Philadelphia Bicycle Accident Attorney

Some of the most catastrophic and traumatic accidents happen on bicycles. Bicyclists face more dangers than vehicle drivers are, because they don’t have a metal shell protecting them in an accident. In Philadelphia, there are a large number of bicyclists interacting with motor vehicles every day. The number of bicycle accidents we see every year is startling and few statistics cover the related damages.

What to Do if You’re Involved in a Bicycle Accident in Philadelphia

If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, don’t hesitate to contact a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer to learn what you should do moving forward. Whether your case was a hit-and-run or you’re in communication with the driver, we can help begin litigation and legal proceedings. Our firm works on a contingency basis, meaning that we don’t collect a dime unless we recover a monetary award for you.

At Ciccarelli Law Offices, we’ve seen too many bicycle accidents to count in the Philadelphia area. We are knowledgeable and experienced with the laws surrounding bicycles on the roadways, and we know how best to represent you in a bicycle accident lawsuit. Our lawyers can help support you in your time of need, provide sympathetic counsel, and get the medical and other compensations you deserve. Call us at (215) 228-0100 to schedule your free consultation with one of our attorneys. You can also tell us about your case by filling out a contact form online.

Why Choose Our Philadelphia Bicycle Accident Lawyers?

The Ciccarelli Law Offices are ready to get to work on your behalf today. This law firm was founded by Lee Ciccarelli because he wanted a practice that was devoted to the clients it serves. That means that every client, regardless of their financial status and what kind of case they have, gets treated with respect.

• Ciccarelli Law Offices is going to bring decades of legal experience to your case. For bicycle accident cases, experience goes a long way towards securing the compensation you need.
• Lee Ciccarelli’s experience in personal injury trials serves as the foundation of the firm, so you can be sure that each case will be handled properly and be ready for trial if necessary.
• This is a client-centered firm, so you can count on having access to your attorney so you can ask any questions and concerns about your case.
• You will get a free evaluation of your case so we can discuss the strength of your case and possible strategies moving forward.

One client said, “Mr. Ciccarelli’s professionalism and client stewardship are phenomenal and exceeded all of my expectations.”

How Much Does a Philadelphia Bicycle Accident Attorney Charge?

• If you need to seek legal assistance for your bicycle accident case, you will want to know what it will cost you. After all, you are seeking compensation for your losses. You need to get money, not spend it. Attorney fees are the costs of legal representation and are assessed in various ways. These fees will be set by contract before your attorney begins work on your case.
• At the Ciccarelli Law Offices, we work to take our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that we do not get paid for our services until the client gets paid through a settlement or a win in the trial. In these cases, our earnings will come as a part of the percentage of the settlement. How much this percentage ends up being will be a part of the original contract negotiated between the attorney and their client.
• When you have been injured in a bicycle crash, we do not want you to worry about legal fees or out-of-pocket costs for the case. On a contingency case plan, you can trust that you will not face fees unless we are successful in your case.

What Are The Common Types of Bicycling Accident Injuries In Philadelphia?

Every bicyclist deserves to feel safe on the roads, whether on the sidewalk or riding in bike lanes among cars. Unfortunately, a large number of drivers don’t pay enough attention at crosswalks or while making turns, placing the lives of bicyclists in danger. As distracted driving increases in our area, so does the number of car accidents – unfortunately, many of which involve pedestrians and bicyclists.

Simply wearing a helmet isn’t enough to protect bicyclists from devastating injury, even death. Spinal cord injuries, as well as severe internal bleeding, often happen when cars hit bicyclists, as do the more-common injuries of bruising, broken bones, and concussions. The imbalance of power involved in car-bicycle crashes always places the bicyclist in the most danger, even though these accidents are rarely their fault.

The most common injuries we see surrounding bicycle accidents include:

• Soft tissue injury (abrasions and lacerations)
• Skull fracture
• Concussion
• Facial and dental fractures
• Dislocations and strains
• Bone fractures
• Lung injury
• Abdomen injury

Due to the potential for being run over by a car, bicyclists are also at risk of being crushed underneath a vehicle, usually resulting in death. Head and neck injuries can also lead to paralysis or permanent disability.

What Compensation Can I Receive for My Bicycle Accident Case?

One of the most important things you need to know is how much compensation is available for a Pennsylvania bicycle accident case. There is no one sure answer for this because each case is different. When considering the injuries discussed above, no two people will have the same expenses.

When we look at bicycle accidents, we need to look at both economic as well as non-economic damages. Economic damages can include things like:

• Your current medical bills due to the injury
• Current lost income and benefits if you cannot work
• Physical or occupational therapy

Also included in economic damages are things that could be harder to calculate such as future medical bills due to the bicycle crash as well as a loss of future earnings. In many cases, bicycle accidents leave victims temporarily or permanently disabled.

When we discuss non-economic damages, we have to look at things like a bicycle crash victim’s:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium for a spouse

Non-economic damages can be tougher to calculate, and your attorney will often use expert medical and economic witnesses to testify on the extent of your losses.

Why Are Bicycle Accidents In Philadelphia So Common?

Although bicyclists and drivers are supposed to follow the same rules on the road, many drivers resent bicyclists’ presence on roads. Most people get frustrated if they’re stuck behind one or a group of bicyclists on the road and often drive too closely to them or rush past them to express their irritation. Other drivers honk at bicyclists or shout at them to get out of their way, startling the rider and creating a potential hazard should they fall off of the bike.

Bicyclists in Philadelphia are in constant danger from distracted drivers, negligent drivers, and reckless drivers. Our city strives to increase the street department budget to engineer better intersections, red light safety cameras, and on-street bikeway networks. While our efforts to protect bicyclists are noble, they still fall far behind our neighboring cities.

The vast majority of bicycle accidents occur at intersections, due to vehicles turning without stopping for pedestrian crosswalks. Drivers see a green light and turn without properly scanning the intersection for crossing bikers, resulting in a high number of crashes annually. Be extra cautious while crossing intersections on a bike, even if you have the right-of-way or the “Walk” sign is lit up.

If you were the driver in this situation, please reach out to our Philadelphia car accident attorneys. 

What If My Bike Was Defective and Caused Me to Crash?

When most people think of bicycle accidents, they think of a bicyclist getting struck by a negligent or careless driver. However, there are times when a bicyclist is injured because the bicycle or bike part was defective.

A defective bike could break, causing the bicyclist to be unable to stop or otherwise lose control. This can cause a crash into other objects, people, the ground, or other vehicles. Bicycles and bike parts are often found to be defective due to:

• Design defects that are not detected during the testing phases.
• Manufacturing defects that alter the bicycle or bike part from their original design.
• Failure to warn of defects that do not notify consumers of particular risks associated with the product.

In order for an injury victim to recover damages for a product liability claim in these cases, the following will need to be proven:

1. The negligent party (the defendant) designed, manufactured, sold or distributed the defective bike or part.
2. The bike or part was defective when it left the defendant’s possession.
3. The injured party (the plaintiff) used the bike or part in a reasonably foreseeable manner.
4. The plaintiff’s injuries were a result of the defective bike or bike part.

These product liability cases can become incredibly complex because they will involve many parties, including the manufacturer or company, their legal teams, the insurance companies, and possibly the insurance company’s legal teams. It is important that you secure an attorney who not only specializes in personal injury cases but also in product liability cases.

Time Limit for Filing a Bicycle Accident Claim

It is imperative for bicycle accident victims to file their claims as soon as possible. Typically, these cases involve insurance carriers, and these insurance carriers will have fairly strict reporting deadlines. The insurance carriers must know about the incident in order to process the claim, and failing to report the incident promptly could result in a claim delay or denial.

Overall, there is a personal injury statute of limitations in Pennsylvania of two years. This means that bicycle accident victims have a two-year window with which to file their lawsuit against the alleged negligent party, or they will lose the ability to recover compensation for their losses.

Important Pennsylvania Bicycle Laws

Did you know that Pennsylvania law essentially defines bicycles as vehicles? This matters because bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the roadway as any other driver. Bicyclists have a right to be there and a right to be respected by other drivers. However, bicyclists must also obey all of the same traffic laws that vehicle drivers do. Bicyclists are also required to use the appropriate hand signals when turning or stopping.

In the Commonwealth, bicyclists traveling at a speed less than the speed of traffic are responsible for riding in the right-hand lane or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or side of the roadway. 

We also want to point out that Pennsylvania requires that motor vehicle drivers wishing to overtake a bicycle on the roadway are responsible for passing to the left of the bicycle and remaining at least four feet away from the bicyclist. They must pass the bicyclist at a careful speed. The “four feet passing law” is required in all situations where a vehicle wishes to pass a bicyclist, and the Commonwealth takes this rule very seriously.

Interestingly, Pennsylvania does allow bicycles to be operated near highways, but the law states that the bicyclist should operate on the shoulder of the highway and in the same direction as the flow of traffic. Any turn made on the highway by the bicyclist must be done in accordance with regular traffic laws.

Bicyclists in Pennsylvania should not ride more than two abreast except on bike paths or areas of the roadway set aside solely for bicycle usage.

Bicycle Lighting

It is important for bicycles to be visible, particularly during the evening, nighttime, and early morning hours. Under Pennsylvania law, every bicyclist riding between sunset and sunrise is responsible for having a front white light that is visible from a distance of at least 500 feet from the front of the bicycle. They must also have a red reflector light on the rear of the bicycle that is visible from at least 500 feet away from the rear. Finally, Pennsylvania law requires that there be amber reflectors placed on both sides of the bicycle.

Aside from these legal requirements for a bicycle, it is strongly recommended by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation that everybody cyclist wear visible clothing when they are operating on the roadways of the Commonwealth.

What To Do in the Immediate Aftermath of a Bicycle Crash

There are some steps you can take in the immediate aftermath of a crash that could help your case.

1. Seek medical attention immediately. Never waive your right to medical care after a crash. If you are injured, make sure EMS comes to the scene. If your injuries are serious, you need to go to the hospital. Even if you do not feel any pain, please know that the signs and symptoms of many bike crash injuries do not appear for hours or even days after the crash happens. Let a doctor diagnose your injuries. This will help establish a link between the crash and your injuries.
2. Gather evidence at the scene. If you can, begin to gather as much evidence as possible. This can include taking photographs of everything – the cause of the crash, any damages and injuries, traffic and weather conditions, and more.
3. Get witness contact information. If there are eyewitnesses, talk to them about what they saw. Gather their names and contact information. They could be valuable resources in the aftermath of a crash when it comes to proving the other side’s negligence.
4. Obtain your medical records. You need to make sure you go to all follow-up doctor visits and continue any treatment recommended by your doctor. Obtain and keep all of your medical records related to all treatments.
5. Handling insurance companies. Aside from reporting the crash, you do not have to speak with the insurance company until you have spoken to an attorney. Anything you say to the insurance company or the adjusters can be used against you. Remember, the insurance companies are not your friend. They do not want to make a large payment in a settlement.
6. Call a Philadelphia bicycle accident attorney. You should begin to consider seeking legal assistance. Your attorney can handle all communications between you and the other parties involved. They will also work to gather and analyze every piece of evidence in your case.

If you were injured in a bicycle accident in Philadelphia, contact one of our experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorneys. We can help you recover the compensation you deserve for your injuries.