Cycling in Washington DC is a great way to commute or explore the city, but it doesn’t come without risks. No matter what the cause of the crash was, the aftermath can be overwhelming. As a victim, you have rights and options to recover for injuries and losses.
Our professional Washington DC personal injury attorneys is committed to helping DC cyclists stand up to insurance companies, identify negligent parties, and pursue full compensation after a crash. Contact Lightfoot Law, PLLC to schedule a free consultation with a Washington DC bicycle accident lawyer.
Why Hire Lightfoot Law, PLLC For Your Washington DC Bicycle Accident Case?
When you choose Lightfoot Law, PLLC for your accident case, you’re selecting a firm that puts your needs first.
- We limit our caseload so we can offer personal attention and thoughtful strategies for every client.
- We are proud to stand among national leaders in injury law, known for fighting vigorously inside and outside the courtroom.
- Caring for people isn’t just our job – it’s our passion, and it shows in every client relationship we build. We can make this frustrating experience a little bit smoother.
Don’t hesitate to contact us when you’re ready to get help. Contact Lightfoot Law, PLLC to schedule a free consultation with a Washington DC bicycle accident lawyer.
How an Attorney Can Help You With a Washington DC Bicycle Accident Case
If you’ve been struck while cycling in DC, navigating the legal and medical aftermath is rarely straightforward. The right attorney helps injured cyclists in critical ways:
- Gathering important evidence, like helmet and handlebar camera footage or nearby surveillance video.
- Countering insurance adjusters who are known to underestimate the severity of cyclist injuries or blame the rider for their own crash.
- Ensuring deadlines, city notice requirements, and relevant evidence are never missed.
Working with a lawyer ensures you’re not left vulnerable while recovering from serious bike injuries.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents Related to Personal Injury Claims
Bicycle accidents in Washington DC can occur for many reasons, but certain hazards dramatically increase the risk of injury and result in frequent personal injury claims. Below are some of the leading causes:
- Distracted or Inattentive Drivers: Motorists who are texting, talking on the phone, or simply not looking for cyclists often fail to yield or merge safely, leading to serious collisions at intersections or in bike lanes.
- Unsafe Passing and Turning: Drivers who don’t provide enough room when overtaking a cyclist or who turn across a bike lane without checking their mirrors can easily cause crashes.
- Dooring Accidents: A common urban hazard occurs when someone in a parked car opens their door directly into a cyclist’s path, giving the rider no time to react and causing sudden impacts.
- Failure to Yield or Obey Traffic Signals: Accidents frequently happen when drivers run red lights, ignore stop signs, or disregard marked crosswalks and protected bike lanes.
- Poor Road or Bike Lane Conditions: Potholes, unsafe construction zones, debris, or lack of clear bike lane markings can throw a cyclist off balance, leading to devastating falls or swerves into traffic.
Understanding what may have caused your accident and knowing that it often leads to personal injury cases can give you a better understanding of whether you may have a claim.
Who Could Be Liable in a Bicycle Accident Case?
Determining liability in a bicycle accident case is essential for identifying who must compensate the injured rider. Responsibility can extend to several parties, depending on what caused the crash:
Negligent Drivers
Motorists are frequently held liable when they fail to yield, make unsafe turns, open car doors into a cyclist’s path, or drive distracted, any one of which can cause a bicycle or pedestrian collision.
Commercial or Public Transport Operators
If a bus, delivery vehicle, or rideshare operator is careless or fails to follow traffic rules, both the driver and the parent company or agency may be accountable for damages.
Local Governments and Agencies
When unsafe road conditions, like poorly maintained bike lanes, contribute to a crash, a city or other government authority could be held responsible for failing to keep the street safe for all users, including cyclists.
Third Parties
Sometimes, a crash is triggered by defective bike equipment, or another cyclist or pedestrian might share fault. In those cases, additional entities or individuals may be named in a claim.
Partial Liability of the Cyclist
Traditionally, Washington DC bars injured parties from compensation if they contributed at all to the accident (a very harsh contributory negligence standard). However, under DC’s “vulnerable user” exception, bicyclists can still recover damages if they are less than 50% at fault for the crash.
- 50–2204.52. Contributory negligence limitation.
(a) Unless the plaintiff’s negligence is a proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injury and greater than the aggregated total negligence of all the defendants that proximately caused the plaintiff’s injury, the negligence of the following shall not bar the plaintiff’s recovery in any civil action in which the plaintiff is one of the following:
(1) A pedestrian or vulnerable user of a public highway or sidewalk involved in a collision with a motor vehicle or another vulnerable user; or
(2) A vulnerable user of a public highway or sidewalk involved in a collision with a pedestrian.
D.C. Law 23-183. Vulnerable User Collision Recovery Amendment Act of 2020.
(13) “Vulnerable user” means an individual using an all-terrain vehicle, bicycle, dirt bike, electric mobility device, motorcycle, motorized bicycle, motor-driven cycle, non-motorized scooter, personal mobility device, skateboard, or other similar device.
This rule recognizes the special risks cyclists face in traffic and offers injured riders a fairer chance to secure compensation, even when they share some responsibility.
Contact Lightfoot Law, PLLC To Schedule a Free Consultation With a Washington DC Bicycle Accident Lawyer
After a bicycle accident, you shouldn’t have to handle injuries, paperwork, or negotiations alone. Our DC injury lawyers are here to put your interests first and fiercely advocate for every dollar you deserve. There’s no reason to let someone else’s mistake define your future. Contact Lightfoot Law, PLLC to schedule a free case evaluation with a Washington DC bicycle accident lawyer at (202) 919-5453.