Riverdale Bicycle Accident Attorney

If you were injured in a bicycle accident in Riverdale, Georgia, understanding your rights is critical for recovering compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident-related losses. A bicycle accident can leave you with severe injuries and a lengthy recovery period, which can significantly disrupt your life.

To take the first step toward seeking the compensation you deserve, contact Kaufman Injury Law for a free consultation with an experienced bicycle accident lawyer. Our team is committed to helping injured Riverdale residents hold those who harmed them financially accountable.

What Causes Bicycle Accidents in Riverdale, GA?

Many severe bicycle accidents are caused by the negligence of other parties, such as passenger vehicle drivers. Some of the most common causes in Georgia include:

• Distracted Driving: Drivers looking at their phones or talking to their passengers while driving down Highway 85 through Riverdale may not see or may drift into cyclists on the side of the road.
• Intoxicated Driving: Impaired drivers often cannot stay in their lanes and may also run stop signs and red lights, putting cyclists in harm’s way.
• Failure to Yield: When drivers don’t yield the right-of-way to cyclists, such as by turning in front of them, cyclists can crash into the side of the vehicle.
• Dooring Accidents: Many drivers and passengers don’t check for cyclists before swinging their doors open, resulting in the doors striking the cyclists and causing them to be thrown to the ground.
• Poor Road Conditions: Poorly maintained roads, such as those with significant potholes and cracks, can pose a hazard to cyclists. The government entity responsible for road maintenance could be liable for injuries caused by these conditions.

Important GA Laws That May Affect Your Bicycle Injury Case

Our experienced bicycle accident attorneys in Riverdale and throughout Clayton County understand the challenges cyclists face on local roads. A few key bicycle laws could impact your Riverdale injury case, including laws regarding helmet use, bike safety features, and lane use. The defendant’s lawyers may attempt to use these laws to show that you are at fault for the accident or your injuries. However, your lawyer can also point to these laws to show that you did everything you were supposed to and that the defendant’s negligence was the primary cause of the accident.

Helmet Use

Georgia Code 40-6-296(e)(1) requires all bicycle riders under 16 to wear helmets. While every bicyclist should wear a helmet to protect themselves from traumatic brain injuries and other head injuries, the law does not require it for adults.

Bicycle Safety Features

Georgia Code 40-6-296 also states bicycles should have safety features like brakes and reflectors. When riding at night, they must have a front light visible from 300 feet away. They should also have a red rear light. This rear light is not required if the bike has a red rear reflector.

Lane Use

Georgia Code 40-6-294 says that bicyclists should stay as close to the right side of the road as possible, except when turning left or avoiding hazards, to allow motor vehicle traffic to pass. Additionally, Georgia Code 50-6-56 requires drivers passing cyclists to reduce their speed by 10 miles per hour or to 25 miles per hour, whichever is faster, and give the cyclists at least three feet of space.

What Compensation Can You Seek After a Bike Crash in Riverdale?

In Riverdale, GA, bicycle accident victims can seek compensation for their various economic and non-economic losses either through an auto insurance claim against the at-fault driver’s liability coverage or a personal injury lawsuit. Some of the most common types of compensation sought in these cases include:

• Medical Expenses: You can seek compensation for your past and future medical expenses, including hospital stays, surgeries, medical treatments, prescription medications, medical devices, and physical therapy.
• Lost Wages: Bicycle accident injuries often leave victims unable to work while they recover and may impact their ability to work long-term. You can seek compensation for the income and work benefits you lost or will lose because of your injuries.
• Disability Accommodations: If your injuries leave you with permanent disabilities, you can seek compensation for necessary accommodations, such as making your home or vehicle accessible or hiring in-home care.
• Pain and Suffering: One of the main non-economic losses victims seek compensation for is the physical pain and emotional suffering caused by their injuries. There are a few different ways to calculate this compensation, including assigning a value to each day until recovery or applying a multiplier to the compensation sought for your economic losses.
• Property Damage: You can also seek compensation for repairing or replacing your damaged or lost property, including your bicycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer for a bicycle accident in Riverdale?
Yes. A Riverdale bicycle accident attorney can help you recover maximum compensation and protect you from lowball offers by insurance companies.

Can I still get compensation if I was partially at fault?
Yes. Under Georgia’s comparative negligence rule, you can recover compensation if you are less than 50% at fault.

How much is my bicycle accident case worth?
It depends on the severity of your injuries, medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Our attorneys can calculate the full value of your claim.

Modified Comparative Negligence

Georgia Code 51-12-33 outlines the state’s modified comparative negligence rule, which could significantly impact your case. Comparative negligence reduces a plaintiff’s damages in proportion to their degree of fault, and Georgia’s modification to this rule adds a 50 percent threshold for seeking compensation.

This means that if you are found to be 30 percent at fault for your injuries, you would only be able to recover 70 percent of your compensable losses. And if you are more than 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover money from the other liable parties.

The insurance company’s lawyers will attempt to place as much of the fault for the accident as possible on you to reduce their client’s liability. They may say that you are partially at fault because you weren’t wearing a helmet or should have moved farther to the side of the road. However, an experienced personal injury attorney can help maximize your compensation by pushing back against these accusations and providing evidence of the defendant’s negligence.

How Long Do You Have to File a Riverdale Bicycle Accident Lawsuit?

Under Georgia Code 9-3-33, accident victims have two years to file lawsuits against the at-fault parties. Failure to file your lawsuit within this period will result in the courts barring you from seeking compensation for your injuries. It’s vital that you begin working with a bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible so they have time to gather the necessary evidence and build a strong case before the deadline arrives.

How Our Bicycle Accident Attorneys Can Help You

Kaufman Injury Law has been providing Riverdale injury victims with legal support for more than 45 years, has recovered millions of dollars for our injured clients, and was voted the best personal injury firm in Georgia by the Georgia Business Journal 2024. Some of the ways our experienced legal team can assist with your Riverdale bicycle accident case are:

• Investigating the Incident: We’ll investigate the cause of the accident and identify all liable parties so that we can hold them financially liable for your injuries.
• Collecting Evidence: We’ll gather supporting evidence to prove the at-fault party’s negligence caused your injuries.
• Calculating Damages: We’ll calculate the value of your case to make sure you receive the full compensation you deserve.
• Negotiating With Insurance Companies: We’ll negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf and seek a settlement that covers all of your expenses.
• Representing Your Case at Trial: If the insurance companies won’t agree to a fair settlement, we’ll take your case to trial and seek the maximum compensation.

Speak With a Riverdale Bicycle Accident Attorney Today

If you were injured in a Riverdale bicycle accident, contact Kaufman Injury Law for a free consultation with an experienced Georgia accident lawyer. During your initial consultation, our lawyers will review the incident, explain your options for seeking the compensation you deserve, and walk you through the laws that could impact your case.