Gatlinburg Bicycle Accident Lawyer
When a 2,000-plus pound motor vehicle strikes a 20-plus pound bicycle, especially at almost top speed, the end result is usually very bad for the bicyclist. Usually, bicycle accidents are not “accidents” at all. Driver negligence, or a lack of care, usually causes these incidents. If that’s the case, the bicycle accident victim is usually entitled to substantial compensation. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.
Although compensation is available, insurance companies do not simply give it away. Instead, a tenacious Gatlinburg bicycle accident lawyer, like one from Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, Attorneys at Law, must fight for it. The process begins when our team thoroughly evaluates your case and determines your legal options. After we build a strong foundation, we present your claim in court. At this point, we do not stop fighting until we obtain the best possible results under the circumstances.
Bicycle Accident Injuries
Seat belts, airbags, and other advanced safety systems protect vehicle occupants during collisions. But bicyclists have no such protections. As a result, even a relatively low-speed collision could cause injuries like:
- Road Burns: These injuries usually aren’t life threatening. But they are very painful. They’re also temporarily disabling. Only time cures these injuries. Since victims must remain immobile until road burns heal, they cannot start physical therapy as quickly, which means their muscles atrophy even further.
- Head Injuries: Thin bicycle helmets usually offer some protection if riders accidentally fall off their bikes. But they do little or no good in a high-speed collision. Furthermore, helmets don’t protect the vital cervical spine. This important part of the central nervous system is at the base of the neck. Additionally, a helmet doesn’t prevent the brain from slamming against the inside of the skull when the rider falls off the bike.
- Broken Bones: The immense force in a bicycle crash usually crushes bones instead of simply breaking them. As a result, doctors must use metal pins, screws, plates, and other parts to reconstruct these shattered bones. The additional intervention on the front end means more extensive physical therapy on the back end.
Due to the severity of these injuries, the average injury related hospital bill exceeds $55,000 in these cases. To ensure that victims get the treatment they need, as opposed to the treatment they can afford, a Gatlinburg bicycle accident lawyer can connect victims with doctors who charge no money upfront.
Liability Issues
As mentioned, negligence is basically a lack of care. That could be a lack of reasonable care, which is essentially a failure to drive defensively, or a violation of a safety law, like making an unsafe turn.
Establishing a preliminary negligence case is only the first step toward maximum compensation. The evidence in the case must be strong enough to withstand comparative fault and other insurance company defenses. This legal loophole shifts blame for the incident from the tortfeasor (negligent driver) to the victim.
An attorney’s litigation skills aren’t enough either. Almost all civil claims settle out of court. Therefore, your lawyer must also be a good negotiator, in order to obtain maximum compensation.
Reach Out to a Dedicated Sevier County Lawyer
Injury victims are usually entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced Gatlinburg bicycle accident lawyer, contact Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, Attorneys at Law by going online or calling 865-500-HURT. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.
