If you sustained injuries in a bicycle accident, an experienced lawyer can help you get the compensation you need to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Contact the O’Fallon personal injury attorneys at OnderLaw today. We’ve been representing injured clients in O’Fallon and throughout Missouri since 2002, and we can help you, as well.

When a driver’s negligence results in a bicyclist’s accident and injuries, that driver should be held responsible for their actions. It is your legal right to pursue financial compensation from the at-fault party to cover the losses you incurred as a result of your injuries.

Since our law firm was founded, our attorneys have secured more than $3 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients. We bring our experience, knowledge, and resources to every case, and when you hire us, you can expect dependable customer service, quality representation, and favorable results.

Our uncompromising dedication to our clients has earned us recognition and awards from a number of prestigious legal organizations, such as the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Super Lawyers, and The National Trial Lawyers.

At OnderLaw , our legal team is ready to take on your case and win, just like we have for so many others. Call us for a free consultation with one of our O’Fallon bicycle accident lawyers.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents

Any accident involving a bicycle and a motor vehicle is likely to have devastating consequences. Traffic laws are meant to keep everyone safe on the road, but some drivers ignore those laws, drive recklessly, fail to check their blind spots, or fail to yield to bicyclists.

Bike accidents typically happen because of driver error, and the most common causes of bicycle accidents include:

  • Failure to yield the right of way
  • Opening a car door in the path of a bicyclist
  • Distracted driving
  • Fatigued driving
  • Backing up without looking for passing bikes
  • Failure to check for oncoming bicyclists before turning
  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Speeding
  • Driving recklessly, such as sudden braking or weaving in and out of traffic
  • Passing a bicyclist too closely

You could seek compensation from the driver if their actions led to the accident. When you get hurt and need medical care to recover, the at-fault driver should be the one to pay for your expenses. OnderLaw can assist you with your case and gather evidence that proves liability after a bike accident.

Injuries Often Associated With Bicycle Accidents in O’Fallon

Bicyclists can suffer severe and even life-threatening injuries in an accident with a motor vehicle. If the driver is traveling at excessive speeds, the results could be fatal. Our O’Fallon bicycle accident lawyers have seen our clients sustain a range of injuries after bike accidents, and they often require extensive medical treatment. Some people even end up with a physical or mental disability.

The most common injuries we see in bicycle accidents include:

  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Emotional or psychological trauma
  • Fractured or broken bones
  • Facial disfigurement
  • Lacerations and wounds
  • Road rash
  • Paralysis
  • Concussion
  • Internal bleeding and organ damage
  • Significant scarring

Those who have suffered a permanent impairment or disability may require ongoing treatment and might even require assistance at home to handle daily tasks. You shouldn’t be responsible for the costs associated with your injuries and long-term care. We’ll work effectively and aggressively to hold the driver responsible for their negligence and carelessness.

Compensation You Can Pursue After a Bicycle Accident

If you want to recover financial compensation from the at-fault driver, you could begin by filing a claim with their auto insurance company. All motorists in Missouri have a legal requirement to carry auto insurance with minimum limits of liability. That coverage could compensate an accident victim for their emotional, financial, and physical losses.

The minimum liability limits are:

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 for property damage per accident

Under the fault system, the person who causes an accident becomes financially responsible for the injured party’s injuries, medical bills, suffering, and other associated losses. The following losses are available in a liability claim:

  • Emotional distress
  • Lost wages and earning capacity
  • Property damage
  • Medical bills
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium

It can be a challenge to calculate a monetary value for an accident victim’s losses. OnderLaw can review the losses you suffered, your total expenses, and other factors to determine a fair number that covers your past and future expenses. Some of these factors we might consider to help us determine compensation may include:

  • Type of injury and how serious it is
  • Availability of evidence proving the driver caused the crash
  • Total past medical bills and estimated future cost of treatment
  • Impact of the accident on quality of life
  • Length of the recovery period
  • Disfigurement, impairment, or disfigurement resulting from the initial injury
  • Time spent away from work to attend doctor’s appointments and for other necessary reasons associated with your case
  • Amount of insurance coverage on the driver’s liability policy

Don’t suffer through this devastating experience without hiring an O’Fallon bicycle accident lawyer from OnderLaw. You don’t have to have to navigate a complicated injury claims process on your own. We’ll handle everything on your behalf, including negotiating a settlement with the insurance company.

How OnderLaw Will Handle Your Bicycle Accident Case

When you hire us, we will investigate the accident and gather evidence that proves who was at fault, the injuries you sustained, and the total losses you suffered due to another person’s negligence or recklessness.

This evidence might include:

  • Crash report
  • Repair estimates for all vehicles involved in the accident
  • Witness statements
  • Copies of your medical records and bills
  • The at-fault driver’s insurance policy information
  • Video surveillance footage
  • Photos from the accident scene

After we determine that the driver was responsible for your injuries, we’ll review their auto insurance policy to find out how much coverage is available. We will file the claim, submit all the evidence we found, and negotiate with the insurance adjuster. If the insurance company denies the claim or won’t settle for an adequate amount of compensation, we have the resources and experience to move forward with a lawsuit.

Handling a Lawsuit After a Bicycle Accident

It’s vital that you hire an O’Fallon bicycle accident lawyer who has extensive experience in litigating cases. Lawsuits are complicated, involving strict deadlines, specific procedures, and extensive legal documents. OnderLaw has been successfully litigating lawsuits for decades and knows how to effectively argue for our clients’ rights in court, so they win the monetary award they deserve.

Deadlines are an important part of any lawsuit. If you don’t file your lawsuit by the deadline, you could lose your right to seek compensation from the at-fault driver. These deadlines are known as statutes of limitations. The statute of limitations in Missouri is five years. That means you have five years from the date of the accident to file.

If you try to file suit after the five-year statute ends, the court will likely dismiss your case. However, you might be able to delay the deadline if one of the following circumstances exist:

  • You were of unsound mind or a minor at the time of the crash. The clock would not start until you turn 18 years old or become mentally competent.
  • The at-fault driver left the state temporarily. Their absence would not count towards the two-year deadline, and upon their return, the clock would begin again.

Missouri also has something called the modified comparative fault rule in place, which may affect the amount of compensation you receive. If a jury finds that your actions partly contributed to the accident, they will diminish your compensation by the same percentage of fault you share.

To clarify, let’s say you ended up with $50,000 in total losses after the bike accident. If the jury decides you were 20% to blame for the crash, you would only be entitled to $40,000 in compensation.

Our O’Fallon Bike Accident Attorneys are Here to Help

Our O’Fallon bicycle accident lawyers are ready to take your call. We’re available 24/7, so you can reach us at a time that works best for you. We believe that customer service is of the utmost importance and strive to provide our clients with the legal representation they can depend on and trust.

At OnderLaw , we know it can be tough getting back on your feet after a traumatic bicycle accident. We’re here to take on the responsibility of your case and fight for the maximum compensation you need and deserve. Your only focus should be on recovering from your injuries.

If you were injured in an accident on your bicycle through no fault of your own, call us for a free consultation with one of our O’Fallon bicycle accident lawyers to learn about your legal options.