In order for you to win a bicycle accident claim, you need to prove that the car driver was responsible for your injuries. According to NHTSA, approximately 846 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes in 2019.
Motorists have been known to act in a manner that suggests cyclists do not have as much of a right to be on the road as them. If you live in the Fall River area in MA, and you’ve been injured by a negligent motorist, you can claim compensation through the help of a Fall River bicycle accident lawyer.
Which Rules Should be Followed on the Road?
Both cyclists and drivers must:
- Yield to pedestrians
- Obey all traffic signs and signals
- Follow the same direction as traffic flow
- Signal when changing lanes or turning
- Yield to cars already on the road before pulling into traffic
- Not drive or cycle under the influence of alcohol or other drugs
The state of Massachusetts has its own common bicycle laws and some of them include:
- Not using a siren or a whistle to warn pedestrians
- Not carrying a child under the age of 1 or weighing less than 40 pounds unless they are secured on a seat attached to the bike.
- Not modifying your bike in such a way that the handlebars are higher than your shoulders when you grip them.
- Not parking your bike in an area where it will be in other people’s way.
- You must wear visible clothing especially at night
- Additional traffic laws for bicycles in Fall River, MA
Keep in mind that cyclists are not required to stick to bicycle lanes or to give way to faster cars. You can legally cycle in the middle of a lane and other cars cannot overtake you until it is safe to do so.
How Can You Prove Liability in Bicycle-Car Accident
Because of the busy streets, it’s not unusual for urban areas to have the highest number of bicycle accidents. Most common accidents in these areas include:
- Getting rear-ended by a car
- A driver turning onto the path of an oncoming cyclist
- A passing car sideswiping you
- Hitting the open door of a parked car
There are also other causes of bicycle injuries which require a bit more detail and they include:
Defective Bicycle Parts
Some bicycle accidents are a result of the mechanical failure of one of the bike’s components due to a product defect. If there is a product defect and that defect resulted in an injury, everyone involved in supplying and distributing the product might be held accountable.
This means that all parties involved starting from the manufacturer to the retailer can be held liable. There are three types of product defects and they include:
- Failure to warn. The product did not come with the proper instructions and therefore resulted in an injury
- Manufacturing Defects. During the manufacture of the product, there was a defect, and you were injured as a result of this defect
- Design Defect. The product was poorly designed and resulted in injuries
Hazardous Road Conditions
Studies show that hazardous road conditions contribute to the severity and the frequency of road accidents all over the United States. However, unlike cars, bicycles are at a greater risk of an accident when they encounter hazardous road conditions. Dangers you should watch out for include:
- Poorly lit roads
- Train tracks
- Gravel or sand on the road
- Faded bike lanes
- Sewer grates
- Huge cracks in the road
- Potholes
When Should You Hire a Fall River Bicycle Accident Lawyer?
If you were involved in a bicycle accident and your injuries were not severe, you probably won’t need a lawyer to help you with your case. However, you might want to consider hiring a bicycle accident lawyer in Fall River if your injuries are severe, you missed a significant amount of time away from work to recover from your injuries and the cost of your treatment is quickly adding up to amounts you cannot afford.
At Kevin P Landry Law Offices, we can evaluate the value of your claim for free. We also work on a contingency fee basis; this means that you won’t have to pay us until we win your case. To book your free initial consultation, call us at 508-676-0001 today.
