PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE ACCIDENTS

 

We care deeply about the environment and applaud those able to walk or ride their bike either commuting to work or for other activities. If you are injured by a car while walking or riding a bicycle, you may have the right to file a claim for your injuries.

 

People can often be confused about bicycle laws. A bicycle is a legal road vehicle with the same rights and responsibilities as other vehicles.  For more information about Washington State Bicycle Laws see Washington State Department of Transportation’s Bicycle Laws.

 

The claim process for pedestrian and bicycle accidents is similar to that of car and motorcycle accidents. Typically, you begin a claim process by contacting the other driver’s insurance company.

 

For additional details see: What to Know About Car Accidents in Washington State.

 

How to receive compensation for your pedestrian or bike accident injury.

 

The extent of your compensation for a personal injury claim depends on many factors including but not limited to whether you caused the accident, the severity of the accident, the extent of your injuries, and the specific insurance policies involved.

 

An important distinction with pedestrian and bicycle accidents is that you have access to the negligent driver’s personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Even if the driver’s insurance company claims that the collision was not caused by the their insured, they are still required to pay your medical bills up to the policy limits of their PIP coverage.

 

Accidents involving pedestrians and bicycles are more likely to have disputes regarding who is responsible. For instance, it is common for insurance companies to claim a pedestrian darted out into the street without looking.  For this reason, if you are able, it’s important to obtain contact information from other people who witnessed the accident. It is also helpful to hire an attorney who can investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision as soon as possible.

 

Even if you are partially responsible for causing a collision, you may still be entitled to compensation. If you did make a mistake, then in Washington State, your damages are reduced by the level of your responsibility in causing the accident.

 

There may also be other negligent parties responsible for your injuries. Although less common, the accident may be the result of a poorly designed intersection, a dangerously placed crosswalk, or inadequate lighting. In such cases, the city, county or state may bear some responsibility for your injuries. You should be aware, however, that there are special rules that apply whenever a claim is made against a government entity, and that the failure to follow those rules can result in the dismissal of your case against the government.

 

For additional details see: Auto & Motorcycle accidents

 

Call us for a FREE 30-minute initial consultation at 206-957-2247.

We can help!

 

Dixon & Cannon, Ltd. is licensed to practice law in the States of Arizona and Washington. This Web site is created for your general information only and does not represent legal advice. An attorney-client relationship between you and our law firm is not created by you reading this information or calling us. If we decide to work together, we sign a contract to establish our attorney-client relationship.