Bicyclists are unique in their vulnerability during auto accidents. In most major cities in Arizona, bicyclists have to ride in the road alongside motor vehicles, not on sidewalks. This puts them in frequent contact with passenger cars. In 2019, Arizona had 1,275 reported pedalcycle accidents. Unfortunately, many of these accidents caused serious and fatal injuries to the cyclist. With no protective shells surrounding them, bicyclists are extremely prone to injuries in collisions.
Despite a prudent bicyclist’s best attempts at avoiding an accident, a negligent driver could cause a collision and life-changing injuries for the victim. At Gerber Injury Law, our Phoenix bicycle accident attorney represent victims during insurance claims and injury lawsuits. We may be able to help you and your family recover compensation for your past and future damages. Discuss your recent bicycle accident with our attorneys today. Call (623) 486-8300 for a free consultation.
Before you can file an insurance claim in Arizona, you or your lawyer must determine fault. Arizona is a fault-based state, meaning you may hold the party that caused your accident financially accountable for your damages. At Gerber Injury Law, we investigate bicycle accidents in Phoenix for signs of fault and causation. Then, we can help clients go up against the appropriate party. We recognize the most common causes of bicycle accidents after years of accepting clients in this practice area.
Our personal injury attorneys have the power to go up against one or multiple defendants on your behalf during a bicycle accident claim in Arizona. We can identify the liable party, collect evidence proving fault and negotiate a compensatory award from the correct defendant. We can also take your bike accident claim to trial in Phoenix, if necessary. Our lawyers have experience with many types of personal injury claims, including claims against the government and product liability lawsuits.
Bicycle accident law is a complex practice area with many related issues. As a bicyclist with severe injuries, the best way to protect your rights during a civil cam is to obtain answers to your legal questions from an experienced attorney. Ken Gerber can offer you tailored legal advice during a free consultation in Phoenix, AZ. In the meantime, we can provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
These are just three of the many questions our attorneys can answer for you during a consultation about a recent Phoenix bicycle accident. We can prepare you for conversations and negotiations with claims adjusters. We can also take over these communications for you as your personal injury lawyers to ensure a fair outcome. We will keep you informed about your rights throughout the claim.
There may be various types of compensation available to Phoenix bicycle accident victims if their crash was caused by the actions of somebody else. At Gerber Injury Law, our attorneys strive to recover both economic and non-economic compensation on behalf of every client that we help.
The total amount of compensation available to a Phoenix bicycle accident victim will vary depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding each particular situation. Generally, the more severe the injuries, the more likely a crash victim will be to receive a larger settlement.
The good news is that bicycle accident victims can still recover compensation even if they are partially at fault for the incident. This will be true even if we are discussing settling the claim through auto insurance carrier coverage or through a civil personal injury lawsuit.
Arizona operates under what is called a “pure comparative negligence” system. This means that injury victims can still recover compensation even if they are up to 99% at fault for the incident. This differs from how other states handle these situations, most of which prohibit recovery of compensation if a person is 50% or more responsible for the incident.
However, the total amount of compensation an injury victim receives will be reduced based on their percentage of fault for the incident. For example, suppose a bicyclist gets struck by a driver in a pickup truck while they are crossing the street at an intersection. If a bicyclist sustains $10,000 worth of medical bills and property damage losses, they may be entitled to the full recovery of this compensation. However, what if it is determined that the bicyclist was looking at their phone when they were crossing the intersection?
Suppose, in this case, a personal injury jury finds that the bicyclist is 40% responsible for the incident. In this particular scenario, the bicyclist would receive $6,000 instead of the full $10,000 to account for their 40% of fault for the incident.
You do not have to confront a driver, the City of Phoenix, an insurance company or another party after a bicycle accident alone. Hiring a lawyer from Gerber Injury Law could give you an edge during insurance negotiations. Our bicycle accident attorneys may be able to secure better results than you could without legal representation. We can also answer your questions and address your needs every step of the way, lending you peace of mind. Contact us today to request a free consultation in Phoenix. We also have offices located in Scottsdale, Surprise, Avondale and Mesa, Arizona.