Bicycle accidents happen frequently in the all areas of Texas, urban and rural, especially during the fall, spring, and summer. People participate in cycling either causally with their family and friends or competitively. Regardless of how people enjoy this activity, they are still obligated to follow the rules and regulations of the road set forth in Texas state law. Motorists often do not pay attention to cyclists who are riding small, unprotected, light-weight bicycles. This inattention to cyclists often result in accidents. Some common bicycle accidents occur when a motorist fails to stop at a red light or stop sign; or swerves into a cyclist’s lane, or simply ignores the presence of the cyclist and strikes them while passing. Clearly when a motorized vehicle comes in contact with a cyclist, there is potential for property and personal injury damages to the cyclist.
When an accident like this occurs, the cyclist may be unsure if they are able to maintain a claim against the careless person who may have caused the accident. Nevertheless, it is important to collect as much evidence as one can while at the scene of the accident, such as taking photos of the vehicle and bicycle involved, the accident scene, and the injuries caused from the accident. Also, it is helpful to get a police report, contact information of any witnesses and the parties involved. If the cyclist sustained is injured, it is recommended that they get medical treatment as soon as possible.
The best thing to do is to contact an attorney immediately so they can evaluate your case. Questions the attorney will ask are basic questions: Who, what, where, when, and how: Who was involved in the accident? What happened? Where did it occur? What was the date and time of the accident? How did it happen? Was the police called? Was an accident report taken? After an accident, it is a good idea to make notes about what occurred so you will be able to give as much information as possible to the attorney evaluating your claim. Try and collect names and phone numbers of the parties involved, as well as names and telephone numbers of any witnesses to the accident. The more information about your accident that you are able to give, the better the attorney will be able to properly evaluate your claim.
Eric Reyes shares the passion of cycling like many others do. He participated in many cycling events around the nation, such as the annual Hotter Than Hell in Wichita Falls, Texas. He fully understands the challenges cyclists face whether it is from unsafe roadways or unsupervised dog chases. One of Eric’s bicycle cases involved a young student who loved cycling. Her love for the sport assisted her in achieving a college cycling scholarship. She was unfortunately killed by a careless driver when she went on a routine bike ride in the morning. Eric brought the same amount of passion as he does for cycling into the court room to advocate for the family. He and his litigation team were able to help the father of the young girl get compensation for the tragic accident. Not only is he experienced with cyclist and motorist accidents, but as a Texas Board Certified attorney in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Law he has represented multiple bike riders with different accident scenarios involving all kinds of injuries.
If you have any questions about these types of cases, please give our office a call at (817) 332-1522 or visit our website.