There is no standard average settlement for a bicycle accident. Payouts have ranged from a few thousand dollars to several million dollars. The amount you might receive depends heavily on the severity of your injuries and how the accident impacts your future.
A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can help you understand what your case is worth and work to get you maximum compensation after a bicycle accident that wasn’t your fault.
Our firm has recovered more than $100 million for injured accident victims. We’re big enough to win, but small enough to care. Call today for your free case review and find out how our Bellevue bicycle accident lawyers can help with your case.
What Determines the Amount of a Bicycle Accident Settlement?
Insurance companies and your attorney will weigh various factors to determine what they believe is fair compensation for your bicycle accident injury. These include:
Severity of Your Injuries
Serious injuries like fractures or head trauma greatly increase your settlement value because they result in higher medical bills, longer recovery times, and permanent impairment. Future medical needs and long-term disability can also significantly raise your settlement.
Your Medical Expenses
All of your medical expenses, including hospital care, surgery, therapy, medication, and future treatments, are considered in your settlement. For serious injuries, medical costs and their long-term effects can increase the amount of your bicycle accident settlement.
Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
If your injuries cause you to miss work or reduce your future earning ability, Washington State allows recovery of all related financial losses. This includes past wages, diminished future income, and long-term vocational limitations.
Non-Economic Damages
Washington allows full recovery for non-economic damages like pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life with no statutory cap. Because these damages can be substantial, they often result in settlements that are significantly larger than in capped states.
Comparative Negligence
Washington uses pure comparative negligence to determine fault, meaning you can recover damages even if you are partially to blame for the accident. However, your percentage of responsibility reduces your total compensation.
Insurance Policy Limits
The at-fault driver’s insurance limits often cap recovery, but additional sources like your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may increase your available compensation. The more coverage available, the greater the potential settlement, especially in severe injury cases.
Can an Attorney Increase My Bicycle Accident Settlement?
In most cases, our attorneys can significantly increase the average bicycle accident settlement you can receive. If you have a personal injury case, some of the things our team can do to improve your settlement include:
- Build Your Case: We strengthen our negotiating leverage by thoroughly investigating your bicycle accident to get a clear understanding of what happened and who is liable.
- Assess Your Damages: Our attorneys will calculate all medical costs, lost income, and non-economic damages to make sure nothing is missed in your total settlement amount.
- Negotiation With Insurance Companies: We will counter lowball offers, manage communication, and employ legal strategies to pressure insurers into paying a fair settlement amount.
- Identify Additional Compensation Sources: More than one party may be liable for your injuries. If possible, we’ll look beyond the at-fault driver for additional contributors to your accident.
- File a Lawsuit if Needed: We’ll take your fight to court if necessary. Often, the possibility of a lawsuit urges insurers to offer higher settlements to avoid litigation risks and potential jury awards.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim for a Bicycle Accident?
In Washington, you typically have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim for a bicycle accident, according to RCW 4.16.080. Missing the deadline usually eliminates your right to compensation.
There are exceptions to this rule under some circumstances. Examples include:
- If your bicycle accident involves a government entity, you must file a notice of claim within 90 days of the incident.
- If a bicycle accident results in a fatality, Washington allows the decedent’s family to file a wrongful death claim within three years of the date of death, not the date of the accident.
- If the injured person is under 18 years old, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is tolled until they reach the age of 18.
- If the victim is mentally incapacitated, the time limit is tolled until they regain their cognitive functions.
Get Help With Your Bicycle Accident Settlement
The average bicycle accident settlement is hard to predict because many settlements are confidential. Additionally, settlement amounts range widely, from a few thousand dollars for relatively minor accidents to millions of dollars for serious injuries.
It’s always smart to consult a personal injury lawyer when you are hurt in an accident. Our attorneys can offer guidance on what to do after a bicycle accident and let you know if you have a case.
Premier Law Group has served thousands of clients since 2001. When you get hit, we hit back harder. Call today for your free consultation and tell us about your bicycle accident.
Jason at premier law group is truly an outstanding individual. Our particular case was not something that their firm usually sees but they were more than willing to help us and give us all of the information they had available. I can't recommend them enough.