Bicycle Accident Attorney in Charleston, WV

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 743 bicycle accident fatalities across West Virginia in 2013 as well as over 48,000 injuries. Unfortunately, due to the inherent nature of a bicycle-vehicle accident, injuries suffered by bicyclists are often of a very serious nature, sometimes resulting in severe, long-term injury or death. In order to successfully win a personal injury case, it is essential to understand some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents in West Virginia.

These causes often include:

• Bad Road Conditions — The government has a certain obligation to keep roads safe and free from dangerous hazards, such as debris. Dangerous roads need to be clearly marked.
• Bike Path Accidents—West Virginia law requires bicyclists to use designated bike lanes. However, sometimes motor vehicle drivers take advantage of the bike lane. In other cases, the government doesn’t properly maintain the bike path, leaving debris and/or dangerous conditions in the designated bicyclist area.
• Intersection Accidents — At intersections, drivers are usually occupied by looking for other cars. However, they need to be aware of any bicyclists as well.
• Failure to Follow Motor Vehicle Laws — Motor vehicle drivers must follow all West Virginia laws to help protect the safety of other vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
• Failure to Property Signal — Motor vehicles must properly signal when making a turn or changing lanes. Moreover, drivers must make an audible signal when passing on the left side.
• Failure to Yield to Bicyclists — Vehicles do not have an automatic right-of-way over bicycles. As such, they must yield to bicyclists in applicable situations.
• Door Accidents — When opening the door, it is important to pay attention to any passing bicyclists. Failure to do so could cause serious injury or even death.

Injuries suffered in a bicycle accident often require immediate medical care and can result in broken bones, internal injuries to organs, and injuries to extremities, resulting in permanently reduced function and/or amputation. Therefore, by pursuing a bicycle accident case, you could be eligible to receive compensation for medical expenses, rehabilitation expenses, pain and suffering, loss of wages, loss of a future ability to earn wages, and more.