The uniqueness of a bicycle accident is that the bicycle rider is using a roadway like another vehicle and in a very vulnerable position. Most runners and walkers are using pedestrian walkways and will not be subject to traffic unless they are using the roadway. Bicycle riders must ride on the right-hand side of the road and travel with the traffic. If there is limited space for a vehicle to pass a cyclist, many motorists will drive by the cyclists without utilizing the three-foot rule. The three-foot rule simply means that a vehicle operator must give a three-foot buffer to all cyclists to prevent accident or injury.
The other unique aspect is that cyclist is traveling at a higher rate of speeds than runners or walkers, and therefore subject to severe injuries. A fall from a bike is usually nothing more than bumps, scrapes, and bruises. But the higher rate of speed, the more likely there can be serious injury or death. If you have been severely injured while riding a bike, you need compensation for your damages. Let an experienced bicycle accident attorney help. Call to learn about the role of a Pascagoula bicycle accident attorney and how they could help your case.
Standards are simply that cyclists must obey the traffic laws and all regulations related to normal traffic. Furthermore, cyclist, like other vehicle operators in Mississippi, must act with reasonable care under the circumstances. This is called the reasonable person standard and will be always applied to each operator of a vehicle, bicycle, a motorcycle, or other users of the road.
In most bicycle cases, there is usually a clear distinction about liability. It was either the bicycle rider’s fault, or it was not. There certainly are cases where liability is a question, but for the large majority of bicycle accidents, liability is clear. When liability is not clear, then your attorney must hire experts to look at the evidence, take statements from witnesses and the parties involved and gather evidence to support the injured person’s case.
Mississippi law with regard to bicycle accidents operates under comparative negligence. This simply means that the judge or jury will look at liability and fault on a percentage scale from zero to 100 percent. If there are two parties involved, then any party can have an assignment of liability from 0 to 100 percent, as long as the two amounts equal 100 percent. If there are three or more parties then all parties will be assigned fault from 0-100 percent as long as the total is 100 percent.
There are many roles of a Pascagoula bicycle accident attorney. A lawyer can make sure that the appropriate medical treatment is obtained for you following a crash. An attorney could recreate the accident scene by the use of an accident reconstructionist and by getting evidence related to the accident scene. An experienced lawyer could help negotiate the maze of insurance claims and utilizing your private or public health insurance policy to get full treatment. Pascagoula bicycle accident attorneys then negotiate with medical providers on resolving any bills.
The most important role of a bicycle accident attorney is to recover the maximum amount possible for your injuries. Call today to get started on your case.