Bicycle Accident Injury Claims in Colorado Springs, Colorado

It’s difficult to see anybody disputing the reality that biking is a healthy, cost-effective, and ecologically friendly mode of transportation. People ride bikes for various purposes, including basic commuting, leisure, sport, and even as a means of subsistence.

Unfortunately, like with any physical exercise, cycling exposes people to a high risk of catastrophic injury. Indeed, according to the Colorado Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 6,058 bicycles were injured in traffic collisions in 2012.

When non-traffic incidents are included, it is generally reasonable to conclude that the overall number of bikers wounded is greater than this statistic. For instance, some riders may be engaged in an accident if a component on their bicycle fails or if a bike lane, sidewalk, or road has harmful dangers or situations.

Whatever caused your accident, the Colorado Springs bicycle accident attorneys at Warrior Injury Law, can assist you in holding any guilty parties accountable for their conduct.

Bicyclists often experience injuries.

Though each bicycle collision is unique, riders often sustain a variety of injuries. Numerous injuries happened when a biker was flung off his or her bike and collided with a vehicle, the ground, or other items. Additionally, bikers often sustain many contact points, resulting in multiple injuries to various portions of their bodies. The following are some instances of common injuries:

Amputation – Traumatic amputation occurs when a bodily part, such as a toe, finger, arm, or leg, is amputated.

Bone Fractures — Bicycle accidents may result in fractures to the arms, shoulders, clavicles, wrists, hands, legs, hips, and feet. Multiple surgical procedures may be necessary.

Brain Injury – A traumatic brain injury (TBI) may range from a moderate concussion to a skull fracture with bone shards penetrating the brain, resulting in lasting impairments. A severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) may last a lifetime or possibly be deadly.

Dental damage — Certain bicycle accidents result in chipped or cracked teeth, fractured maxillae, broken mandibles, and other dental injuries.

Facial trauma – Facial trauma, or maxillofacial trauma, is a kind of facial injury that may range from soft tissue damage to facial bone fractures.

Fatalities – If a bicycle accident victim does not survive the incident, surviving family members may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim.

Hand injury — Hand injuries are frequent when a rider falls off or is flung off a bicycle. That is because the rider’s reflexive response is to use their hands and arms to stop their fall.

Head injury — Even while wearing a helmet, head injuries from a bicycle collision may be severe. Frequently, victims are catapulted over their handlebars. They may sustain head injuries ranging from scratches and wounds to skull fractures.

Jaw fractures – A bicycle accident victim who has a broken jaw is likely to have occasional pain and discomfort for the remainder of his or her life.

Dislocation of a joint – Dislocations often occur when bikers attempt to stop their fall or when riders collide with a vehicle.

Neck damage — A bicycle collision may hurt the nerves, joints, muscles, tendons, and vertebrae in the throat and neck.

Nerve Damage – Nerve damage may occur in any region of the body and can be devastating.

Paralysis – A bicycle collision may result in the paralysis of a segment or the whole body or the inability to move.

Road Rash — Road surfaces are abrasive, and friction alone may cause substantial skin injury.

Spinal Cord damage — Damage to any section of the spinal cord often leads to a bicyclist’s life being permanently altered.

Even with competent treatment, several of the injuries mentioned above might result in long-term discomfort and physical restrictions. While some bikers need surgery and months of recovery, others may never completely recover.

Other frequent injuries sustained in Colorado Springs bicycle accidents include the following:

• Trauma to the head; neurological impairment; injury to the spinal cord;
• Bulging disc or burst disc;
• Fractures in bone.

Three of the most easily broken bones are the scaphoid, radius, and ulna. These wrist bone fractures or breaks may result in excruciating pain and edema. Occasionally, when the pain and swelling are not severe enough, the injury is mistaken for a sprain.

Bicycle accidents are a common source of this kind of injury. A cyclist may collide with an item, a road hazard, a pedestrian, or a vehicle, resulting in the rider falling off the bike and onto the ground—an easy method to sustain a scaphoid, radius, or ulna fracture or break.

If a wrist bone is fractured or broken, a doctor may offer two treatment options: nonsurgical therapy or surgical surgery.

Nonsurgical Treatment: If the fracture or break occurs in the center of the ulna or radius bone, a doctor will insert a cast around the wounded hand or forearm, extending to encompass the thumb and above the elbow. The duration of therapy is determined by the severity of the damage and how effectively it recovers.

Surgical Treatment: When a fracture or break is serious enough that a metal implant is required to support the bone to heal, a doctor may propose surgery. Screws or wires are put into the scaphoid, radius, or ulna, depending on the location of the injury.

After therapy is complete, the doctor (often an orthopedic physician) provides the “all-clear” for the cast or splint to be removed. Physical therapy may be indicated to facilitate the reactivation of muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the wrist that have been inactive due to the cast.

Follow-up medical visits and, in certain cases, follow-up X-rays or CT scans are also typical for wrist injuries.

When a cyclist is wounded in an accident, the event may have both immediate and long-term consequences. The most overwhelming monetary consequences are often medical costs, missed earnings, and emotional or physical pain.

The following are some safety guidelines to help bikers avoid collisions.

Damages Inflicted by Bicycle Accidents in Colorado

Those who have had significant injuries due to a bicycle accident often must struggle with the resulting damages. Bicycle accident injuries can cause significant enough harm that a person’s whole life may be wrecked due to a driver’s careless actions.

These damages are at the heart of a bicycle accident injury claim, and their precise identification and quantification may make or break your case. Several of the most often claimed damages in a bicycle accident injury lawsuit include the following:

• Lost Wages
• Medical Expenses
• Loss of Earning Potential
• Disability
• Pain and Suffering

Helmets are not always effective in preventing head injuries.

Colorado law requires bicycles under the age of 16 to wear helmets, which implies that a significant percentage of adult riders may be persuaded to go without them. In certain bicycle accident situations, the responsible party may attempt to mitigate their guilt by asserting that the injured biker would not have suffered a head injury if worn a helmet.

However, according to figures provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) [3, helmets can lower the probability of head injuries by around 50% and neck or facial injuries by 33%.

This research reveals that even when a biker is adequately equipped with a safety helmet, they are still at risk of suffering life-threatening head and brain injuries.

Our lawyers understand how to fight for your rights regardless of wearing a bicycle helmet, ensuring that you obtain the maximum amount of compensation available.

Additionally, suppose you had a head injury as a result of a faulty helmet that did not offer enough protection. In that case, we may assist you in holding the helmet manufacturer accountable for your catastrophic injuries and losses.

Risk Factors for Bicycle Accidents

The road presents severe risks to bikers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that although bike rides account for just 1% of all road travels in the United States, cyclists are far more likely than drivers to have crash-related injuries or die in crashes.

Thus, collisions involving automobiles and bicycles are widespread in San Antonio.

When passing a bicycle, drivers are always expected to maintain a safe distance. San Antonio has implemented safe passing legislation that requires a minimum of three feet between vehicles and commercial or big trucks and six feet between commercial or large trucks.

Even with upgraded safety measures like bike helmets and helmet rules, active lighting and luminous clothing, and better and more abundant bike lanes, the roads remain very hazardous for cyclists.

The majority of bicycle-related injuries occur as a result of head and upper or lower extremity trauma. Several of the most often sustained injuries include the following:

• Fractures and dislocations
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Trauma to the musculoskeletal system
• Damage to the nerves

Bicycle accident injuries often take a long time to heal and may even result in lifelong disability. When major or catastrophic injuries occur, losses are quantified in monetary terms, which may be a challenging procedure, given that recovery might take months, years, or even a lifetime.

Any possible personal injury lawsuit must account for not just missed income and urgent expenditures but also the effect of your injury on your future capacity to earn a livelihood. The legal team at the Warrior Injury Law has considerable expertise in personal injury law and can assist you and your family seek justice after an accident.

Regain Command of the Situation

Accidents do occur. If you are a traffic accident victim, you need to take specific precautions to ensure that your legal compensation claim is protected. Having good evidence may assist in guaranteeing that your injury claim is successful. Following an accident, be certain to:

• Contact law police and seek an evaluation of any injuries by emergency services.
• Include as much information as possible in your documentation. A police accident report is a priceless document, therefore request one.
• Make a note of the car’s license plate number, color, make, and model. Additionally, record the direction in which the car departed and the driver’s attributes.
• Photograph your injuries, your bike, the skid marks on the road, and any other property damage that may be relevant.
• Request that witnesses remain and talk with law enforcement.
• Witnesses may bolster your case and perhaps assist police in apprehending the driver in a hit and run incident.

What Can Cyclists Do to Ensure Their Safety?

To safeguard their safety, cyclists should take the following precautions:

• Always ride in the direction of traffic.
• Before approaching a highway or junction, come to a complete stop and check in both ways.
• Make use of hand signals.
• Keep in mind that cars may not notice you as you pass.
• Always ride defensively.
• Steer clear of erratic and unexpected movements.
• When available, make use of designated bike lanes.

To retain legal assistance in a Colorado Springs bicycle accident, contact a Colorado Springs bicycle accident law company now.

What to Do If You Are Involved in a Bicycle Accident

Following a bicycle accident will only expedite the claim procedure if you get an official police record from the day of the incident. You may never enter a courtroom to resolve your case, but safeguarding your rights and resuming regular life is critical.

Unfortunately, bike accidents almost always end in some kind of injury or death. As difficult as it may be, attempt to detail your medical experience after the accident from the beginning.

This covers any medical appointments linked to the injury, prescription medicine, and trips to physical therapy, among other things. Collect as much evidence as possible to safeguard your rights, and seek payment to cover your present and future medical expenses.

To contact our injury attorneys immediately, click here.

Obtaining Legal Assistance Following a Bicycle Accident

Following a motorcycle accident, the last thing you want to do is begin the legal process of submitting insurance claims and seeking compensation for your losses. If you are concerned about the expense of a lawyer, consider hiring one on a contingency basis, which means you will not be charged unless you get the compensation you deserve.

Following a bike accident, victims are often bewildered, agitated, and in pain, with no idea where to turn next. Fortunately, a skilled bicycle accident attorney can often assist victims in obtaining financial compensation for their losses.

Since 2017, the attorneys at Warrior Injury Law, have been assisting residents of Colorado in obtaining justice via the legal system. They work diligently to ensure that each client they represent receives their legal claim’s full and fair value.

Furthermore, unlike many other personal injury law offices, all legal work is conducted and processed by an attorney who is a member of the Colorado Bar rather than by non-attorney support employees.

To contact one of our lawyers about your case, please email us our online contact form or call our office at 719-300-1100.