By: Bicycle injury lawyer Lindsey Macon, partner at McArthur Law Firm at the Atlanta GA Office location
Bicycle accidents are a common cause of injury in Georgia and the rest of the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published pedestrian accident statistics for 2022 claiming over that 7,522 pedestrians were killed and more than 67,000 pedestrians were injured nationwide.
For many years, pedestrian and bicycle deaths and injuries were declining. Bicycles have increased since 2010, reaching 818 in 2015 and rising each year thereafter, so that in 2022, 1,105 bicyclists died in crashes with motor vehicles in the United States, the highest number ever reported since the federal government began tracking these deaths.
Head injuries account for 62% of bicycle-related deaths, for 33% of bicycle-related emergency department visits, and for 67% of bicycle-related hospital admissions, according to the CDC. In addition to death, over 130,000 others are injured in crashes that occur on roads in the United States every year.
Bicycle Accidents that Lead to Personal Injury Claims in Atlanta
Many times, these bicyclists are hurt through no fault of their own. Cellphones and other distractions within the driver’s field of vision easily divert the attention of car and truck drivers. This makes a cyclist or a pedestrian even more vulnerable.
Led by Super Lawyers Georgia Cover Story Attorney for 2024, Kathy McArthur, our firm has 8 attorneys, each of whom can be your bicycle & pedestrian accidents lawyer. Among bicycle accident law firms, few will have 45 years of service under their belts much less will have handled more than one fatal bicycle accident.
The bicycle accident attorneys at the McArthur Law Firm (MLF) in Atlanta, Macon, and the Warner Robins area. Using witness statements, police reports and any available video, many bicycle crash cases can produce evidence of the exact cause of most accidents. A bike crash lawyer with MLF can then pursue a lawsuit if the other side does not offer a full and fair accident settlement.
A Georgia bicycle accident lawyer for all locations. Our team of bike wreck lawyers can assist pedestrians and cyclists hurt by another vehicle in Atlanta, Columbus, and Augusta as well as in Albany, and across Georgia.
In one bicycle accident death case our law firm secured a $1.4 million settlement for a bicyclist’s family, which came from two different defendants paying out their insurance policies’ full limits. The bicyclist ran into the side of a vehicle that improperly turned left in front of him. The injured cyclist was then hit by a second vehicle that came up behind the first vehicle, striking the downed biker, which resulted in his death.
The vehicle that turned in front of our deceased client paid $100,000 from his policy’s coverage. The 2nd vehicle that struck him after he and the bicycle were down in the roadway had $1.3 million in coverage, which was also paid. These assets were all that was recoverable due to limited insurance resources.
What are the Common Causes of Car and Bicycle Accidents?
Drivers of cars and trucks do not typically expect to see a cyclist who is much smaller than the vehicle. This makes cyclists especially vulnerable on the road when drivers are not paying full attention. Common causes of a car/bicycle accident include:
- Car right-turns into a bicycle on a green light. A cyclist approaches a red light with stopped cars. The light turns green, and the car turns right, hitting the cyclist who is crossing on the green.
- Car right-turns into a bicycle on a red light. If a bicycle is at the corner of an intersection, right-turning cars on the red are looking left for oncoming traffic, not right. They may turn without checking and run right into the cyclist waiting for the light.
- Car left turns and hits a cyclist riding the other way. This is a common mistake for car drivers, because they are watching traffic for other cars, not bikes. Driver then might not see the bike until it is too late.
- Parked car driver opens door, and a cyclist slams right into the door: This happens when a car driver does not check traffic before opening his or her door.
- Car backing out of driveway or parking spot hits cyclist when that driver fails to check the rear view.
- When a wrong way bicycle accident (meaning our client was traveling on the shoulder, going toward the nearest place to get the bicycle repaired or for other reasons) sometimes our client’s careless acts will not be the most negligent acts, and a recover may still be available.
Are Criminal Charges Filed After Accidents Involving Bikes?
Car or truck drivers might face traffic citations which are criminal charges after hitting a person on the street or while riding a bicyclist. However, criminal court does not provide money for victims’ damages, such as hospital bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Because of this, it is essential to speak to a personal injury attorney after a car or truck hits a person, so that these civil law claims can be started
Victims of car wrecks also need to understand that you can pursue a civil lawsuit whether or not criminal charges are filed or the driver is found guilty of a crime. For example, a car driver hits a pedestrian and the driver is charged with vehicular manslaughter. The driver is found “not guilty”.
The victim’s family can still pursue a wrongful death case against the driver in civil court, despite the not guilty verdict in criminal court. Victims and families should not wait until the conclusion of any criminal cases before contacting a civil car wreck attorney.
Reach Out to a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Me in Atlanta GA
If you or someone you love was hurt in a pedestrian or bicycle accident, we can help you. At the McArthur Law Firm, we believe that if an individual fails to follow traffic safety laws, then he or she should be held accountable. An experienced bicycle accident lawyer at our firm offers aggressive representation when a car or truck driver harms a cyclist.
We do not give up, even against tough competitors. Insurance companies will attempt to blame the accident on the victim; we will fight back. For a free consultation, call 404-565-1621 or fill out our online bike accident contact form.
If you currently live in another state outside of Georgia, call our Firm for nationwide legal bike accident help. Michael Thompson and Holly Stephens (shown above) at our Atlanta office can guide you to a local firm in your state.
Have Your Case Facts Reviewed at NO Charge to You
If you’d like to learn more about how McArthur Law Firm handles pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, and other vehicle wreck cases, search our website. or simply call us about your case. The call is FREE, and you pay nothing until we recover from the at-fault parties.
Use our memorable toll-free number, 1-855-WARRIOR, or 1-855-927-7467. Act quickly, before vital evidence disappears.
An Atlanta bicycle accident attorney from MLF can explain all the different types of motor vehicle wreck cases our firm accepts — statewide. We also can act as your:
Augusta bicycle accident attorneys
Valdosta bicycle accident lawyers
Carrollton bicycle accident attorneys
More Bicycle Accident Resources
If you’d like to learn more about bicycle accidents and related injuries, then read our informative articles on bicycle accident lawsuits below. We explore every aspect of vehicle accident cases McArthur Law Firm handles.
- Personal Injury
- Motor Vehicle Wrecks
- Medical Malpractice
- Wrongful Death
- Product Liability
- Premises Liability
- Construction Injury
- Car Accidents
- Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyers in Georgia
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Georgia Boat Accident Lawyers
- Georgia Bus Accident Lawyer
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Whistleblower Cases
- Punitive Damages
- What The Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know
