Colorado Springs Cycling Crash Lawyers

Residents of Colorado Springs may expect to encounter several bicycles on our roads on any given day, doing so both for exercise and as a mode of transportation.

Even though riding bikes and other pedal-powered vehicles is unquestionably healthful, fuel-efficient, and cost-effective, it exposes riders to a great danger of physical damage, which is particularly true for children.

A bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle might result in potentially severe injuries to the biker involved. To prevent being involved in an accident, cyclists should take all reasonable precautions to avoid being engaged in an accident. If they are involved in an accident, they should do all they can to compensate for their injuries.

The Right Hook Cycling Accident

Several bicycle accidents may occur when automobiles make right turns at junctions, all of which are preventable. It may manifest itself in a variety of ways, as detailed below:

1. When a biker passes a slower automobile on the right, the slower car makes a right turn into the bicyclist. Another kind of automobile collision involving bicyclists occurs on what is known as the “right hook,” which is when a car makes a right turn at an intersection. This occurs regularly!
2. The automobile and the motorcycle are both stopped at a red light. When the light changes, the automobile makes a right turn, cutting off or maybe striking the cyclist (similar to what happens in number 1 above).
3. The driver of a vehicle passes a bicycle as the two of them approach a junction, and then the driver of the car turns right at the crossroads, cutting the cyclist out of the picture. As a result, while there was more significant space between the automobile driver and the bike rider, an accident nevertheless occurred.

In most of the three scenarios described above, the automobile will be at blame or legally culpable for the accident. However, regardless of who is to blame, a rider may take steps to lessen the likelihood of being involved in a bike accident.

As you approach the crossing, you may alter your lane position by riding closer to the automobile lane or by occupying the whole right lane as you cross it. Because the automobile driver is in a better position to negotiate the right turn, the load is transferred to them.

You should always be prepared to stop immediately if a vehicle cuts you off when bicycling; this is particularly true near junctions! Even while this may anger automobile drivers behind you, it is legal, and it may help you stand out so you can be seen!

When approaching an intersection, use a mirror to maintain a good lookout, swivel your head often, and check your mirror as you approach it.

At crossroads and driveways, you should never pass another vehicle on the right. This is a major no-no since it may be quite risky for you, the biker, to do so. Either slow down to match the automobile’s speed or move to the left lane and pass on the left side of the highway.

When approaching a vehicle from behind or while waiting at a traffic signal, you should avoid being in the vehicle’s blind area.

It would help if you also considered crossing at a crosswalk — but keep in mind that riding into the crosswalk from the sidewalk puts you at danger of getting struck by automobiles turning left or right, who will not be expecting a bicycle to enter the crosswalk from the sidewalk abruptly.

Make use of your common sense in this situation. By walking your bike across the crosswalk as if you were a pedestrian, you may lessen your chances of getting stuck in the crosswalk.

I have seen bikers doing this when I am driving, and I feel it is safer for them.

Warrior Injury Law may be reached at 719-300-1100 if you need to speak with a Colorado Springs bicycle accident attorney right now.

WHAT IS A RIGHT HOOK ACCIDENT, AND HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

According to the National Highway Road Safety Administration (NHTSA), 48,000 pedal cyclists were wounded in traffic incidents in 2013. Specifically, right hook accidents occur when a car driving in the same direction as a bike turns right at an intersection and collides with the bicyclist.

These incidents may occur when a car directly strikes a bicycle or when a vehicle drives into the cyclist’s path in such a manner that the cyclist is struck by the vehicle. Typically, right hook accidents occur when a bike is going in the far right section of the right lane and goes unobserved by other automobiles utilizing the same lane as the bicyclist.

WHO IS TO BLAME WHEN A RIGHT HOOK ACCIDENT OCCURS?

A right hook injury may be quite intricate, which is one of the reasons why victims should always employ the services of an expert attorney. Assuming the car that made the right turn did not see the bike and drove straight into them, the motorist would certainly have some responsibility.

Similarly, if the automobile were to turn so that it was impossible to prevent a collision, the same would apply. As an alternative, if the driver turned with plenty of space and the biker failed to detect the automobile, the person riding the bike may be held responsible.

In many circumstances, the most important consideration is the length of time that elapsed between the automobile overtaking the bike and making the right turn that resulted in the collision.

WHAT KIND OF INJURIES MAY DEVELOP AS A RESULT OF A RIGHT HOOK COLLISION?

Bicyclists may experience life-threatening injuries in right hook incidents, which can result in paralysis. These injuries may result in medical consequences that might last for many years after the incident in certain situations.

When a biker is struck by a car and falls to the pavement on the other side of the road, this holds in particular. The following are some of the most prevalent injuries that occur as a result of right hook accidents:

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES (TBIS)

Traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI, occurs when trauma damages the brain. In difficult situations, a spinal cord injury (SCI) may result in full paralysis below the point of damage.

TBIs are a significant sort of damage that may have long-term consequences for the brain’s ability to function. In difficult situations, victims of traumatic brain injury (TBI) might suffer long-term impairments, including difficulties speaking and comprehending, coordination, emotional disorders, and memory problems.

SPINAL CORD INJURIES

Spinal cord injuries, also known as SCIs, occur when trauma damages the spinal cord, a bundle of nerves that allows the brain to communicate with the rest of the body.

BROKEN BONES

Bone fractures have the potential to be highly painful and to result in disfigurement as well as other significant medical problems, including amputation.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIABILITY

The ultimate objective of safe riding is to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place. On the other hand, cyclists who break right-of-way regulations may suffer an additional hardship if an accident happens, in which case they may be held to be at blame.

This implies that if the driver is injured or the vehicle is damaged, the biker may be subject to a personal injury claim. In addition, if the cyclist is injured, they may be unable to obtain damages for injuries, medical bills, lost income, or pain and suffering if the accident occurs.

Colorado Springs Bicycle Accident Lawyers

MAKE CONTACT WITH A COLORADO SPRINGS BICYCLE ACCIDENT ATTORNEY NOW TO ARRANGE FOR A FREE CONSULTATION AND CASE REVIEW.

The immediate consultation with an attorney should be sought by anybody involved in a right hook accident or any other form of a bicycle accident.

The majority of the time, persons injured in bicycle accidents are entitled to considerable financial compensation for the losses they experience, which may include medical expenditures, lost income, loss of quality of life, and physical and mental pain and suffering, among other things.

The help of an expert attorney may often have a significant influence on the amount of compensation that victims collect. Therefore it is critical to get legal advice as quickly as possible after suffering a personal injury.

Because of the negligence and recklessness of others, the Colorado bicycle accident attorneys at Warrior Injury Law have been representing victims who have been harmed in bicycle accidents since 2017. To set up a free consultation with one of our lawyers, please call our office at 719-300-1100 or submit an email using our online contact form.