Macon Bicycle Accident Attorney

Our Bicycle Accident Lawyers Can Help You Get Compensation

Bicycles are no match for larger, heavier vehicles, and are very vulnerable on the road due to their small size and limited visibility. The lack of physical protection provided by bicycles leaves their riders highly susceptible to serious injury and even death in the event of an accident. Common injuries include head injuries, brain and spinal cord injuries, back injuries, broken bones and road rash. Survivors may be left with large medical and rehabilitation expenses, unable to work, and their lives may never be the same.

If you or a loved one was injured or someone has died while riding a bicycle due to someone else’s negligence or fault, you may be entitled to compensation from the at-fault parties and/or insurance. However, Georgia laws are complicated; insurance companies and their lawyers will try to get you to settle for the lowest amount possible; and making mistakes can be costly.

Fortunately, there is help available from the Macon, GA, bicycle accident lawyers of the Mann Law Firm. We have over 50 years of experience with personal injury claims, and we take bike accidents very seriously. We represent clients across Georgia, and we welcome the chance to represent you and fight for the fair compensation that you deserve.

How Our Macon Bicycle Accident Attorney Can Help You

Our Bicycle Accident Attorneys Start Working for You Immediately

Having an attorney to assist you following a crash will help make sure that everything is done properly from the start. When you have Mann Law on your wide, we will:

• Meet with you to discuss how the accident happened, what parties might have been at fault, and evaluate your case to determine what type of settlement to go after
• Investigate the accident scene and gather evidence, such as photos and videos from surveillance cameras; interview witnesses and first responders; and review medical, accident, and police reports
• File all paperwork in a timely manner
• Consult with experts to reconstruct the accident to determine fault and causation and experts to testify as to how your injuries negatively impact your life
• Deal with insurance companies and their lawyers and negotiate for a fair settlement
• Build your case and take it to court if necessary.

Macon, GA, Bicycle Accident Attorney Deals With Insurance

Whose Insurance Should Pay?

Georgia is an at-fault state, which means when fault is determined, the party responsible and their insurance company will be liable to pay for those damages. Georgia requires a minimum liability coverage of:

• $25,000 for bodily injury per person
• $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
• $25,000 for property damage per accident.

PIP insurance is available in Georgia as an optional form of coverage, but is not mandated by the state.

If a bicyclist also owns a car and has PIP, their own insurance would be responsible for compensation for medical costs, up to the amount of the policy. If not, the other party’s insurance should pay. However, when injuries are severe, payment under PIP insurance or minimum liability coverage is not likely to cover the costs. In this situation, our attorneys can help you fight for the full amount of compensation you deserve by filing a lawsuit against the negligent parties.

Based on the severity of the accident, a bicyclist may be entitled to compensation from the driver and/or the company that insures the vehicle. Even if there is no physical contact between a bike and a vehicle, a cyclist who is injured while taking evasive action to avoid a crash can usually hold the motorist responsible for negligently causing the accident. It is also possible to file a claim against a retailer who may have negligently assembled a bike or a manufacturer who may have distributed a defective part. In the tragic event of a fatal accident, the bicyclist’s family or dependents may have grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit.

Damage Awards Our Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Macon May Recover

In a successful lawsuit, our bicycle accident lawyers can win an award called damages for your losses. In Georgia you are entitled to compensation for both general and special damages.

Special damages are for your economic or monetary damages that have a specific dollar value, such as:

• Medical and rehabilitation bills, past and future
• Property damage
• Lost income from work.

General damages are for damages that do not have a specific dollar value, such as pain and suffering and mental anguish resulting from the accident.

Bicycle Wreck Lawyers Must Prove Negligence

In Georgia, bicycles are legally defined as vehicles on the road, along with cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles. Bicyclists share the same rights and duties as motorists, such as yielding to pedestrians, staying off the sidewalk and riding in the same direction as traffic. In addition, to requiring drivers to give bicycles at least three feet of clearance when passing, Georgia’s laws now require drivers to slow down and give bicyclists more room (O.C.G.A. §40-6-56) and to change lanes if traffic conditions permit.

To win your case, our lawyers would have to show that another party, the defendant in the case, was negligence in some way, and that this negligence caused the accident that led to your injuries.

This means showing the existence of the following four elements:

• Duty – The defendant owed you a duty of care not to cause harm.
• Breach – The defendant breached this duty by a wrongful act or by inactions.
• Cause – These actions or failure to act caused the accident that harmed you.
• Damages –You suffered damages as a result.

Some negligent actions that lead to bicycle accidents are when motorists:

• Turn directly in front of a moving bicycle
• Fail to allow the mandated three feet of space when passing a bicycle
• Pull onto the roadway without looking in both directions
• Fail to yield the right of way
• Don’t check for cyclists when opening their door.

Possible At-fault Parties in Bicycle Accidents

Bicyclists also have a responsibility to follow the rules of the road; but even if you did something that contributed to the accident, as long as you are not more than 50 percent at fault, our lawyers can still win the percentage of the settlement that the other parties were found to be at fault.

Even if there is no physical contact between a bike and a vehicle, a cyclist who is injured while taking evasive action to avoid a crash can usually hold the motorist responsible for negligently causing the accident. In addition to a motorist, there may other parties at fault for contributing to your accident. For example, if there was a defect in the bicycle, its brakes or its tires, you may have a claim against the manufacturer or against a retailer who may have negligently assembled a bike. You may also have a claim against a municipality or a road repair company responsible for road maintenance, if a defect in the road caused the accident.

Our attorneys would look to identify all responsible parties, as they may all have insurance and assets that can go toward a settlement.

Call Our Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Macon for Help

If you have been involved in a bicycle accident that was due to the actions of another person or to equipment failure, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible. The Macon, GA, bicycle accident lawyers of the Mann Law Firm can help you protect your rights and will fight for maximum compensation for all your losses. Our office in Macon serves all of Middle Georgia, including Dublin, Warner Robins or Milledgeville

Don’t delay. Georgia has a statute of limitations, a deadline to file a case, that is generally two years from the time of the crash (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33), so call us today at (478) 742-3381 to get started. Your initial consultations is free, and there are no fees to you unless and until we win your case.