Frequently Asked Questions: Colorado Springs Bicycle Accidents

faq bicycle accidents

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

January 25, 2023

Most Common Questions We are Asked

Do you have questions or worries regarding your bicycle accident claim or the result of your case? We can help. We’ll go through some of the most frequently asked questions about bicycle accidents.

Always remember, however, that every case has its own set of circumstances. Your best chance is to have a bicycle accident attorney evaluate your case and develop a custom-tailored strategy for you.

Suppose you have any concerns concerning your accident that have not been satisfactorily answered on this website. In that case, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible to get the aid you deserve and begin building your case.

QUESTION 1: IF I WAS NOT WEARING A HELMET AT THE TIME OF MY ACCIDENT, AM I STILL ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL COMPENSATION?

Wearing a bicycle helmet may lower your chances of suffering a severe head injury by as much as 60% in a catastrophic cycling accident. However, this does not imply that you must be wearing a helmet at the time of the accident to be eligible for compensation for your injuries.

When someone else’s carelessness or misbehavior causes you damage, you are entitled to financial compensation, regardless of whether or not you opted to use protective equipment at the time of the injury. Don’t give in to the temptation of taking the fall. Fight back and get the compensation you are entitled to.

QUESTION 2: WHEN I WAS IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT IN HOUSTON, I WONDERED HOW MUCH COMPENSATION I MIGHT ANTICIPATE?

Suppose you have been injured in a catastrophic bicycle accident in Houston due to someone else’s carelessness. In that case, you need to get all of the assistance you can to ensure a speedy recovery. On the other hand, the specific amount of compensation you may expect to get depends on several crucial circumstances.

First and foremost, the limitations of the insurance policy held by the person or company that caused your injury may place a limit on the amount of compensation you are entitled to recover. Acceptable policy limitations differ from jurisdiction to state.

On Colorado roadways, drivers need to have a minimum of $25,000 in liability insurance coverage! If the total cost of your injuries exceeds the policy’s maximum payout, you may not be eligible for any further compensation beyond the policy’s maximum payout.

First and foremost, the amount of compensation you get will be determined by the severity of your injuries. A diagnosis might be difficult to come up with without the assistance of medical specialists. Serious aches and pains may not manifest themselves for many days or even weeks. This is why it’s so crucial to be checked out as soon as possible.

In a bicycle accident lawsuit, you may be able to recover general damages – such as pain and suffering – that may not necessarily have a monetary value. Furthermore, you may sue for specific damages, which have a quantifiable monetary value and result in an economic loss for you (such as property like your bicycle, shifts you missed at work, or your itemized hospital bills.)

The sum of all of these damages might give you an idea of what to anticipate from your claim based on the total of all of them.

fter a Colorado Springs Bicycle AccidentQUESTION 3: WHAT KIND OF COMPENSATION MAY I GET IF I GET INTO A BICYCLE ACCIDENT?

The following are the three categories of damages that may be recovered after a bicycle accident: medical expenditures, lost income and future earning potential, and pain & suffering.

Medical expense

If you are involved in an accident, you may be buried beneath an avalanche of medical expenditures. You may need emergency medical care, long-term hospitalization, physical therapy, or a combination of the three to fully recover.

When it comes to an understanding of what constitutes a medical bill or how to account for any future medical difficulties that may arise as a consequence of your accident, an attorney may assist you in navigating this complicated process.

Wages lost

Unfortunately, injuries sustained in an accident might result in you being unable to work at a time when you are most in need of money. Even if you are not bedridden, you will still be required to take time off for doctor’s visits, treatment, and other activities.

Your time is a valuable resource; don’t waste it by sitting about after an accident has taken it away from you. An attorney can assist you in obtaining compensation for your lost income and diminished earning potential.

Suffering and anguish

It’s impossible to put a monetary value on the emotional upheaval you’ve been experiencing. While insurance companies may attempt to reject and invalidate your suffering, bicycle injury lawyers can assist you in calculating the amount of compensation you need and obtaining it from them.

Keeping track of all of the essential documentation and calculating these charges on your own might be a perplexing mess, but there is assistance available to you. An expert attorney can help you compile a comprehensive list of all relevant damages and present your injury claim in the best possible light.

Please contact me right away. Let yourself be defeated, with nothing to show for your efforts, or with more questions than answers.

QUESTION 4: HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ENGAGE A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER TO REPRESENT ME AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT?

Hiring a personal injury attorney most likely seems like an expensive proposition to you. Many individuals are wary of the notion or reject it out of hand, believing they are preserving their hard-earned money at a time when other bills are stacking up on top of one another.

When it comes down to it, the question they should be asking themselves is: “Can I afford to not engage an attorney?”

Having an attorney on your side may significantly boost the amount of compensation you get. Many personal injury lawyers provide free consultations and accept personal injury claims on a contingency basis to make matters even better.

This implies that there are no fees associated with hiring an attorney. Instead, their fees are taken from your settlement or award as a percentage of the amount you get.

QUESTION 5: IS THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE ALWAYS ACCOUNTABLE FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT?

A variety of circumstances may play a role in a bicycle accident. Most of the time, the other car’s driver is held responsible for your accident and the injuries that resulted from the collision. But other elements might come into play, and by consulting with an expert personal injury attorney, you can determine who is responsible for the accident and who is not.

For example, was the driver at the time of the accident on the job or not? If any of the following conditions are met, the driver’s employer may be held partly accountable for your injuries:

A motorist who declares sickness, weariness, or intoxication as a reason they cannot drive may be subject to a civil lawsuit. • A firm that fails to maintain a vehicle owned by that company may be subject to a civil lawsuit.

Alternatively, might the collision have been caused by a technical malfunction of the vehicle? For example, a tire blowout or a brake issue in a person’s automobile might lead them to lose control of the vehicle.

In certain instances, the automotive manufacturer may be held responsible for accidents resulting from defective components. As explained above, if a technician recently worked on the car and failed to perform the repairs correctly, the mechanic may also be held liable for the accident.

Don’t let these opportunities pass you by. You don’t want to lose out on the compensation you are entitled to due to your injury. Make sure you consult with a qualified personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident to determine guilt.

QUESTION 6: DO I NEED AN ATTORNEY TO FILE A PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT?

The ability to file a personal injury claim on your own is legal—but that does not imply that you should. A personal injury attorney can assist you in streamlining the claims and settlement processes and noticing and addressing minor problems.

This often translates into more money in your wallets in a shorter time. The aftermath of an accident is already a stressful moment; don’t add to that stress by attempting to handle everything on your own.

QUESTION 7: SHOULD I ACCEPT THE OFFER THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY MAKES ME AFTER THE ACCIDENT? IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO ACCEPT THE OFFER?

Frequently, the insurance company will contact you quickly after your bicycle accident to make a settlement offer. While the figure they provide may thrill you at the time, be cautious about accepting it. In the absence of skilled legal advice, you have no clue how much money you may potentially get.

In the vast majority of circumstances, your claim is worth far more than the amount originally offered by an insurer. Have you given any thought to your agony and suffering? What about medical bills in the future or prolonged discomfort? What are your plans for your family’s plight?

Before accepting any offer, you should consult with an attorney. Recognize your value. Yes, we do.

I was injured in a bicycle accident, and I wondered how long it would take to make a claim and obtain compensation.

Any judicial procedure is sure to cause a certain amount of worry among those involved. We are well aware that no one enjoys the game of waiting. Even while a devoted attorney will work tirelessly to get you back on your feet as soon as possible, the length of time it takes to receive compensation after a bicycle accident will depend on several circumstances, including:

Which insurance company is in charge of handling your claim

Some insurance companies may bargain more aggressively and for a longer time than others.

The amount of money you’re requesting as a donation

When you have significant injuries and must seek greater compensation amounts, it may take longer for the insurance company to process your accident claim and determine damages..

Your willingness to get into negotiations

You have the option to accept a settlement offer made by the insurance company or other accountable party at any stage throughout the negotiating process. You should be aware that accepting that offer will bring all talks to a close and enable you to obtain the compensation that has been given for your injuries.

The process of handling your bicycle accident claim may take longer, however, if you choose to continue negotiating to maximize your compensation monetary recovery.

Working with our bicycle accident lawyers can assist you in formulating a plan that will make the whole process more efficient and less stressful to navigate.

QUESTION 9: HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO SUBMIT A PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM IN COLORADO AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT?

If you wait too long after your accident to file a personal injury claim, the Colorado statute of limitations may preclude you from bringing a claim against the responsible party. While an attorney may identify several exceptions to that rule that can assist you in filing your claim later, you should always pursue your claim as soon as feasible!

Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your bicycle accident to help speed the process. When you consult with an attorney early in the process, they can assist you with two crucial aspects of the procedure:

Gather evidence to support your claim. Evidence such as witness testimonies, photographs, and video recordings of the accident site is most accurate when taken immediately after the accident.

The sooner you hire a legal team to represent you, the less difficult it will be to locate and gather evidence to support your claim. Hesitating might result in irretrievable evidence being lost for all time.

Starting early in the process with a personal injury attorney will allow you to benefit from valuable guidance and assistance that will help you avoid making mistakes that might jeopardize your case. The attorney will provide you with useful information that will help you avoid unwittingly restricting your claim.

Small details may make a big difference in personal injury cases: what you post on social media, how you communicate with the insurance company, even apparently innocuous remarks you make about your recovery, or the activities you partake in. Insurance companies will look for every chance to poke holes in your tale and cast doubt on your emotions and beliefs.

QUESTION 10: WHEN I GET INTO A BICYCLE ACCIDENT, WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PROTECT MYSELF?

When you are involved in a bicycle accident and incur injuries, your medical treatment should be your first concern. It is always advisable to get your injuries assessed in an emergency hospital or urgent care center, even if you believe they are minor or confined to road rash, scratches, and bruises.

Doctors can detect major concerns such as soft tissue injury that you may not be aware of. They may also offer you crucial information regarding your injuries, such as the precise time and location of when and how they occurred.

Take time to consider your remarks

Even though it is understandable to be overwhelmed at the site of an accident, you must refrain from making rash claims such as “I’m alright” or “I’m not wounded.” Before making any comments to insurance adjusters, consult with an experienced legal professional. In addition, be certain that you:

If at all possible, gather evidence at the site of the crime

If you can, take photographs of the accident area and the car that was involved in the collision. Take a snapshot of the driver’s license and insurance details of the person who is liable so that you may quickly retrieve that information later. It’s also a good idea to get the names and contact information of any witnesses.

Take a copy of the police report with you

As soon as you get a copy of the police report, you will have more time to challenge any erroneous comments included within it, including any remarks that may imply that you were responsible for or contributed to your bicycle accident.

As quickly as possible, speak with an attorney about your case

Suppose you have been injured on a bicycle. In that case, you should consult with an attorney who can provide you with valuable guidance on how to continue with your claim, including how to get the compensation you deserve, how to seek it, and how to submit your claim.

Their team’s responsibility is to manage all of the stressful aspects of your claim, such as completing paperwork and liaising with other offices to ensure that you get high-quality medical care. You’ve already got enough to worry about — let justice be the duty of those who have wronged you.

Maintain a thorough record of all medical records and invoices

Suppose you are involved in a bicycle accident and want to file a personal injury claim. In that case, you will need to thoroughly understand how much the accident cost you, including your medical expenditures.

Keep note of all of your medical expenditures, including any costs associated with modifying the accessibility of your house or car, the cost of treatment, and the cost of mobility devices such as crutches, ramps, or wheelchairs, among other things.

Are there any questions you’d want to ask regarding your bicycle accident? Contact one of our knowledgeable bicycle accident lawyers as soon as possible to ensure that your rights are protected throughout the whole claims process.

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