Lawyer for Bicycle Accident in Glen Carbon, IL
Glen Carbon, IL Personal Injury Attorneys
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Glen Carbon, IL Lawyer for Bicycle Accident
Lawyer for Bicycle Accident in Glen Carbon, IL. Riding a bicycle is great for our physical and mental well-being. But too frequently, bicyclists don't receive the same respect that motorists do and end up injured because of someone else's negligence. If you sustained an injury in a bike accident because someone else did not respect your safety, the lawyer for bicycle accident team of Halvorsen Klote will fight for your rights and secure you the financial recovery you deserve. We provide expert and sound legal advocacy to the injured and vulnerable in Glen Carbon, IL and throughout the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. Talking to us is free, and we charge no attorneys' fees until you are fairly compensated. Speak directly to a knowledgeable and friendly bicycle accident lawyer by calling 866-382-4167 or by getting in touch with us online.
Why Should You Hire a Lawyer for Bicycle Accident Cases in Glen Carbon, IL?
While some simple cases for relatively minor injuries can be handled without the help of an attorney, most require an experienced bike accident attorney in Glen Carbon, IL to secure the optimal outcome. A personal injury lawyer in Glen Carbon, IL can give support in a range of ways:
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, bike accident attorneys can help you increase your compensation by:
- Gathering evidence that proves the other party's liability
- Proving how all of your damages related to the accident are included by the insurance policy
- Calculating the complete scope of your damages and all the compensation you are legally entitled to
- Finding additional insurance coverage if your damages surpass the policy limits
- Making sure the insurance company applies the law honestly and ethically
Negotiating With Insurance Companies to Protect Your Rights
Dealing with a heartless insurance representative can feel frustrating. It's their job to help me, isn't it? Yes, but they'll do whatever it takes they can to avoid taking on that responsibility.
Insurance companies often rely on claimants knowing limited about injury and accident law to offer as few money as achievable. We'll ensure they understand their lawful obligation to compensate you for all your damages.
Legal Expertise
Bicycle accident cases involve complex legal processes, including collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, analyzing medical records, and negotiating with insurance adjusters. People who are inexperienced with injury claims can make errors or miss important details. By hiring a lawyer specializing in bicycle accidents, your legal standing becomes a advantage, not a vulnerability.
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 recovering.
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 interrogate witnesses, review medical records, and connect your injuries to your accident, as well as depose witnesses who can validate your story. The greater complicated your case, the more evidence is needed. Knowledgeable bicycle accident attorneys like those at Halvorsen Klote will know how to find 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 responsibility isn't clear, your damages are high, or other complications arise, the insurance company is going to oppose against your rights. That's why you need seasoned personal injury lawyers in your corner to bring a legal action and pursue litigation if necessary.
As experienced Glen Carbon, IL trial attorneys, Halvorsen Klote can fight for you throughout your case, from initial consultation through a jury verdict.
How Common Are Bicycle Accidents in the Glen Carbon, IL Area?
In 2020, there were 983 bike accident fatalities in traffic crashes in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the most since 1987. According to data from the National Safety Council, in 2020 there were 325,173 nonfatal injuries in bicycle accidents. Most nonfatal injuries occurred in children between five and 14 years old, while adults aged 55 to 64 are at the highest risk for deaths.
In Missouri, there were 406 total crashes which lead to 351 injuries and six fatalities, according to data from the Missouri Traffic Safety Compendium. In Illinois, in 2,180 bicycle collisions 1,995 people were injured and 28 people died.
Nationawide, the vast majority ofMost bicycle accidents occur in urban areas where traffic is more congested. Thirty-one percent of bike crashes transpire between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., when it is more difficult to notice bikers on the road.
While bicycle accidents account for only one percent of trips, each year they account for more than two percent of traffic accident fatalities. The deviation speaks to the horrible destruction motorists can cause when they don't look out for bikers, and how important safety measures like helmets and lighting are.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Glen Carbon, IL?
Each accident is unique, but most bike crashes are caused by motorist error or unsafe road conditions. Below are the most common examples of what we see typically leads to bike accidents:
- Drivers failing to pay attention
- Drivers neglecting to to yield the right of way
- Drivers neglecting to to obey bike lane laws
- Drivers passing in an unsafe manner
- Opening a door without seeing if a biker is coming
- Reckless driving
- Driving under the influence
- Road signs that impede a motorists vision
- Road hazards
- Inadequately zoned-off 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 accidents between intersections are more severe because both the motor vehicle and bicycle are traveling at higher speeds. Your Glen Carbon, IL bike accident lawyer at Halvorsen Klote will conduct an exhaustive investigation into your accident to who and/or what caused it and who is at fault for your injuries.
What Are Common Injuries from Glen Carbon, IL Bicycle Accidents?
Bicyclists are more likely to sustain severe injuries than anyone else on the road. Some of the most common injuries our lawyer for bicycle accident team has helped Glen Carbon, IL residents receive compensation for include:
- Brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Fractures
- Organ damage
- Nerve damage
- Joint injuries such as sprains
Because of the gravity of the bicycle accident injuries, you need skilled and dedicated 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 tragic case of the wrongful death of a family member in the Glen Carbon, IL area, we will get you compensation to make sure your future is financially secure and to ease the pain, even if just a little.
Who Can I Sue for My Bicycle Accident Injuries in Glen Carbon, IL?
Who you can seek compensation from depends on the causes of your accident. Each case is different, and as such the liable party varies. In some cases there is more than one person or organization is at fault, and a knowledgeable bicycle accident lawyer will investigate your claim and make each of them compensate you based on how much of the accident was their fault. Some of the parties we have successfully secured compensation from in bicycle accidents include:
A Car, Motorcycle or Truck Driver
Car, truck and motorcycle drivers can often cause bicycle accidents by not respecting bicyclists' right to share the road. But the road is for everyone, and if you are injured by a motorist the laws for liability in car accidents is no different than any other crash. For instance, if someone hits you because they were distracted by using their phone, they would be at fault for your injuries.
Both Illinois and Missouri have strict regulations for how motorists are supposed to interact with bicyclists, such as allowing at least three feet of space when passing. Under the legal philosophy of negligence per se, someone violates a state statute and injures someone else is liable as a matter of law. So if you were injured by a motorist in a bike lane, your lawyer for bicycle accident only has to provide proof of your damages, and the insurance company will likely be more motivated to offer a fair recovery.
A Defective Bike or Car or Truck Parts
If your result was the result of a defective product, such as headlights, you can seek a product liability claim. Anybody involved in the chain of distribution must ensure that products are not dangerous when used appropriately and issue recalls if a safety hazard comes to light. If they fail to, you can seek compensation from them.
A Trucking or Other Commercial Company
If a commercial driver causes your accident, the employer may be partially liable. For example, if a trucking company hired an unqualified driver, they would be responsible for a percentage of your compensation.
A Government Entity
Municipal entities at the state, local and federal levels are responsible for safely designing and maintaining our Glen Carbon, IL roadways. If a hazard such as uneven pavement contributed to your injuries, your Glen Carbon, IL bicycle accident lawyer can investigate if a government agency was liable. There are special rules for filing claims against government agencies and they have different deadlines for how long you have to file, 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. Pursuant to Missouri Revised Statute §537.600, government workers who injure somebody while operating a motor vehicle are not granted sovereign immunity like most other government workers are in personal injury cases. Regrettably, in Illinois, 745 ILCS 10/ does not allow anyone to sue a public employee in a tort case unless there was "willful and wanton" misconduct.
What Are My Glen Carbon, IL Bicycle Accident Injuries Worth?
How much your claim is worth depends on the severity of the injuries, how they've affected your life, your financial damages and other factors:
- How serious your injuries are — The worse your injuries, the more you'll have to pay in medical bills, and you should receive all of those expenses. Surgeries will lead to much higher compensation than a quick trip to the emergency room. Did your injuries include a joint replacement? You will need a new one in 15-20 years, and your Halvorsen Klote Glen Carbon, IL bicycle accident lawyer will make sure a new one paid for too.
- How your injuries have affected your physical and emotional well-being — 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 mental anguish. Is it painful just to get up and down the stairs? An experienced and knowledgeable Glen Carbon, IL bicycle accident lawyer at Halvorsen Klote will fight to make sure the physical and emotional pain you felt is compensated to.
- Your lost wages from time spent recovering — You will also be reimbursed for the money you were not able to earn. If you couldn't earn a living because you were on bed rest for six weeks, you need to be compensated for that.
- If your injuries prevent you from working the same job — If you were a construction worker who sustained a back injury in a bicycle accident in Glen Carbon, IL and now are not able to safely lift over 30 pounds, your ability to earn a living has been severely compromised. Your compensation will need to be high enough to make sure you and your family will still have the means to live a comfortable life.
- Policy limits — Different insurance plans have different amounts of coverage. Illinois and Missouri both require $25,000 per person for bodily injury in car accident policies, while commercial enterprises usually have much more. A skilled lawyer for bicycle accidents can help you make an underinsured motorist claim with your own insurance company if the coverage available isn't enough to fully compensate you for your injuries.
- Whether you are partially at fault for your bicycle accident — Both Missouri and Illinois are comparative fault states, meaning that you can still be reimbursed for your damages if you bear some responsibility for the accident, but the amount will be lowered based on how much blame you share. Meaning, if it is determined that your economic and noneconomic damages come to $100,000 but you are responsible for 30 percent of the accident, you would receive $70,000. Missouri is considered a "pure" comparative fault state, meaning you can make a recovery even if you are 99 percent responsible. Illinois is considered a "modified" comparative fault state, meaning you would be barred from recovery if you are more than 50 percent responsible.
At Halvorsen Klote, our Glen Carbon, IL 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 do what we do every day because we believe that an ordinary person who has been injured by another's negligence should be able to depend on the same knowledgeable and aggressive legal representation as wealthy organizations.
What to Do if You're Injured in a Bicycle Accident in Glen Carbon, IL
Getting in a bicycle accident can be scary and it can be hard to know exactly what to do, but there are several steps you should take to help you get better physically and enhance your compensation.
Stay Calm, Get to Safety 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, wait for emergency medical personnel to get to the scene.
If you don't need to go to the hospital in an ambulance, visit the emergency room or urgent care after police tell you it's safe to leave the scene. If you didn't go immediately, make an appointment with your general practitioner as soon as possible. If you don't have a doctor's record of your injuries, you won't be able to obtain 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 establishing 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 what happened. Be truthful, but don't say anything beyond the facts of the accident and your injuries, and don't offer any information they don't explicitly 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 afterwards.
Don't Settle Too Quickly
The insurance companies' first offer will almost always be a lowball offer. They want you to settle before you realize the full extent of your injuries or hire an attorney. They may tell you no more money is available, but that's almost never 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.
Click on the links below to see some of the other cases we take on in Glen Carbon, IL:
- 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 Glen Carbon, IL | Halvorsen Klote
You did not ask to be put in this situation, and you do not have to go through this alone. Our Glen Carbon, IL lawyer for bicycle accident team has dedicated their careers to standing up for people who have been wronged, and ensuring that they get the full compensation they deserve. You only pay if we win your case. Call a bicycle accident lawyer in Glen Carbon, IL 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.
