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Forest City and all of Rutherford County have fantastic spots to go biking with your family, from the Thermal Belt Rail Trail to the Purple Martin Greenway Trail. What’s more, North Carolina was the first state to recognize bicycles as vehicles, thanks to the Bicycle and Bikeway Act of 1974. This act established that bicyclists have just as much a right as any other vehicle to be on the street.
However, many drivers fail to share the road with bicyclists. This lack of care leads to multiple bike accidents each year in the state of North Carolina, resulting in minor injuries, severe injuries, and death.
If you’re injured in a bicycle accident in Rutherford County, a Forest City bicycle accident lawyer from Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can help you seek justice and compensation.
We Work on a Contingency-Fee Basis for Bicycle Accident Claimants
Worried about the cost of hiring a lawyer for your bicycle accident case? We work on contingency fees, which means you don’t pay us anything unless we secure compensation for your losses.
You don’t pay hourly rates or retainers; we finance each of your case’s obligations from beginning to end.
We Encourage You To Consider Your Legal Options as Soon as Possible
Per G.S. § 1-52, you typically have three years from the date of your bicycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party. If you’ve lost a loved one, you may only have two years to file your suit, per G.S. § 1-53.
When we learn about your case, we will file it within the appropriate deadline and advocate for your rights in court.
We Will Pursue Everything You Need for Your Accident-Related Losses
If you suffered harm in a bicycle accident, you can seek compensation for many damages, including:
- Current and future medical costs
- Lost wages during your recovery period
- Lost ability to work due to a short or long-term disability
- Property damage to your bicycle and equipment
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death-related losses, such as funeral bills, end-of-life care fees, and other losses
Your bicycle accident attorney can also pursue multiple routes to recover compensation. We can negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf to resolve your case out of court. Alternatively, we can file a lawsuit against the at-fault party if negotiations don’t work out.
How Much Will My Bicycle Accident Settlement Be?
No two bike accidents are the same, which makes it difficult to give an estimate of how much your unique bicycle accident case is worth. We consider the following factors when calculating your damages:
- Your injuries and their severity
- Your current and anticipated care costs
- Your wages and earning potential
- Your age at the time of the accident
- Your portion of fault for what happened
We consult with specialists (like accident reconstruction experts and healthcare professionals) to determine how your injuries affect you economically, physically, and emotionally. This information helps us calculate an accurate and thorough figure for your damages.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bicycle Accident Cases in Forest City
When considering their legal options, former bicycle accident claimants have asked us:
What Injuries Merit Compensation?
Previously, we’ve recovered compensation for people suffering from:
- Bruising and lacerations on the body and/or face
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal tissue damage and bleeding
- Psychological trauma
We’ve also recovered damages for families who have lost loved ones.
Who Could Be Responsible for My Losses?
There are many parties who could be responsible for your losses, such as:
- A negligent driver
- Another bicyclist
- A pedestrian
- Municipal agencies responsible for maintaining roadways, bike lanes, and sidewalks
- A bicycle manufacturer
If multiple parties are responsible for your losses, we will pursue compensation from each of them. This could give you more than one avenue when seeking damages.
Should I Report a Bike Accident?
If the police came to the accident scene, then you don’t have to file a bicycle accident report; they already did that for you. However, if law enforcement didn’t come to the accident scene, you should report the incident to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
Does the Cause of My Accident Matter?
The cause of your accident matters because that lets us know who should pay for your losses. After investigating your case, we may find that one or more of the following factors caused your collision:
- A motorist’s failure to look for bicyclists while driving, turning, or switching lanes
- Improper turns or lane changes
- Driving in bike lanes
- Aggressive driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Poor road conditions and hazards, like potholes, cracks, debris, sand, or gravel
- Severe weather
What Should I Do After My Bicycle Accident in Forest City?
What you do after your bike accident can impact the strength of your case and your recovery. If you’ve just been in a bicycle accident in Forest City, consider these steps:
- Seek medical attention. You want to show the other party that you suffered injuries that merit compensation. Getting diagnosed by a healthcare professional (as well as getting treatment) establishes your right to damages.
- Document the accident. This involves taking photos of your bicycle’s damage, your external injuries, and any hazards that caused the collision. Keeping track of your losses will also help recover what you need.
- Get the contact information of any witnesses. Witnesses aren’t just people who saw your accident happen. They could be your loved ones who took care of you after getting injured. They could also include the healthcare professionals who managed your condition.
- Write down what you remember of the accident. Anything you remember before, during, and after the collision could be vital to proving your case.
We also recommend consulting with our bicycle accident team serving Forest City. By partnering with a lawyer, you give yourself more time to focus on your health, well-being, and recovery.
Connect with Our Legal Team Today
The bicycle accident attorneys at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC are ready to review your case and help you recover much-needed compensation. Contact our team to get a free case evaluation and explore your options.
