Atlanta Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Bicycle Accident Attorney in Atlanta

Atlanta is a busy city, hosting one of the largest airports in the United States and the corporate headquarters of major companies like the Coca-Cola Company and Delta Air Lines. The city sees thousands of visitors a day, and while there is a great deal of motor vehicle traffic in Atlanta, there are also many people riding bicycles in the area. If you are hurt in an accident while riding your bike, an experienced Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer can help you understand your options.

Representing Bicycle Accident Victims in Atlanta, GA

The aftermath of any vehicle accident in Atlanta can be traumatic and confusing. You may have little to no recollection of the incident due to your injuries, and you will need an attorney’s help to prove the cause of your accident and identify the driver responsible. An Atlanta personal injury lawyer from Barnes Law Group can be a valuable resource in this situation.

Barnes Law Group has extensive experience helping injured clients in all types of complex personal injury cases in Atlanta and surrounding areas of Georgia, including those arising from bicycle accidents. Former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes leads an experienced and dedicated team of attorneys to help injured clients make sense of their legal options after they have been hurt by the negligence and misconduct of others.

When you hire our firm to represent you in a bicycle accident case, we can immediately begin gathering the evidence you need to prove the cause of your accident and identify the party or parties responsible. Trust us to guide you through an auto insurance claim against an at-fault driver, and if necessary, we can build a comprehensive personal injury case for you. You have limited time to build your case, so it’s vital to reach out to our team right away.

Proving Fault for a Bicycle Accident in Atlanta

When a motor vehicle driver hits a bicyclist, it qualifies as a vehicle accident, and Georgia is an at-fault state for all vehicle accidents. This means that if you intend to claim compensation from any other party for the damages you suffered, you must prove fault and show how the defendant caused the accident before you can recover any compensation. Some of the most commonly reported causes of bicycle accidents in Atlanta include:

• Distracted driving. When drivers text while driving or are otherwise distracted, they put themselves and all others around them at risk. Distracted driving is a leading cause of vehicle accidents throughout the United States each year, and bicyclists are especially susceptible to distracted driving because they are smaller and easier to overlook than other vehicles.
• Speeding. Every driver is required to abide by posted speed limits. Any type of speeding is dangerous, as the driver may not have time or space to slow down or stop to avoid an accident. Bicycle accidents caused by speeding have a very high chance of causing severe or fatal injuries.
• Moving violations. Failure to stop for red lights or stop signs, illegal turns, and failure to yield the right-of-way are just a few examples of moving violations that can potentially cause catastrophic bicycle accident injuries. Traffic camera footage is often crucial evidence for proving fault for accidents caused by moving violations.
• Intoxicated driving. It is illegal for any driver to operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but this is a leading cause of serious accidents throughout Georgia each year. A driver who causes an accident this way faces criminal charges from the state as well as civil liability for damages they caused to others.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the ways bicycle accidents can happen in Atlanta. These accidents can easily result in life-changing or even fatal injuries for bicyclists. The Georgia Governor’s Office for Highway Safety reported 24 bicycle accident deaths in the state in 2023. The National Safety Council reported a total of 1,377 deaths and 341,744 injuries from bicycle accidents nationwide in 2023.

Barnes Law Group can gather the evidence you will need to prove the exact cause of your bicycle accident and hold the defendant accountable for the resulting damages. Once you have established fault, filing a claim against the defendant’s auto insurance policy is likely to be your first option for recovering your losses. Georgia law requires every driver to have auto insurance that meets minimum coverage requirements.

Filing Your Auto Insurance Claim for a Bicycle Accident

Dealing with insurance company representatives after an accident can be challenging. Insurance companies will almost always push back against claims in whatever way they can, looking for ways to justify denying or devaluing the claim as much as possible. Some insurance companies will even engage in bad faith tactics in their efforts to avoid paying out settlements.

It’s a good idea to consult an experienced Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer before filing your auto insurance claim after a bicycle accident. Your attorney can help you gather the evidence and documentation you will need to submit to the insurance carrier, and they will be ready to address any disputes raised against your claim. Once you receive a settlement offer, your attorney can ensure it is fair and reasonable.

Claiming Compensation With a Personal Injury Case

You may need to file a personal injury case against the defendant who caused your accident. Success with a personal injury suit in Georgia will require accurately identifying the driver responsible for causing the accident, proving exactly how they caused it, and then proving the full extent of the resulting damages. This may sound straightforward, but you might encounter a host of unexpected challenges with your case.

An experienced personal injury lawyer can help their client gather the evidence needed to hold a defendant accountable in a personal injury suit. If successful, the plaintiff has the right to claim compensation for any economic and non-economic damages the defendant caused. For most plaintiffs, their claimable economic damages are likely to include:

• Property losses, such as the cost of repairing or replacing their bicycle and any other property lost in the accident.
• Medical expenses. Most bicycle accidents result in severe injuries. The plaintiff has the right to claim full repayment of all immediate and ongoing medical expenses incurred from the accident. The defendant is liable for the cost of any treatment the plaintiff needs to reach maximum medical recovery from their injuries.
• Lost wages. When the plaintiff is unable to work for an extended time due to their injury, the defendant is liable for the income the plaintiff is unable to earn during this time. Additionally, the plaintiff has the right to claim compensation for the future income they will no longer be able to earn if they are permanently disabled by their injuries.

Economic damages in a personal injury case are generally straightforward and proven with the correct documentation. Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are more subjective and difficult to assign a value to. The plaintiff has the right to claim compensation for the physical pain and psychological suffering they have endured because of the defendant’s actions. The amount they can receive generally depends on the overall severity of their injuries.

Bicycle accidents often result in broken bones, soft tissue damage, injuries to internal organs, facial and dental injuries, traumatic brain damage, and more. Victims often require immediate emergency medical treatment followed by months or even years of rehabilitation. Some are unable to work for a long time, while others are permanently disabled and will not be able to work or live independently following these accidents.

Hiring an experienced Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer can significantly improve your chances of success with your recovery efforts. Barnes Law Group has the resources and experience necessary to handle the most challenging accident cases in Atlanta, and we are confident we can guide you to a positive outcome for your case.

How Your Atlanta Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help

The aftermath of any accident in Atlanta can be confusing and stressful. You may be struggling with painful injuries and discomfort during medical treatment, which in turn has generated expensive medical bills. Your personal finances could be further strained by an inability to work, and if another party is responsible for creating this situation, an Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer can help you hold them accountable.

You have limited time to file an auto insurance claim or personal injury suit after your accident, so it will be crucial to consult an experienced Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer as quickly as possible to ensure the greatest chance of success with the recovery efforts you attempt. Barnes Law Group takes time to get to know each client, and we develop an individualized legal strategy tailored to the client’s unique needs.

Our firm can help you navigate the insurance claim filing process and resolve any issues you encounter with an insurance carrier. If you must file a personal injury suit, trust us to gather strong evidence and accurately calculate the full scope of the damages you are eligible to claim. Our team can also provide compassionate wrongful death counsel if you lost a loved one in a fatal bicycle accident in the Atlanta area.

FAQs

Q: Who Is Liable for a Bicycle Accident in Atlanta?

A: Liability for a bicycle accident in Atlanta could fall to a motor vehicle driver who hit the bicyclist, and it is also possible for a cyclist to share fault for their accident. Georgia upholds a modified comparative negligence law, meaning a plaintiff in a personal injury case can still recover compensation for damages if they share fault with the defendant, but only so long as they are found less at fault than the defendant.

Q: How Can You Prove Liability for a Bicycle Accident in Atlanta?

A: You can prove liability for a bicycle accident in Atlanta using various forms of physical and digital evidence that your Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer can collect for you. Traffic camera footage, if available, may show exactly how your accident happened. Your attorney may also obtain statements from witnesses who saw the accident happen, the defendant’s cell phone records, and vehicle computer data to help you establish liability.

Q: What Is a Bicycle Accident Case Worth in Atlanta?

A: The value of a bicycle accident case in Atlanta depends on the severity of the plaintiff’s injuries. If the plaintiff is able to prove fault for the accident, they have the right to claim compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages if they cannot work while they recover, property damage, and the pain and suffering they experienced. Your Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer can accurately calculate the total damages you are eligible to claim from the defendant.

Q: Why Do I Need to Hire an Atlanta Bicycle Accident Lawyer?

A: You need to hire an Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer to have the greatest chance of success with your case. Even if fault for the accident appears obvious, the reality is that your case is likely to be more complex than you initially realize. You have a better chance of proving liability and a better chance of maximizing your compensation when you have an experienced Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer handling your case.

Q: What Does It Cost to Hire an Atlanta Bicycle Accident Lawyer?

A: The cost to hire an Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer should not deter you from seeking legal representation when you need it most. Barnes Law Group accepts personal injury clients with contingency fee agreements. This means there are no upfront fees for our representation. Instead, we charge a contingency fee if and when we win your case. If we are unable to obtain compensation for you for any reason, there is no fee.

The attorneys at Barnes Law Group have decades of experience representing injured clients in their recovery efforts, and our goal in every case is to help our client maximize their compensation as efficiently as possible. You’re likely to have many questions about your bicycle accident, and we are ready to help. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an Atlanta bicycle accident lawyer to start working toward your recovery.