Newburyport is a beautiful place for a bike ride. Whether cycling to the shops and restaurants downtown, along the beaches, or Plum Island Light, there is no shortage of breathtaking views.
Whenever a bicyclist gets hit by a car or truck, the injuries are devastating. You may be eligible for financial compensation if you were involved in a collision while riding your bike in Newburyport.
A Newburyport bicycle accident lawyer can help you gather evidence, file claims, negotiate with insurers and meet deadlines to support your insurance claim and potential lawsuit. Call our team for a free consultation today: (978) 765-2112.
How Long Do You Have To File a Lawsuit After Getting Hurt in a Newburyport Bicycle Accident
Generally, you have three years to either reach a settlement in your bike accident case or file a court claim to go to trial. This three-year clock to file a claim begins on the date of your bike accident in Newburyport. This three-year period is the statute of limitations for injury cases in Massachusetts.
If you do not reach a settlement or file a lawsuit within three years, you lose your right to pursue compensation for your injuries and damages from the person who caused the bike crash. Even though you technically have three years, it is best to hire an attorney right away so they can represent you and begin building the best case immediately, well before the deadline.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Bicycle Accident Attorney in Newburyport?
Hiring a bike accident attorney is free to you. Your journey with a bike accident lawyer at Spada Law begins with a free consultation. We will review your case in our free consultation and listen to your story. As personal injury lawyers, you never pay us out of pocket, and we only collect a fee from your case when we win.
You will never need to pull out your wallet or credit card in our office. Most, if not all, Massachusetts accident and injury lawyers work off what’s known as a contingency fee agreement. This agreement is a contract between you and the attorney that documents the percentage of the settlement the attorney will receive from the case as their fee for settling the case or winning a trial.
You don't owe us anything if we don’t win your case.
Common Bike Accident Injuries
Cyclists face risks such as distracted drivers, distracted pedestrians, negligent road maintenance, and dogs when they hit the streets or the bike paths. One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself as a cyclist is to wear a helmet. Wearing bright colors so drivers can see you more easily and following all the Newburyport traffic rules and laws will also help keep you safe.
Common Bike Crash Injuries:
- Bone fractures
- Brain injuries
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Concussions
- Facial trauma
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Rib fractures
- Damage to internal organs
Bike accident injuries are especially severe because, as a cyclist, you don’t have the same protection you do in a car. You are much more exposed and vulnerable to severe injuries as a cyclist.
Common Causes of Bike Accidents in Newburyport
There were about 200 bicycle crashes in Massachusetts in 2021. Most bike accidents happen between noon and 6 pm.
5 Common Causes of Bike Crashes:
- The Right Pull-Out Crash: when a driver pulls out into the road to make a right-hand turn but doesn’t see an oncoming cyclist.
- The Right Hook Bicycle Crash: when a car passes a cyclist on their left and then makes a right-hand turn in front of the cyclist.
- Getting “Doored”: when a parked driver or passenger opens their door as a cyclist approaches and causes an accident. In the most severe cases, the biker will run into the car's door before flying over their handlebars, over the door, and landing on the road.
- A Rear End Bike Crash: when a car rear-ends a bike.
- The Left Cross Collision: when a cyclist is riding straight through an intersection, a car driving in the opposite direction turns left, hitting the cyclist or forcing the cyclist to collide with the vehicle.
Who is Responsible for Causing a Bike Accident?
Every case is different, and an attorney needs to look at all of the facts of your bike accident case to determine who is at fault for causing the accident. It’s possible that multiple factors worked together to cause the accident, and a skilled bike accident attorney can do the work necessary to hold each responsible party accountable.
Possible At-Fault Parties Include:
- The City of Newburyport if Roads and Bike Lanes Were Not Properly Maintained
- A dangerous condition on a road or bike path creates an unsafe environment for cyclists. Construction zones, potholes, and malfunctioning traffic signals can contribute to bike accidents. The city or a subcontractor could be responsible for injuries that result from accidents caused by road conditions that a repair or proper maintenance could have prevented.
- A Driver
- Speeding and distracted driving remain leading causes of bike crashes.
- A Pedestrian
- A pedestrian walking in a bike lane along the road or misusing the walk and bike paths could have contributed to your bike crash.
- A Dog
- Whether on a bike path or in a bike lane, a dog could run across your path and cause an accident. In this case, the dog’s owner would be responsible for your injuries.
- Another Cyclist
- Other cyclists can be responsible for accidents if they do not follow bike lanes and bike path rules, such as biking the wrong way in a bike lane.
- Your Bike Manufacturer
- It’s possible that a bike manufacturer could be responsible for an accident if you have an issue with your tires or your brakes. A faulty bike helmet could also be to blame, depending on your injuries.
What if The Accident was My Fault?
You may still have a legal claim even if you are partially at fault for causing the bike crash. It’s always best to consult an attorney to determine your options before talking to any insurance companies. Even if you were 50% responsible for your accident, Massachusetts law still says you have a valid personal injury claim.
Do I Need an Attorney for My Bike Accident Case?
Hiring an attorney is the best way to receive the best possible outcome in your case, and it is the least stressful option for you after being injured in a bike crash. Your number one priority after an accident should be healing, and hiring an injury attorney lets you focus on getting better while we focus on the rest.
An attorney will act as your representative throughout the case. This means your attorney, not you, will be communicating with insurance companies and other involved parties. Your attorney will gather evidence related to your bike injury case and pursue means to settle your case quickly. An attorney has better tools and insight to know what your case is worth and will fight for you to receive fair compensation after a bike crash injury. An attorney can file a lawsuit and represent you in court if needed.
Protecting You From Unfair Insurance Ploys
Hiring a bike accident injury lawyer at Spada Law means you will have an advocate to protect your rights. We will fight to ensure insurance companies don’t take advantage of you or offer far less compensation than you deserve.
Investigating Your Bike Crash
One of the things a bike accident attorney will do as part of an investigation is determine who is at fault for the accident. Drivers, pedestrians, other cyclists, and dog owners owe bicyclists a duty of care to pay attention and avoid accidents. If a driver, for example, breaches that duty and you’re injured, the driver is responsible for your losses.
Speeding and distracted driving often result in accidents. A driver is less aware of their surroundings when speeding, making it more difficult to notice and respond to cyclists. Distracted driving includes driving while tired, looking at directions, texting, looking at social media, and more.
An investigation, supported by work by accident reconstructionists and other experts, will help determine who caused the accident. Then, we will negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company for a fair settlement offer.
Taking Your Bike Accident Case to Trial
If the insurance company doesn’t agree to a fair settlement or denies your claim altogether, a Newburyport bike accident attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf. Having an attorney on board from the beginning helps ensure you have the best possible chance of a successful trial outcome. If you try to handle a claim on your own and then seek to hire an attorney later, you will be left with fewer options, and the success of your claim may be very limited depending on how your attempts to settle the case went.
Damages You’re Entitled to After a Newburyport Bike Accident
A skilled bike accident attorney will listen to your story and thoroughly investigate the compensation you are owed after a bike accident injury. An attorney will do the work necessary to prove all of your losses, including getting testimony and input from medical professionals and a variety of experts.
After a bike accident injury, the damages you’re owed fall into two main categories: economic and noneconomic damages.
Economic Damages after a Bike Accident
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses after a bike accident injury include medical bills from the care you received and the cost of future medical care you may need because of the injuries. Medical expenses include any required medical equipment, ongoing rehabilitation care, and physical therapy expenses.
Lost Income
You may miss work after a bike accident due to recovery and medical appointments, or you may be unable to return to work fully if you suffered a disabling injury. You can recover the value of the wages you lost due to the accident. An attorney can also claim a loss of future earnings if you cannot sustain the same level of work and earnings that you could before the accident.
Out-of-Pocket Bike-Crash Expenses
A bike accident injury may also come with various other out-of-pocket expenses. For example, you may need to hire someone to do specific household tasks that you used to be able to do yourself. You are entitled to compensation for the expenses you incur to make your life more accessible due to the accident.
Noneconomic Damages after a Bike Accident
The most common form of noneconomic damages is pain and suffering.
Pain and Suffering
Many factors come into play when determining what your pain and suffering caused by a bike injury is worth. Pain and suffering includes physical pain, mental anguish, diminished quality of life, and permanent disfigurement.
How We Help People After Cycling Accidents in Massachusetts
Check out our case results to learn how our Massachusetts injury attorneys have helped people recover after being injured in a bicycle accident.
- Learn how Spada Law helped a man recover $350,000 after colliding with another cyclist.
- Learn how Spada Law helped a woman cyclist who commuted to work recover 2.5x what the state argued was the maximum they had to pay.
Injured in a Bike Accident in Newburyport, Massachusetts? Reach out for a FREE Consultation With A Bicycle Injury Lawyer
Injuries from a bike accident can be severe and even life-changing.
If you or a loved one were hurt in a bicycle accident in Newburyport, Massachusetts you have rights and may be able to get compensation for your medical bills, time lost from work, pain and suffering, and more. Our Newburyport bike accident attorneys are here to guide you every step of the way.
Over the last three decades, we’ve helped thousands of people in Massachusetts get the recovery they need after a bike crash injury. Recently, Boston Magazine named Attorney Spada one of Boston’s Top Personal Injury Lawyers. As personal injury lawyers, you never pay us a penny until we win your case. We’re here and ready to help.
We have three offices but proudly serve the entire state with the ability to meet with you remotely from the comfort of your own home. Contact us for a free consultation so we can learn more about your Newburyport dog bite or dog injury case and see how we can help you get the recovery you deserve after your situation occurs.
