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Bicycle Accidents

Thousands of bicyclists are killed or seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents each year.

Maryland Bicycle Accident Lawyers Share Expertise on These Complex Personal Injury Claims.

Winning a bicycle accident case in Maryland is not as easy as riding a bike.  It takes more than legal peddling to establish liability.

But these cases are serious enough to merit the effort.  Every year, bicycle accidents claim the lives of hundreds and seriously injure thousands more. In Maryland and across the nation, bicycle accidents account for 2% of traffic fatalities and more than 50,000 injuries.

 

In most cases, there are three possible causes: 

  • Negligent Cyclists - where fault lies with the bicyclist, Maryland law may preclude the cyclist from recovering damages for injuries;
  • Negligent Motor Vehicle Operators - as car-on-bicycle accidents account for the most serious injuries and the majority of fatal bicycle crashes in Maryland, inattentive or drunk drivers must be held liable for negligence in the operation of motor vehicles; or
  • Road Hazards - often overlooked by personal injury lawyers who lack expertise in bicycle accident cases, many very serious accidents result from poorly maintained or designed roads and bike paths, rendering cities and local governments liable for damages.  Given the poor condition of the roads in urban areas, it is not surprising that many serious bicycle accidents occur in Baltimore City and other Maryland towns.

To recover damages arising out of bicycle collisions, Maryland bicycle accident attorneys experienced in these particular types of accident cases must often employ accident reconstruction experts, attend to complex forensic evidence, and investigate facts surrounding unreasonably hazardous conditions and municipal liability for negligence maintenance or roads and bike paths.

Since bicyclists themselves are often at fault for these accidents, any evidence of such "contributory negligence" will prompt insurance carriers to vigorously defend against these claims. In these instances, a thorough accident investigation is critical in uncovering the evidence needed to hold other drivers or municipalities liable for damages.

Make no mistake. These are challenging cases for all lawyers - even attorneys with expertise in bicycle accident lawsuits and settlements. But without experience in the complex forensic evidence needed to establish liability under Maryland law and to recover damages for bicycle accident victims, your chances of recovering significant damages to compensate for your injuries are about as rare as bicycle accidents themselves.