver error. Drivers often commit acts that go against state laws and recklessly endanger the lives of others. These mistakes include driving drunk, drowsy or distracted. If a driver causes a preventable bicycle accident, his or her insurer will be accountable.
- Poorly maintained roads and bike paths. It is easier to get into a harmful accident due to a road defect while on a bicycle compared to a motor vehicle. If the city or state should have repaired the road defect that caused your accident, the government could be liable.
- Defective bicycles. Every year, multiple bicycle manufacturing companies announce recalls due to manufacturing, marketing or design flaws. If a bicycle defect caused or contributed to your injuries, you may have grounds for a product liability lawsuit.
An Duluth bicycle accident attorney can investigate your crash for signs of fault. An attorney can collect evidence such as eyewitness statements, a copy of the police report, photographs and videos, and medical records to determine causation. Then, he or she can help you prove that one or more defendants are financially responsible (liable) for your losses based on the evidence secured.
Contact a Bicycle Accident Attorney in Duluth, Georgia
If you or a loved one was injured in a recent bicycle accident in Duluth, Georgia, contact the plaintiff’s injury attorneys at BMW Law Group to request a free consultation. Discuss your case in detail with one of our attorneys today. Call (770) 225-4710 or contact us online.