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Huntsville Bicycle Accident Attorneys

We stand by our results with much focus and dedication to offer you.

Huntsville Bicycle Accident Attorneys

Biking has many advantages. It’s a great way to get around, to get in some exercise, and to help out with the green revolution. Biking accidents, on the other hand, are exceedingly dangerous. When you’re on your bike, you have absolutely nothing other than your safety helmet to protect you from the impact of a traffic accident, and serious injuries can be the result. If a motorist’s negligence leaves you injured in a bicycle accident, you owe it to yourself and to your claim to consult with an experienced Huntsville bicycle accident attorney today. The law firm of Cloud, Ryan & Rouse is ready to stand up for the rights of cyclists injured by dangerous drivers and other parties. Call us today.

Injuries Common to Bicycle Accidents

Because bicyclists are so vulnerable in traffic accidents, their injuries tend to be extremely serious and commonly include:

  • Broken Bones – The immense impact of a bike accident can easily break one’s bones, and these injuries are as slow to heal as they are painful. Further, a broken bone that doesn’t heal properly can lead to chronic pain and ongoing health concerns. In fact, a broken bone can segue into a permanent disability that adversely affects your life far into the future.
  • Traumatic Brain Injuries – Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are generally caused by an impact to the head (or by the severe shaking of the head), as can happen in a bike accident. Bike accidents can result in TBIs even if you are wearing a safety helmet at the time. You are, nevertheless, always safer when you wear a well-fitting, government-approved bike helmet before you head out on two wheels. TBIs are serious and unpredictable injuries. Depending on which part of the brain was damaged, victims can have cognitive, physical, and/or behavioral impairments, some of which might last for months or may even be permanent. The negative consequences associated with a serious TBI are often overwhelming.
  • Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal cord injuries are generally caused by an impact to the back, shoulders, or neck, and they are often both very painful and very slow to heal. A spinal cord injury can leave victims with a significant reduction in movement through the back, neck, and/or shoulders and can lead to chronic pain. Further, when a spinal cord injury is very serious, it can result in permanent paralysis.
  • Deep Cuts and Abrasions – When you’re on your bike, you don’t have a protective shell around you the way you would if you were in a car. If you’re involved in a traffic accident, you’re very likely to be dragged, thrown, or projected across the pavement, which can lead to serious cuts and abrasions where your skin and the ground scrape against one another (often called road rash). These cuts and abrasions can be quite painful and slow to heal. They can also lead to secondary health concerns, and when they are on or near the face, they can lead to permanent disfigurement.

The potential injuries associated with bicycle accidents are obviously very serious and require immediate medical attention. Sometimes, injuries like TBIs and spinal cord injuries can take some time before they become symptomatic, which allows them to develop into something more serious and more difficult to treat. Even if you don’t think you were injured in the bicycle accident, you owe it to yourself and to your health to seek medical attention as quickly as possible to help rule out the presence of a serious asymptomatic injury.

Your Medical Damages

The medical damages associated with a serious bicycle accident tend to be extensive, and can include:

  • Emergency care and treatment at the scene of the accident and emergency transportation from the scene of the accident
  • Surgery, aftercare, and follow-up care
  • Treatment from doctors and specialists, which can be ongoing
  • Physical and occupational therapy
  • Prescription medications
  • Home health care
  • Physical adaptations for your home and adaptive physical devices for you

The fact is that your injuries can lead to ongoing health concerns that necessitate health care and medical expenses into your future. Calculating the full extent of your medical costs, including future expenses, is critical to your case and your ability to make your fullest recovery.

Lost Wages

If you’ve been seriously injured in a bicycle accident, you are very likely going to be out of work for a considerable amount of time, and this translates to lost wages. Depending upon the type and severity of your injuries, the accident could leave you facing a diminished earning potential into the future and could even mean an altered career trajectory. Because so many of us equate our careers with our sense of self in the world, such consequences can be both financially and emotionally challenging.

Pain and Suffering

The physical pain and suffering associated with a dangerous bike accident are all too real, but the emotional pain and suffering can be just as difficult. Being injured in an accident that involves a vehicle that’s many, many times the size and weight of your bike is obviously terrifying and stressful. Many victims suffer PTSD-like symptoms that can include flashbacks, fear of getting back on one’s bike, increased anxiety, and depression. The pain-and-suffering component of your damages is serious and should not be discounted.

Common Causes of Bike Accidents

Bike accidents are often caused by driver negligence, which can include:

  • Distracted Drivers – Drivers who are distracted by anything other than driving safely endanger everyone with whom they share the road, and bicyclists are especially vulnerable. Smartphones have become the distraction of the moment, and drivers who interact with their smartphones while behind the wheel are exceptionally dangerous.
  • Impaired Drivers – Getting behind the wheel after downing a few drinks is always a terrible idea. When drivers fail to take this seriously, accidents can ensue, including bike accidents.
  • Drowsy Drivers – It’s hard to accomplish anything when you’re tired, and driving safely is no exception. Drowsy drivers endanger everyone with whom they share the road.
  • Speeding Drivers – Excess speed is closely associated with dangerous accidents, and bike accidents that occur when motorists are speeding are the most dangerous of all.
  • Aggressive Drivers – Aggressive drivers make our roadways far riskier for everyone, including bicyclists. In fact, some aggressive drivers adhere to the belief that they shouldn’t have to share the road with bicyclists, and they take their aggression out on said bikers. These are among the most dangerous drives on our roads.

Motorists are responsible for driving safely and in accordance with the rules of the road. When drivers fail to live up to this very important responsibility, it makes dangerous bicycle accidents far more likely.

It’s Time to Consult with an Experienced Huntsville Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Bicycle accidents are some of the most dangerous accidents on our roadways. If a negligent driver leaves you injured in a bike accident, the experienced Huntsville bicycle attorneys at Cloud, Ryan & Rouse have the experience, commitment, and resources to help. Our compassionate legal team is prepared to aggressively advocate for the compensation you need and to which you are entitled. We’re on your side, so please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 256-801-1000 for a free consultation today.

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Our law firm is ready to provide you with legal representation. We stand by our results with much focus and dedication to offer you.

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