Bicyclist Celebrating 67th Birthday Killed in Accident

Last month, a bicyclist riding 67 miles as a celebration of his 67th birthday died in a bicycle accident in North Carolina. The police department investigating the accident has stated that the victim was riding his bicycle when a vehicle collided with him. Although he was quickly rushed to the hospital, he did succumb to his injuries.

The bicycle collision occurred 10 miles Southeast of Charlotte. An experienced bicyclist, the victim was an experienced runner and bicyclist. This tragic incident shows us how at risk bicyclists are when sharing the road with motorists, even when bicyclists are highly experienced and wearing safety equipment.

North Carolina is a wonderful place to live for bicyclists and runners. The state offers multiple bike trails, bike routes, and urban bicycling routes in Charlotte. Unfortunately, even when bicyclists follow safety protocol and use bicycle-specific lanes, they are still at risk of being seriously injured. It can be dangerous and sometimes fatal for a bicyclist to ride on the road.

The most common causes of bicycle accidents include motorists driving negligently or recklessly. Although it is possible for a bicyclist to ride negligently and cause an accident, passenger vehicle drivers and commercial drivers are more frequently at fault for causing accidents between bicyclists and vehicles.

Failure to yield to stop signs, stop lights, and drivers overtaking bicyclists are two common causes of accidents. Negligence while turning or merging can also cause accidents, even when bicyclists are careful and defensive. In other cases, motorists fail to see bicyclists in time to prevent colliding with them.

North Carolina is one of only a few states with a contributory negligence law. Due to this law, victims may not be able to recover compensation from the other party's insurance company when they are at fault to any extent. As a result, even If a bicyclist is only 1% at fault for the collision, they may be barred from recovering compensation from the party who is 99% at fault.

Some insurance companies may attempt to shift at least some of the fault on the victim to pay as little as they can or deny paying it all for injuries they are insured has caused. After all, insurance companies focus on making a profit, not paying out fair settlement amounts to victims.

Consequently, hiring an experienced attorney can make a significant difference in your case. The field of personal injury law can encompass harm or injury that another negligent or reckless person has caused to someone else, including bicyclists injured by cars and trucks.

The attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, are prepared to carefully investigate the circumstances of your case and begin developing an effective strategy for recovering the compensation you need and deserve. Our experienced personal injury attorneys have a proven track record of representing clients while navigating North Carolina's contributory negligence loss.

We are familiar with the ins and outs of North Carolina state law, and we know what to look for in cases. We are also familiar with all the tactics insurance companies may use to avoid paying victims the compensation they deserve. Our attorneys use our knowledge and skills to better advocate for our clients every step of the way.

You may be worried about the cost of hiring a personal injury attorney. The majority of personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. For example, when you work with Arnold & Smith, PLLC, we will not charge you any money upfront to investigate your case and begin pursuing compensation.

We do not charge until we have successfully obtained compensation for our clients. We understand that victims of bicycle accidents may not have the compensation to pay attorneys up front as they are navigating a serious injury. While you focus on your injury, we will use our firm's assets and resources to fight for the compensation you deserve.

If you have been injured in a bicycle accident in North Carolina, it's crucial that you contact an experienced personal injury attorney. Victims of bicycle accidents frequently suffer catastrophic injuries. An attorney can help you evaluate your claim and pursue the total and fair amount of damages you need and deserve.