St. Louis Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Have you been injured in a bicycling accident in St. Louis? If a negligent driver hits you, you should not be left with the financial burden. An experienced St. Louis bicycle accident lawyer can help you seek compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost earnings, and more. Contact Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers at (314) 400-0000 for help.

We made it our mission to seek maximum recovery for all your damages.

Founding attorney E. Ryan Bradley puts more than 20 years of experience to work for you. Contact our law office for a free consultation to discuss your case.

How Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Bicycle Accident in St. Louis

How Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Bicycle Accident in St. Louis

After a serious bicycle accident, you deserve a St. Louis personal injury lawyer you can trust to fight for the compensation you deserve. At Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers, our mission statement is to ensure you recover the maximum amount for all of your damages, from all sources, and to the fullest extent of the law.

Our lawyers are frequently recognized for recovering the top verdicts and settlements in Missouri. Our attorneys have earned the highest rating from Martindale-Hubbel, a 10.0 Superb AVVO rating, and a place among The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers.

Put our decades of legal experience to work for you, and we will:

  • Provide sound legal advice and guidance at every step
  • Handle all communications and administrative details
  • Conduct a thorough investigation into your accident
  • Accurately value the damages you sustained
  • Pursue all avenues for compensation
  • Work with top experts in many fields to build the strongest negligence case
  • Negotiate for a fair settlement offer
  • Present a compelling case before a jury to fight for maximum compensation 

Choose Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers to represent you in your bicycle accident injury claim, and we will not rest in seeking full compensation. Call our St. Louis office today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

How Common Are Bicycle Accidents in St. Louis, MO?

St. Louis is considered a bike-friendly state with more miles of protected bicycle lanes than even Seattle. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of bicycle and pedestrian trips increased by 50% in Missouri. Every year, Missouri residents take nearly 20 million bicycle trips, and 2 million residents ride a bicycle regularly.

However, the St. Louis area has more bicycle accidents than anywhere else in Missouri. Bicycle accidents and fatal crashes are on the rise in Missouri and across the U.S..

Fortunately, Missouri has one of America’s lowest fatal bike accident rates, with only 2 fatal bicycle accidents per 1 million people in 2018. This figure was down from 2016, which had 9 deaths per 1 million. Compare these figures with California at 155 deaths/1 million and Florida at 161 deaths/1 million.

Nationwide, cyclist fatalities increased 25% between 2010 and 2017 alone. Despite accounting for less than 1% of trips in the U.S., bicycle trips have a higher risk of crash injury and death than car accidents. In 2015 alone, there were over 467,000 bicycle crash-related injuries in the U.S.. Most serious bike accidents involve a crash with a motor vehicle.

2018 was the deadliest year for bicyclists and pedestrians in the United States since 1990. Every day, 2 bicyclists were killed in collisions.

What Is My Bicycle Accident Case Worth?

Every accident claim is unique, and damages are highly personal. There is no way to estimate the value of your case without a careful evaluation. 

We will help you understand the potential value of your case based on factors like:

  • The amount of insurance coverage available
  • Whether you share any blame
  • The circumstances of the crash
  • The value of your economic losses
  • The type and severity of your injuries 
  • The impact your injuries have on your life, function, abilities, work, hobbies, and relationships
  • Whether you are left permanently impaired, disfigured, or disabled 

Contact Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a St. Louis personal injury lawyer. We will discuss your case and help you understand a fair estimate of your bicycle accident case’s value.

What Kind of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?

Bicycle accident victims in Missouri may recover two primary types of damages. Economic damages compensate you for damages with a clear financial value. Non-economic damages compensate you for emotional, physical, and psychological damages without a clear value.

You may be entitled to money for:

  • Property damage
  • Medical expenses, including future medical needs
  • Lost wages for time you took off to recover
  • Lost or reduced earning capacity if you are impaired or disabled
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Emotional distress
  • Disfigurement 

In rare cases, you may be entitled to punitive damages which do not compensate you but punish the defendant for egregious conduct, like drunk driving.

Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers will fight for full compensation for all your damages, both financial and inherently personal.

Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Bicycle Accident in Missouri?

It is certainly not always negligent drivers who cause bike accidents. Bike riders often share at least some liability. If you failed to stop at a stop sign, made a dangerous turn at an intersection, or did not obey other rules of the road, you may be found partially at fault for your crash.

Missouri uses a pure comparative negligence rule in accidents involving shared fault. Under this system, negligence (and liability for damages) in a crash can be shared.

You can still recover compensation if you are partially at fault for your crash, even up to 99%.  The amount of fault you are assigned will directly reduce the damages you can recover.

Be aware that insurance companies use this to their advantage and may try to shift as much blame as possible to reduce their liability for your injuries. An experienced St. Louis bicycle accident lawyer will help you fight back against blame-shifting tactics.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Bicycle Accident Injuries

Bicyclists have little protection in a crash. In a collision with a vehicle, bicyclists are struck with a large vehicle’s full force and may be thrown a great distance.

At Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand the devastating nature of bicycle collisions and fight for maximum compensation for all of your injuries. 

We will pursue all avenues of compensation for:

  • Brain injuries
  • Fractures, including skull, rib, collarbone, arm, leg, and facial fractures
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries like abrasion and lacerations
  • Back and neck injuries
  • Nerve damage
  • Joint injuries, including knee injuries
  • Musculoskeletal injuries like dislocation and strains
  • Organ damage such as rupture, laceration, or perforation of the organs 

Head injuries alone are responsible for more than 60% of bicycle accident deaths and most disabilities related to bike crashes. They occur in 22% to 47% of bicycle accidents with injuries, most often in accidents involving vehicles.

Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers will help you fight for the full compensation you deserve for the serious injuries you have sustained.

What Causes Most Bicycle Accidents in St. Louis, Missouri?

Bicycle accidents involving vehicles can happen for any number of reasons, but most are attributed to negligence or human error. Both motorists and cyclists can share fault in a crash.

One of the most common reasons for bicycle accidents is that a motorist simply did not see the bicyclist. Bicyclists on the side of the road or in a bike lane can easily occupy a driver’s blind spot, particularly with large SUVs.

 A study by the National Transportation Safety Board found that “midblock” collisions, or crashes in areas between intersections, are likely to cause bicyclists’ most serious injuries. In many of these crashes, the driver states they did not see the cyclist.

Other common causes of St. Louis bicycle accidents include:

  • Distracted driving by negligent drivers. When a driver is distracted, they may not see a bicyclist in an adjacent bike lane or crossing an intersection. Distracted driving crashes kill 3,500 every year.
  • Inattention. A motorist or cyclist who is inattentive may fail to recognize hazards, bicyclists, or stop signs.
  • Drunk driving. This is a factor in nearly one-third of fatal crashes in Missouri.
  • Speeding. This is one of the top causes of all traffic collisions. Speeding reduces reaction time and increases the risk of serious injury. 

Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers will conduct a careful investigation into your collision to determine how your accident happened. We will gather evidence to show who was at fault for the injuries you sustained.

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Bicycle Accident in Missouri?

Even seemingly straightforward cases involving a bicycle-auto accident can become complex when it comes to proving fault. Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers will investigate your crash to gather evidence that builds the strongest case for negligence. 

Evidence in your case that proves negligence may include:

  • Police report and crash report
  • Whether there were citations or arrests made
  • Witness statements
  • Video and photographs of the scene, property damage, and conditions
  • Suspected distracted driver’s cell phone records 

In complex bike accidents, we may work with specialists like accident reconstruction experts who can testify as to how the accident occurred, what factors were involved, and who was to blame.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bicycle Accident in Missouri?

You have five years to file a personal injury lawsuit after a bicycle accident in Missouri. This strict statute of limitations means you will be barred from recovering any money if you miss the deadline to file your claim. If a loved one was killed in a fatal bicycle accident, the statute of limitations for a wrongful death claim is just three years.

Contact a St. Louis Bicycle Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

After a bicycle accident, you may be left with financial uncertainty, a painful recovery, and a life that is forever changed. When a negligent driver caused your accident, you deserve the full compensation available under the law. Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers will fight for you with the goal of recovering maximum compensation to help you move on with your life.

Contact our law firm today to schedule a free consultation with a St. Louis bicycle accident lawyer. We work on a contingency fee basis; you never pay anything out of pocket and nothing unless we win your case.

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