While wearing a helmet, elbow and knee pads, and reflective clothing can significantly reduce your risk of getting hurt while riding your bike, there is, unfortunately, little that can protect you from serious harm if a motorist acts negligently around you. Even at low speeds, collisions between commuter cars and unprotected bicyclists often have catastrophic results.
Fortunately, you could potentially hold the negligent driver who hit you financially liable with assistance from a Lawrenceville bicycle accident lawyer. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney could work diligently to clearly establish fault for your wreck, catalog and value recoverable damages, and demand fair restitution on your behalf.
The primary goal of personal injury litigation is to ensure that victims of accidents caused by the misconduct of others do not end up bearing the brunt of the financial costs associated with their injuries. A comprehensive civil claim could provide restitution for past and future costs, including both economic and non-economic forms of harm.
A dedicated attorney in Lawrenceville could provide irreplaceable guidance when it comes to pursuing recovery after a bike wreck for the following:
To have grounds for recovery of any kind, you must prove through a preponderance of evidence that the defendant in your case was legally negligent. This generally means showing that a driver acted recklessly or carelessly enough to violate the duty of care they owed to you, and that this breach of duty was the direct cause of the accident and of your losses.
Additionally, you might have to contest assertions that you were partly to blame for the circumstances leading up to your accident. If a court decides that you are partially responsible for your injuries, Official Code of Georgia §51-12-33 allows the court to proportionately reduce your final damage award, or even bar you from recovery completely if you are equally or more at fault for the incident in question in comparison to the defendant.
Finally, O.C.G.A. §9-3-33 sets a filing deadline of two years for most personal injury lawsuits, which means bicycle accident victims who wait longer than 24 months after discovering their injuries generally lack standing to pursue civil compensation for the incident. An experienced lawyer in Lawrenceville could offer further clarification about these and other legal concepts that might impact your bike accident claim and its potential outcomes.
Whether your bike crash caused you minor injuries that will heal with time or led to a life-altering disability or disfigurement, you may have grounds to sue the party who caused the accident. However, knowing you have the standing to pursue litigation and moving forward with your claim take the assistance of a seasoned attorney.
By working with an experienced Lawrenceville bicycle accident lawyer, you could give yourself the best odds possible of securing a favorable resolution to your claim. Learn more by calling today.
