If you were injured in an accident while riding your bicycle and someone else caused it, you deserve justice and financial compensation. As the leading bicycle accident injury lawyer in Tucson, Esquire Law is the name you can trust to achieve the results you want. Before reaching out to a team member, take some time to familiarize yourself with Arizona’s bicycle laws and learn how a skilled attorney can help.
Why You Need a Tucson Bicycle Accident Lawyer
With warm, sunny weather and minimal rain throughout the year, it’s no wonder Tucson is a popular destination for cycling enthusiasts. Unfortunately, with more bicycles on the road come more bicycle accidents. If you ever find yourself in an accident, here are the top reasons why you should hire a Tucson bicycle accident lawyer ASAP.
Gathering Evidence
You can’t determine fault without sufficient evidence, and you can’t seek compensation without determining fault. Gathering evidence isn’t a particularly difficult task, but it’s time-consuming. Between doctor’s appointments and taking care of your family, you don’t have time to gather evidence.
When you have one of our bicycle accident attorneys on your side, we’ll take care of this step for you so you can focus on more pressing matters.
Establishing Liability
Bicycle accidents are particularly difficult to navigate because liability is often difficult to determine. Cyclists are sometimes wrongly blamed for accidents, with motorists claiming they didn’t have the right of way or shouldn’t have been on the road in the first place. Many accidents also involve multiple parties, which only makes establishing liability more complex.
A bicycle accident attorney at Esquire Law will gather and analyze the available evidence to accurately assign fault.
Securing Compensation
Besides seeking justice, securing financial compensation is the plaintiff’s main goal in any bicycle accident case. Unfortunately, there can be a lot of red tape to cut through when it comes to securing your rightful compensation. For example, insurance companies will try to lowball you to avoid making a bigger payment.
Our Tucson bicycle accident lawyers have the skills and resources required to fight back against insurance companies and secure maximum compensation for your losses.
Tucson’s Bicycle Laws
Arizona has laws in place to protect cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians from harm. Here’s a breakdown of the regulations both cyclists and motorists must follow while on the road.
For Cyclists
- ARS 28-644: Stop for traffic lights and stop signs
- ARS 28-817: Always use a white headlight and a red rear reflector when you cycle after sunset or before sunrise
- ARS 28-792, ARS 28-904: Yield to pedestrians at crosswalks and on sidewalks
- ARS 28-756: Before you turn or change lanes, look behind you, signal to show your plan to turn or change lanes, and yield to any traffic already there. Cyclists may signal their turns by extending either their left arm for a left turn or their right arm for a right turn
- ARS 28-721: Any vehicle moving slower than the normal traffic speed shall drive in the right-hand lane, or “as close as PRACTICABLE” to the right edge of the road, except when preparing to turn left or when passing
- ARS 28-704: Any vehicle on a two-lane road that has five or more vehicles behind it must pull off at the first safe pullout to allow the vehicles behind to proceed
- ARS 28-815: Special conditions that affect cyclists more than motorists are recognized in the law
- ARS 28-815: Riding two abreast is permitted by law
For Motorists
Motorists must yield the right of way to cyclists in a bike lane when at a stop sign or intersection.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Tucson
Bicycle accidents can occur anywhere, at any time, and for any reason. However, certain conditions and actions are more likely than others to cause an accident. Here are the top ten reasons why Tucson bicyclists get in accidents on the road.
- Distracted Driving: Bicyclists are just as susceptible to distracted driving as other motorists. Drivers who are on their phones, talking to passengers, or engaging in any other activity that takes their attention off the road put bicyclists at risk.
- Failure to Yield: Drivers must yield to bicyclists on the road, particularly at intersections and when turning. Failure to yield can result in a collision with the bicyclist.
- Dooring: Drivers should always check to see if a car or bicycle is coming toward them before opening a car door. A bicyclist can easily run into an open door and sustain severe injuries.
- Unsafe Lane Changes: Drivers can make sudden or unsafe lane changes without checking for bicyclists, leading to collisions.
- Speeding: Speeding is dangerous for everyone on the road—motorists and bicyclists alike. Traveling over the speed limit reduces a driver’s reaction time, which can cause a severe collision.
- Impaired Driving: Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol impairs a driver’s ability to think clearly and react quickly. This lack of judgment may cause them not to see a bicyclist or delay their reaction time if a bicyclist approaches.
- Poor Road Conditions: Inclement weather, uneven surfaces, and potholes can cause an accident.
- Lack of Visibility: Inadequate lighting or reflective gear on cyclists, especially when it’s dark outside, can make them less visible to drivers.
- Inadequate Infrastructure: A lack of clearly defined bike lanes and road signage can make accidents with motor vehicles more likely to occur.
- Inexperienced Cyclists: Some accidents may occur due to errors made by inexperienced or reckless cyclists, such as running red lights or not following traffic rules.
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in Tucson
Getting in a bicycle accident is something no one expects, yet something everyone should be prepared for. Knowing how to respond when the unexpected happens can help keep you safe, protect you legally, and maximize your future compensation for accident-related losses.
- Prioritize Safety: Making sure you’re safe is the most important step to take after getting in an accident. Check for any obvious injuries, and call 911 for emergency medical assistance if needed.
- Contact Law Enforcement: Call the local police to report the accident. If officers arrive at the scene, they will interview witnesses and fill out a police report detailing what happened. Be sure to request a copy of this report. If officers don’t arrive at the scene—which might happen if the accident is minor—file an accident report through the nearest DMV. Ask for a copy of this report for future reference.
- Exchange Information: Share your contact and insurance information with the other driver(s) involved, and get their information as well. Some key information you need is their name, phone number, insurance policy type and number, license plate number, and vehicle make, model, and year.
- Collect Evidence: Evidence is essential to determine fault and award compensation after a bicycle accident. Be sure to capture plenty of photo and video evidence that your attorney and others can use during the claims process. The more evidence you provide, the stronger your case will be.
- Seek Medical Attention: Even if you didn’t sustain any severe injuries that required immediate medical attention, you should still get checked out by your primary care doctor or at an urgent care clinic before heading home. This is a precautionary step. You may have sustained minor or internal injuries that would have gone unnoticed otherwise.
- Contact an Attorney: Before you notify your insurance company about the accident, consult an attorney. This individual will study the details of your case, determine who was responsible for the accident, and calculate your anticipated compensation. They will also handle any negotiations with your insurance company to reach a settlement.
- Inform Your Insurance Company: Once you consult a bicycle accident attorney, the last thing you should do is let your insurance provider know what happened. Besides the fact that most insurance carriers require policyholders to report an accident, you can’t pursue a claim or file a lawsuit without taking this step.
How a Tucson Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help
While not impossible, handling a bicycle accident case on your own is extremely difficult. Without the right legal expertise, you can end up losing out on compensation you need to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and more. Rather than try to navigate the complexities of bicycle accident cases alone, let Esquire Law walk alongside you. Our legal team will help you with the following:
- Provide Legal Expertise: A Tucson lawyer who specializes in bicycle accidents will provide better legal representation than a general personal injury lawyer. That’s because this individual knows the relevant bicycle laws, traffic laws, and roadblocks you’ll likely encounter along the way as well as how to navigate them.
- Determine Liability: Establishing liability is necessary to secure compensation. If you don’t know who’s responsible for the accident, it’s impossible to determine who owes how much money to the other party involved. A bicycle accident attorney will gather the evidence required to determine liability.
- Maximize Your Compensation: While compensation can’t take back the damage that has already been done, it can relieve the financial burden of accident-related injuries and damages. Your lawyer will do whatever it takes to secure maximum financial compensation on your behalf so you aren’t left with any out-of-pocket expenses.
- Deal with Insurance Companies: Before taking your case to court, your lawyer will try to reach a fair settlement with either your insurance company or that of the at-fault party. Unfortunately, insurance companies often try to lowball accident victims, resulting in a smaller payout. Your attorney will push back against any low offers and file a lawsuit if a settlement can’t be reached.
- Represent You in Court: If no settlement is reached after insurance negotiations, your lawyer will file a lawsuit against the liable party and take the case to court where a judge and jury will determine fault and award compensation.
- Handle Legal Procedures: From filing a claim to negotiating a settlement to filing a lawsuit, the paperwork never seems to end. It’s the last thing you should have to worry about after getting in an accident. While you focus on your recovery, your attorney will make sure all paperwork is filled out and submitted on time so you don’t risk losing your rightful compensation.
Compensation for Bicycle Accident Victims
If you’re the victim of a bicycle accident, you most likely have a stack of bills that only keeps growing by the day. But you shouldn’t be stuck paying those bills if someone else caused the accident. Esquire Law will help you secure compensation for two types of losses: economic and non-economic.
Economic Losses
Economic losses are tangible losses that can be assigned a specific dollar amount. Common economic losses in bicycle accidents include:
- Medical bills
- Bike repairs
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Prescription medications
- Rehabilitative care
Non-Economic Losses
Non-economic losses are intangible and cannot be calculated. Bicycle accidents can result in these non-economic losses:
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Psychological trauma
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Disabilities
- Loss of companionship
Choosing the Right Tucson Bicycle Accident Lawyer
These are the five key qualities you should look for when choosing an attorney to represent your bicycle accident case.
Specialization and Experience
Does the attorney specialize in bicycle accident cases, and do they have experience representing this case type? A lawyer who specializes in bicycle accident cases will provide more effective representation than a lawyer who doesn’t specialize.
Track Record of Success
Does the attorney have a track record of winning bicycle accident cases for previous clients? Past success is a key indicator of future success.
Familiarity With Local Laws
Does the attorney live and work in Tucson? Building a strong case requires a deep understanding of local bicycle laws and regulations.
Fee Structure
Does the attorney charge a lot of additional fees? A lawyer who does this communicates that they care more about getting paid than seeking justice. A lawyer who provides a free case evaluation or works on a contingency fee basis, for example, will fight for your best interest.
Client Reviews
Do former clients recommend the attorney? While you shouldn’t let a few bad reviews in a sea of good ones turn you away from a particular lawyer, a trend of poor client experiences should raise a red flag. An attorney who is good at their job and provides exceptional customer service will receive positive reviews.
Partner with Esquire Law for Your Bicycle Accident Claim in Tucson
When you need a skilled bicycle accident lawyer in Tucson, look no further than Esquire Law. Our attorneys have a track record of successful bicycle accident cases because they know local laws and don’t stop until justice is achieved. We also don’t charge any legal fees until we win your case so you can rest easy knowing your success is our top priority.
Don’t wait to get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to get started with a free case evaluation.