Maryville Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Maryville has beauty in bounds, and riding a bicycle is a great way to not only get to your destination, but also take in the scenery. Getting around the city on bike is also a great form of exercise and it is better for the environment than driving a car. Unfortunately, cyclists do not always get to their destination safely.
There are a number of ways people get hurt on bikes but the majority of them are due to the negligence of drivers and other parties. If you have been hurt, our Maryville bicycle accident lawyer can help you secure compensation to offset the financial burden of your injuries.
Determining Liability for a Bicycle Accident in Maryville
A crash involving a bicycle is rarely an accident. That is to say, the vast majority of these collisions are entirely preventable and are only caused by another person’s carelessness. Many people assume that when a crash involving a bicycle and another vehicle occurs, it is always the driver that is at fault. Motorists are often to blame for bicycle collisions. Some drivers become frustrated with bicyclists because they believe that they have no right to use the roadway, even though this is not true.
However, when a cyclist becomes hurt, it is not always a driver that is to blame. There are many potentially liable parties in a crash involving a bike, and they are as follows:
- Manufacturers and retailers who create, sell, or distribute defective bicycle parts
- County, city, and state government entities that are responsible for maintaining roads if a crash is caused by an unsafe roadway
- Mechanics and repair shops, if the collision was caused by the negligent repair of either a bicycle or vehicle
- Private property owners if the crash was a result of the lack of maintenance or negligent upkeep of the premises
Can Cyclists Be Found at Fault for a Crash?
Like in most other personal injury cases, a cyclist can be found wholly or partly at fault for a crash. For example, bicyclists must use proper hand signals, particularly when they are turning. If a cyclist made a turn but did not signal, the court or insurance company may find that they contributed to the accident.
Under Tennessee’s modified comparative fault laws, cyclists can still recover compensation if they contributed to the crash. However, it must be found that the cyclist was 49 percent or less at fault for the crash. Using the same example, a cyclist may not use a turn signal, but a motorist may be under the influence and fail to see the person on their bike, crashing into them. Due to the fact that driving under the influence is considered extremely reckless, the driver may be found 80 percent at fault while the cyclist is found to be 20 percent at fault.
When a cyclist is found to be partly at fault, they can still recover damages. The amount they receive though, is reduced by their same percentage of fault. Negligent parties will almost always try to shift blame to the accident victim to reduce the amount of damages they have to pay.
Our Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Maryville Can Prove Someone Else was at Fault
At Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette, our Maryville bicycle accident lawyer can handle every aspect of your claim. We have the experience to fight back against claims that you were at fault so you obtain the full financial compensation you are entitled to. Call us today at 866-862-4855 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
