Lawyer for Bicycle Accident in Festus, MO
Festus, MO Personal Injury Attorneys
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Festus, MO Lawyer for Bicycle Accident
Lawyer for Bicycle Accident in Festus, MO. Riding a bicycle can be a cheap and eco-friendly way to get around town, or a great way to explore the outdoors. But too often, bicyclists don't receive the same respect that motorists do and end up injured because of someone else's negligence. If you were injured in a bike accident through no fault of your own, the lawyer for bicycle accident team of Halvorsen Klote is here to help see you through your time of need. We offer expert legal representation the injured and vulnerable in Festus, MO and throughout the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. Our case reviews are free, no-risk and no-obligation, and you do not owe us anything unless we win your claim. Speak directly to an accomplished and empathetic bicycle accident lawyer by calling 866-382-4167 or by reaching out to us online.
Why Should You Hire a Lawyer for Bicycle Accident Cases in Festus, MO?
While some simple cases for relatively minor injuries can be handled without the help of an attorney, most require an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in Festus, MO to secure the best possible outcome. A personal injury lawyer in Festus, MO can offer help in a multitude of aspects:
Maximizing Compensation and Ensuring Fair Settlements
The purpose of making an injury claim is to get compensation. While insurance companies try to offer as little money as possible, bicycle accident lawyers can help you increase your compensation by:
- Gathering evidence that proves the other party's liability
- Proving how every single of your damages related to the accident are covered by the insurance policy
- Calculating the complete scope of your damages and all the compensation you are legally entitled to
- Finding supplementary insurance coverage if your damages go beyond the policy limits
- Making sure the insurance company follows the law honestly and ethically
Negotiating With Insurance Companies to Protect Your Rights
Dealing with a discompassionate insurance adjuster can feel disheartening. It's their job to help me, isn't it? Yes, but they'll do whatever it takes they can to avoid accepting that responsibility.
Insurance companies often count on claimants knowing scant about injury and accident law to pay as few money as feasible. We'll ensure they understand their legal duty to reimburse you for every single one of your damages.
Legal Expertise
Bicycle accident cases involve intricate legal processes, including collecting evidence, deposing people who saw the accident, analyzing medical records, and negotiating with insurance adjusters. People who are unfamiliar with injury claims can make mistakes or overlook critical steps. By hiring a lawyer specializing in bicycle accidents, your legal standing becomes a asset, not a weakness.
You didn't ask to be injured and you shouldn't have to deal with the consequences. Let us handle obtaining your compensation while you focus on healing.
Gathering Evidence to Strengthen Your Case
Some cases are more challenging to prove than others. For your bicycle accident case, you'll need an attorney to question witnesses, examine medical records, and link your injuries to your accident, as well as interview witnesses who can support your story. The greater complicated your case, the more supporting evidence is needed. Experienced bicycle accident attorneys like those at Halvorsen Klote will know how to locate the evidence needed to get a full financial recovery.
Representing You in Court if Filing a Lawsuit is Necessary
Most bicycle accident cases settle out of court. However, if fault isn't clear, your damages are high, or other complications arise, the insurance company is going to contest against your rights. That's why you need seasoned injury attorneys in your corner to initiate legal proceedings and bring them to trial if necessary.
As experienced Festus, MO trial attorneys, Halvorsen Klote can fight for you for the duration of your case, from our first case review through a jury or bench trial.
How Common Are Bicycle Accidents in the Festus, MO Area?
In 2020, there were 938 bicyclists killed in auto accidents across the country, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the most since 1987. According to data from the National Safety Council, that same year there were 325,173 bicyclists injured in nonfatal accidents. Most nonfatal injuries occurred in children between five and 14 years old, while deaths were most common in riders between 55 and 64 years old.
In Missouri, in 406 total crashes, 351 people sustained nonfatal injuries and six people perished, according to the Missouri Traffic Safety Compendium. In Illinois, in 2,180 bicycle collisions 1,995 people were injured and 28 people perished.
Across the U.S., highly populated areas with more vehicle traffic see most bike crashes. Over three-tenths of bike crashes occur between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., when visibility is at its lowest.
While bicycle accidents account for only one percent of trips taken by American travelers and commuters, each year they account for more than twice that in traffic accident fatalities. The deviation points to how important bicycle safety is, and also how important it is for drivers of other vehicles to be aware of bicyclists and share the road with them.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Festus, MO?
Each accident is unique, but most bike crashes are caused by driver error or unsafe road conditions. Below are the most common examples of what we see typically causes bike accidents:
- Drivers neglecting to to pay attention
- Drivers neglecting to to yield the right of way
- Drivers failing to respect a bike lane
- Drivers passing in an unsafe manner
- Opening a door after parking on the side of the street checking for bicyclists
- Reckless driving
- Driving under the influence
- Poorly placed road signs
- Road hazards
- Insufficiently marked construction sites
- Pedestrians being oblivious to bikers
- Defective car or bike components
While most bike accidents happen at intersections, a National Transport Safety Board report relayed that "midblock" accidents cause more severe injuries because both the motor vehicle and bicycle are traveling at higher speeds. Your Festus, MO bike accident lawyer at Halvorsen Klote will conduct a comprehensive investigation into your accident to determine the cause of your injuries and who we need to seek compensation from.
What Are Common Injuries from Festus, MO Bicycle Accidents?
Bicyclists are at a higher risk for severe injuries than anyone else on the road. We've helped secure the best possible compensation for people with:
- Brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Fractures
- Internal injuries
- Nerve damage
- Joint injuries such as strains and sprains
Because of the seriousness of the bicycle accident injuries, you need experienced and passionate bicycle accident lawyers like those at Halvorsen Klote to make sure you are compensated for every way in which the injury has affected your life. In the worst accidents, if you suffer the wrongful death of a loved one in the Festus, MO area, we will get you a financial recovery to make sure your future is financially secure and to ease the pain, even if just a little.
Who is Liable for My Bicycle Accident Injuries in Festus, MO?
Who you can seek compensation from depends on the the different aspects that surrounds your accident. Each injury is different, and as such the liable party varies. In some cases there are multiple liable parties, and a knowledgeable bicycle accident lawyer will investigate your injuries and assign a proportionate amount of fault to each of them. Some of the parties we have successfully secured compensation from in bicycle accidents include:
A Motorist
Car, truck and motorcycle drivers can often cause bicycle accidents by not respecting bicyclists' right to share the road. But bicyclists are allowed to enjoy the road the same as an operator of any passenger car, and if you are injured by a motorist the rules for liability in car accidents is no different than any other crash. For example, if someone injures you because they were driving under the influence, they would be responsible for your injuries in a civil claim.
Both Illinois and Missouri have rules of the road for how drivers are supposed to treat and look out for bicyclists, such as not driving or parking in a bike lane. Pursuant to the legal doctrine of negligence per se, someone violates a state statute and injures someone else is liable as a matter of law. So if injured because someone hit you with their car door without looking, your lawyer for bicycle accident only has to provide proof of your damages, and the insurance company will be more amenable in negotiations.
A Defective Bike or Car or Truck Parts
If your result was because of a defective product, such as tires, you can file a product liability claim. Anybody involved in the chain of distribution must ensure that products are not dangerous when used appropriately and issue recalls whenever a component is found to be unsafe. If they are negligent in that duty, you can make a claim against them.
A Trucking or Other Commercial Company
If you are injured by a truck driver, rideshare driver or other commercial driver, you may be able to make a claim against both the driver and their employer. For example, if a trucking company required their driver to work more hours than the law permits, they would be considered negligent.
A Government Entity
Governmental agencies at the state, local and federal levels are responsible for safely designing and maintaining our Festus, MO roadways. If a hazard such as uneven pavement caused your injuries, your Festus, MO bicycle accident lawyer may be able to find out that a government agency did not follow their own regulations for maintaining safe roads. A claim against the government is different in many ways than a standard personal injury claim, so it is important to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible in order to make your claim.
In Missouri, you can make a claim against the government if a driver of public transportation injures you. According to Missouri Revised Statute §537.600, public workers who cause an accident while driving within the course of their employment are not granted sovereign immunity like most other government workers are in personal injury cases. Regrettably, in Illinois, pursuant to 745 ILCS 10/ you cannot sue a public employee unless you can prove that they deliberately harmed you.
What Are My Festus, MO Bicycle Accident Injuries Worth?
There are a variety of factors that determine what, and how much, you can recover for your bicycle accident injuries:
- How serious your injuries are — More debilitating injuries lead to higher medical bills, and you should be reimbursed for all of those expenses. Surgeries will lead to much higher compensation than a a visit or two with your primary care doctor. Was the accident severe enough to require a knee replacement? You will need a new one in 15-20 years, and your Halvorsen Klote Festus, MO bicycle accident lawyer will make sure you are not the one that has to pay for it when that time comes.
- The impact your injuries had on your life — The purpose of a personal injury settlement isn't just to cover your medical bills, but to compensate you for the effects on your personal life, including pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. Is it harder to play with your kids than it used to be? A seasoned and talented Festus, MO bicycle accident lawyer at Halvorsen Klote will secure you compensation for those damages as well.
- How much time you miss from work — Any personal injury settlement will also include the paychecks you were not able to earn, even if you had PTO. If you couldn't work because your injuries were too severe to allow you to work for a period, that lost money will be part of your recovery.
- If your injuries result in lost earning potential — If you were a construction worker who suffered an injury to a disc in your back in a bicycle accident in Festus, MO and a doctor orders you not to lift over 25 pounds, your ability to earn a living has been seriously compromised. Your compensation will need to include enough money to make sure you and your family will still have the means to live a comfortable life.
- The amount of insurance coverage available — Different insurance plans have different policy limits. A standard car insurance policy may have a $50,000 limit on bodily injury, while trucking companies usually have much more. A knowledgeable lawyer for bicycle accidents can help you make an underinsured motorist claim with your own insurance company if the negligent party's insurance doesn't cover all of your damages.
- Whether you were partially responsible for your bicycle accident — Both Missouri and Illinois practice the legal philosophy of comparative fault, meaning that you can still get a recovery if you bear some responsibility for the accident, but the amount will be lowered based on how much blame you share. So if a fact finder awards you $100,000 but you are responsible for 30 percent of the accident, you would receive $70,000. Missouri is called a a "pure" comparative fault state, meaning you can make a recovery even if you are responsible for the vast majority of the accident. Illinois is considered a "modified" comparative fault state, meaning you would be unable to make a claim if more than half the accident is your fault.
At Halvorsen Klote, our Festus, MO bicycle accident lawyers work with medical and economic experts to ensure you are truly fully and fairly compensated for your damages. We know that greedy corporations and insurance companies treat people unfairly. We became personal injury attorneys because we believe that everyone has should have access to the same high standard of legal advocacy as wealthy organizations.
What to Do if You're Injured in a Bicycle Accident in Festus, MO
Getting in a bicycle accident can be frightening and it can be hard to know exactly what to do, but there are several steps you should take to help you recover physically and optimize your compensation.
Stay Calm, Stay Safe and Seek Medical Attention
If you're able to, move to the side of the road to get away from oncoming traffic. Leave your bike, as trying to move it could intensify your injuries. If your injuries are too severe for you to move safely, stay put until emergency medical personnel to get to the scene.
If you don't need to go to the hospital in an ambulance, go to the emergency room or urgent care after authorities tell you you can leave the scene. If you didn't go the same day, make an appointment with your general practitioner in the days afterward. If you don't have a doctor's record of your injuries, you won't be able to get compensation from the insurance company.
Call and Wait for the Police
You need to have the police make a report, as it will go a long way in demonstrating the other party's liability. Police are trained to determine fault in an accident. When talking to police, don't acknowledge fault or over-explain your actions. Be truthful, but stick to the facts of the accident and your injuries, and don't give any information they don't specifically ask for.
Gather Evidence and Witness Contact Information
While waiting for the authorities to arrive, gather as much evidence as possible. Take photos of the accident location, any damage to your bicycle and the other vehicle, and your injuries. If there are witnesses present, ask for their contact information so your city, state bicycle accident lawyer can contact them later.
Don't Settle Too Quickly
The insurance companies' first offer will almost always be an inadequate offer. They want you to settle before you discover the full extent of your damages or hire an attorney. They may tell you no more money is available, but that's almost hardly ever true. Most injury attorneys give free consultations, so it's always worth it to consult with a lawyer about your case before accepting a settlement.
Check out some of the other cases we take on in Festus, MO:
- Fatal Car Accident Lawyer
- Auto Accident Attorney
- Bike Wreck Lawyer
- What to Do After a Car Accident
- Premises Liability Attorneys
- Automobile Injury Attorney
- Motorcycle Accidents Attorney
- Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
- Injury Claim Lawyer
Lawyer for Bicycle Accident in Festus, MO | Halvorsen Klote
You did not ask to be put in this situation, and you should not have to pay because someone else did not respect your safety. Our Festus, MO lawyer for bicycle accident team has dedicated their abilities to standing up for people who have been wronged, and ensuring that they recover the full compensation they deserve. You do not pay unless we reach a successful conclusion to your case. Call a bicycle accident lawyer in Festus, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us online for a free case review.
Joel Halvorsen
Attorney at Law
Joel Halvorsen and his partner Greg Klote founded the Halvorsen Klote law firm on the principle that injured people and their families should have access to the same quality legal representation as large insurance companies.
Greg Klote
Attorney at Law
Greg Klote is a partner and founder of Halvorsen Klote.
Greg has successfully fought for people who were injured through no fault of their own. He became a lawyer to help make a difference in the lives of those who have been wronged and treated unfairly.
