Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Seattle, WA
At Premier Law Group, our Seattle bicycle accident lawyers are committed to protecting the best interests of our clients. With decades of personal injury experience, we know how to hold negligent drivers and large insurance companies accountable. As a mid-sized law firm, our team is well-equipped to take on the range of legal cases—from relatively routine matters to highly complex bicycle accident claims. For a free consultation with a top-rated Washington bicycle accident attorney, please contact our Seattle office today.
What You Need to Know About Bicycle Accident Liability in Washington
In Washington, bicycle accident liability is based on fault. To hold a defendant responsible for a bicycle accident, you must prove that their negligent actions/inactions contributed to your injuries. Negligence is defined as the failure to act with due care. Although there are some exceptions, most bike accident injuries claims are brought against motorists. Some examples of driver negligence that can cause bicycle accidents include:
- Speeding;
- Distracted driving;
- Texting while driving;
- Following a cyclist too closely;
- Crossing in front of a bicycle;
- ‘Buzzing’ a bicyclist;
- Failure to yield;
- Not giving a biker access to their lane;
- Running red lights;
- Running stop signs; and
- Intoxicated driving.
Washington is a comparative negligence jurisdiction. As such, multiple parties can be held liable for the same crash. When liability is shared in a Seattle bicycle accident case, it will be split in proportion to each party’s “blame” for the crash. For instance, if one driver was found liable for 80 percent of the collision, they would be responsible for 80 of the damages.
Notably, insurance companies frequently try to push some of the fault back onto injured victims. In other words, an insurer may try to blame you for part of your own accident. Do not let them get away with it: It could take thousands of dollars out of your settlement check. Our Seattle, WA bicycle accident lawyers are here to investigate your crash and protect you from an unfair finding of fault.
Compensation for Injuries Caused by Defective Bicycle Design and Parts
It’s shocking to think that over half a million cyclists are seriously injured every year in the United States. One-third of the injured cyclists are kids under the age of 14. Why are these accidents happening? Well for starters, manufacturers and big box retailers alike are cutting corners, at great harm to the buying public. Manufacturers use cheap unreliable materials and designs to reduce production costs. Then, big box retailers improperly assemble and sell these defective bicycles, parts, and accessories. Cyclists rely on their equipment to protect them. But the bikes and helmets are falling apart and causing serious injury and fatality accidents.
Have you or a loved one been injured in a defective bicycle accident? Did you lose someone you love in the accident? Are you dealing with horrendous medical bills? And rightly scared for your future? Let Premier Law Group help!
Our attorneys are personal injury experts in defective bicycle cases. We handle cases involving all kinds of bike equipment failure. Additionally, our attorneys are highly skilled at identifying all sources of compensation. Most importantly, our attorneys know how to deal with manufacturers and big box insurance claims people. We know how to identify all of the potential parties responsible for your bike accident. And then, we hold the companies responsible for the defective bicycles and file claims. Let us collect the evidence and deal with insurance claims adjustors. That’s all we do! We negotiate for you, while you focus on regaining your life.
Call Premier Law Group today at (206) 285-1743 for a FREE Consultation!
Filing a Defective Bicycle Lawsuit in Seattle
Bicycles today are cost effective environmentally responsible ways of getting around in our traffic clogged roadways. All cycles come with certain safety warranties. If the bicycle or bicycle equipment failed and caused your injuries, your claim could be filed with several entities.
Depending on the facts and evidence from the scene of the injury accident, your claim can be against the manufacturer, the retailer, and more. An experienced bicycle accident lawyer will hold all responsible entities liable for the defective bicycle accident.
This includes:
- The bike manufacturer or designer
- The bike seller
- A bike rental company
What Are the Causes of Defective Bicycle Crashes?
There are many different examples of defective bicycle accidents that cause serious injuries. They include:
- Defective Bicycle Frames and Wheel Forks– Carbon fiber bike frames that are poor quality carbon. The bicycle frame or forks can crack and fail with no warning.
- Handlebars or Bike Stem– Poorly assembled handlebars and bike stems that are too loose or over-tightened cause cyclists’ bikes to fall apart while riding.
- Defective Assembly by Big Box Merchants – Walmart, Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and more retailers assemble bicycles on-site. Buyers will never know who assembled the bike, nor if they are trained in bike assembly. And retailers fail to give buyers bike manuals.
- Improperly attached pedals– Pedals fall off when the pedal is attached without lining up the threads of the pedal spindle and crank arm.
- Seat Post raised too high– Seat posts fall out of the bike frame if they are installed without the minimum post depth in the frame.
- Stem raised too high– Bike stems and handlebars can separate from the bike frame if there’s an inadequate amount of stem inserted into the frame.
- Improperly tightened wheel skewers– Quick-release skewers are supposed to hold the wheels onto the bike frame. If the skewers are too loose, the bicycle wheels fall off.
What Rights Do Cyclists Have in Seattle?
Cyclists enjoy all the same legal rights as motor vehicle operators and pedestrians, with the following special conditions:
- Bicycles cannot carry more people than intended by design, with exceptions for securely attached small children.
- Cyclists cannot ride bikes attached to moving vehicles.
- Bicyclists are to ride in Seattle’s bike lanes whenever possible, and should ride with traffic, on the right side of the road. Seattle doesn’t prohibit riding on sidewalks, but there they must yield to pedestrians.
- Cyclists may not ride more than two across on roadways.
- Bicycles must have specific lights and reflectors when being ridden between sunset and sunrise.
In addition, bicyclists must obey all traffic laws and signs. If a cyclist violates specific bicycle or traffic regulations, this does not mean he or she can’t recover damages for injuries. This is because the violation may not have caused the accident and injuries.
You Deserve Full Financial Compensation
Proving liability is not, by itself, sufficient to recover the full financial compensation that you deserve under the law. You must present evidence demonstrating the value of your losses. Unfortunately, insurance companies fight hard in an effort to settle personal injury cases for the lowest amount that they can get away with. We will help you get the compensation you deserve. Our Seattle bicycle accident lawyers have a long record of success going up against negligent defendants and insurance companies. You may be eligible to recover for:
- Ambulance fees and emergency room care;
- Other medical bills/expenses;
- Rehabilitative treatment;
- Mental health counseling;
- Loss of current and future income;
- Pain and suffering;
- Mental distress;
- Scarring/disfigurement;
- Reduced quality of life; and
- Wrongful death damages.
How Our Seattle, WA Bicycle Accident Attorneys Can Help
As a starting point, our team will let you know if you need a lawyer to represent you. If you are better off handling your case on your own, we will tell you. Should you require professional legal representation, our top-rated Seattle personal injury attorneys will take aggressive action to protect your rights. Do not let the insurance company pressure you into settling for less than the full value of your damages. Our King County bicycle accident lawyers will:
- Conduct a free, confidential review of your bicycle accident claim;
- Take the time to understand your unique situation;
- Investigate the bike accident—compiling all relevant evidence;
- Collect medical bills and document your damages;
- Handle correspondence and settlement discussions with the insurance company; and
- Work directly with you through all aspects of the personal injury claims process, ensuring that you know exactly what is going on with your bicycle accident case.
We believe that every client deserves personalized guidance and support. No two bicycle accident claims are identical. Our attorneys will put in the time and energy to understand your case and help you get the best possible results—whether through a full and fair settlement offer or by taking your case to trial.
Discuss Your Case With Our Seattle Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
At Premier Law Group, our Seattle bicycle accident attorneys will stand up for your rights and your family. If you or your loved one was hurt in a bicycle accident in Washington, we will help you pursue justice and full financial compensation. To request a free, no commitment personal injury consultation, please contact us today at (206) 285-1743. We represent injured bike accident victims in Seattle and throughout King County.