Connecticut Bicycle Accident Lawyer
If you have been injured in a bicycle accident caused by someone else’s negligence, a Connecticut bicycle accident lawyer can help you seek compensation for your damages. Representation from Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C., can make all the difference in rebuilding your life and preventing the at-fault party from harming others. Contact us online or call 203-865-8430 to explore your legal options with a free consultation.
Table of Contents
- Protecting the Rights of Connecticut Cyclists
- Why Trust KJSR With Your Cycling Injury Claim?
- How a Connecticut Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help
- Bicycle Accident Injury Claims We Handle
- Filing a Bike Accident Lawsuit
- Proving Liability for Bicycle Crashes
- Compensation You Can Recover for Bicycle Accident Injuries
- Request Your Free Bicycle Accident Claim Consultation Today
- Connecticut Bike Accident Lawyer FAQs
Key Takeaways
- Our bike crash lawyers have over 35 years of experience representing people injured throughout Connecticut, including bicycle accident victims.
- We can help you determine liability, gather evidence, and negotiate with insurance companies.
- Our goal is to get maximum compensation for your losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Protecting the Rights of Connecticut Cyclists
At KJSR, we’ve been advocating for injured people throughout Connecticut since 1988. We’re ready to support you if your bicycle accident injury has occurred in or around any of these Connecticut communities:
- Bridgeport
- Danbury
- Greenwich
- Hartford
- New Britain
- New Haven
- Norwalk
- Stamford
- Waterbury
- West Hartford
Why Trust KJSR With Your Cycling Injury Claim?
During our over 35 years in practice, we’ve developed a strong reputation throughout Connecticut for securing significant financial recoveries for injured people and their families. These successful results have come thanks to our meticulous, personalized approach to case preparation and aggressive, effective advocacy for our clients.
Our bicycle accident lawyers understand the personal and financial toll a bicycle accident can have on your life. Our people-first mindset is evident from the moment you contact our firm—we’ll treat you with compassion and dignity every step of the way.
It also means we prioritize getting you the compensation you need to make the best recovery possible. We offer a free consultation, so you have nothing to lose by talking with us immediately.
How a Connecticut Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help
Determining liability can be challenging after a bicycle accident, but it’s necessary to recover compensation. The at-fault party may have run you off the road, opened a car door into your path as you rode by, or struck you while overtaking your bike. It might also have been a chain reaction caused by a distracted driver, an unmarked construction zone, or a defective bicycle.
When you turn to KJSR, we’ll investigate the events leading up to your bicycle accident and pinpoint who was responsible. We’ll gather strong evidence to support your case, such as witness statements, surveillance footage, and expert testimony. Our meticulous approach to case preparation means we won’t miss any detail when building your case to secure the best possible result.
We’ll also handle all communication with insurance companies and negotiate for fair compensation on your behalf. If the insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer, we’ll discuss going to trial with you. Our experienced trial attorneys are skilled at presenting compelling arguments and evidence to a jury.
Bicycle Accident Injury Claims We Handle
Bicyclists are especially prone to severe injuries in accidents. The force of impact from a vehicle is often no match for the cyclist’s body, even with basic protective gear such as helmets and pads. Our bicycle injury lawyers can assist you with the following types of injuries and more:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries, including spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries, such as sprains
- Road rash and other skin injuries
- Wrongful death if a loved one passed away from their bicycle accident injuries
Common Causes of Connecticut Bicycle Injuries
A wide range of scenarios can cause a bicyclist to suffer injuries. We help Connecticut bicyclists injured in a variety of incidents, including the following:
Filing a Bike Accident Lawsuit
Although most cases settle at some point, we may need to file a lawsuit to preserve your claim and press the insurer to settle. For example, we can file a lawsuit when the adjuster refuses to reverse an improper claim denial. We can also file suit when the adjuster fails to make an acceptable settlement offer.
We prepare and file a complaint against the at-fault driver to commence a lawsuit. The complaint explains the grounds for the lawsuit and requests relief in the form of monetary damages. The insurer’s lawyer will defend the driver in court.
In many cases, the insurer will become more receptive to settlement after a lawsuit is filed. The insurer will try to avoid spending money defending a lawsuit that it cannot win. Also, insurers know jurors do not sympathize with them. As a result, jurors might hit the insurance company with a large damage award.
Most lawsuits settle before reaching trial. If your case involves issues that require a trial, we present your case to a judge or jury and advocate for a fair damage award.
Proving Liability for Bicycle Crashes
In rare cases, a driver might intentionally harm a cyclist. However, the liability for bicycle crashes usually depends on negligence. Proving negligence requires evidence of four elements:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Damages
- Causation
The duty of care exists for all road users. Drivers may breach the duty of care to cyclists in two primary ways. First, the driver might have violated traffic laws. Importantly, Connecticut has a law requiring drivers to leave at least three feet of space when overtaking bikes. If a driver hit your bike while violating this law, they may have acted negligently.
Second, the driver could do something legal but unreasonably dangerous. For example, Connecticut has no law against eating while driving. However, a driver distracted by their food while driving may have acted negligently.
If you were injured in a crash, you suffered damages. Medical bills, lost wages, and other financial and non-financial costs constitute your damages.
Finally, we must prove that the breach of duty caused your losses. We do this by showing that an accident was the natural and foreseeable result of the driver’s actions. We do not need to show the driver foresaw your precise injury. Instead, we must show that a reasonable person would have known that the driver’s actions could injure or kill someone.
Compensation You Can Recover for Bicycle Accident Injuries
Once we prove liability, we will prove your losses. The compensation you can recover in a bike accident claim can cover two types of losses. Economic losses cover all the financial costs associated with your injury, including:
- Past and future medical expenses for treatment, therapy, and medication
- Past income losses from missed work
- Future diminished earnings due to extended disabilities
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries or disabilities
Non-economic losses cover the diminishment in your quality of life due to your injuries. These losses do not have price tags. Instead, they represent the toll your injuries have had on your happiness and enjoyment of life. Some common non-economic losses include the following:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability, if you lost physical or mental functions
- Dismemberment, if you lost a body part
- Disfigurement, if your injuries altered your appearance
We will prove your economic losses using financial records. For example, your credit card statements, hospital bills, and receipts will prove how much your injuries cost. We may also need an expert witness to describe the future losses you will incur.
We establish your right to non-economic losses by showing the extent of your injuries and how they affected your life. Thus, testimony from you, your family members, and your co-workers can help us explain how your injuries changed your life.
Request Your Free Bicycle Accident Claim Consultation Today
After a bicycle accident, you have enough to deal with. Let KJSR handle the legal details while you recover.
Our bicycle accident lawyers are ready to fight for fair compensation on your behalf. Contact us today at 203-865-8430 to start moving your case forward with a free consultation.
Connecticut Bike Accident Lawyer FAQs
You likely have many questions about your legal rights and options following a Connecticut bicycle accident. The following are some common questions we’ve received from bike accident victims.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Bicycle Accident Attorney?
We understand that money is often tight after a bicycle accident. You don’t have to worry about upfront or out-of-pocket costs when you work with KJSR. We represent clients on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only get paid if we win your case. Our fee is a percentage of your settlement or verdict—we’ll discuss the specific percentage during your free consultation.
What Is My Bicycle Injury Claim Worth?
Your bicycle injury claim’s value depends on factors unique to your circumstances. We can’t estimate your claim’s value until we learn more about factors such as the following:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- How long you will need medical treatment
- Your injury’s effects on your ability to work now and in the future
- The type and amount of insurance coverage available
- The number of liable parties
- The impacts of your injury on your daily life
Our team can review this information during a free consultation and evaluate what your claim may be worth.
How Long Do I Have To File My Connecticut Bicycle Accident Claim?
Connecticut’s personal injury statute of limitations is two years. In most cases, you must file your bicycle accident claim within two years of the accident date or the date you discovered your injuries. If you lost a loved one in a Connecticut bicycle accident, you must file a claim within two years of the victim’s death.
Who Is Usually at Fault in a Bike Accident?
Many parties can be at fault in a bike accident, including the following:
- Motor vehicle drivers or their employers
- Other bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Government entities responsible for road or trail maintenance
- Bicycle manufacturers
You may also be partially at fault for your bike accident injuries. Connecticut follows a comparative negligence rule that allows you to recover compensation if you’re less than 51 percent at fault for the accident.
Do I Need To Hire a Bike Accident Lawyer in Connecticut?
State law doesn’t require you to hire a bike accident lawyer. However, legal representation for a bike accident claim is generally in your best interests. An insurance company will use strategies and tactics to minimize your claim’s value and may pressure you to settle for less than you deserve. They’ll have skilled and experienced claims adjusters and lawyers fighting for their bottom line. Representation by a bike wreck lawyer can result in significantly more compensation than trying to battle the insurance company alone.
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15 N. Main Street #100 Suite 217
West Hartford, CT 06107
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