You hear about an auto accident happening all the time, and you’ve probably seen a motorcycle accident or two in your years of driving from Ogden, Utah to the valley. One type of accident that not everyone is too familiar with when it comes to knowing about liability are bicycle accidents. While these accidents may not seem serious, they can lead to extreme cases of personal injury in both parties.
Who is liable in a clash between a cyclist and a pedestrian? While many may point their fingers at the cyclist, an experienced lawyer from Robert J. DeBry & Associates can look at the evidence and determine who was in the wrong.
Bicycle Accidents in Numbers
These accidents are more common than you might think. There are over 700 reported bicycle/pedestrian accidents in the United States yearly. Sixty-eight percent of fatalities were reported in urban areas, with the average victim age being 44, though seven percent of those victims were aged 15 or younger.
If you or a loved one were involved in a bicycle clash, contact an attorney to schedule a consultation and investigate the accident as well as determine who was at fault. If you were the victim, you can qualify for compensation due to your injuries.
Determining the Cause
An experienced lawyer can determine who was at fault by considering distractions. Cell phones are a major threat to concentration when it comes to driving a car and even riding a motorcycle. If the pedestrian was on his cell phone while walking and happened to get in the path of a bicyclist, the pedestrian is at fault, especially if the rider had little to no time to stop.
This also applies to the rider. If the bicyclist was distracted while riding and struck a pedestrian, the rider is at fault—the pedestrian would be entitled to compensation if any injury occurred. While bicycle accidents may not make headlines, they have a huge impact on those involved.
Contact a licensed professional if you have been injured in one of the most overlooked accidents.
Sources:
https://www.maxmeyerslaw.com/faqs/who-is-liable-in-bicycle-pedestrian-accidents-.cfm
https://www.maxmeyerslaw.com/blog/bicycle-accident-statistics-in-washington-the-u-s-.cfm