Ideally, bicyclist and automobile drivers are meant to coexist on the road. Unfortunately, this also means that bicycle accidents may occur if drivers and bikers do not move carefully around each other. If you are injured in a bicycle accident, it is best to contact a Manchester bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss possible compensation for your injuries.
Skilled personal injury attorneys can help injured parties better understand their claims and work to preserve evidence. This can include assisting with tasks that are difficult for laypeople to perform, such as obtaining medical reports, bills, records of lost wages, and retaining expert witnesses. En Español.
Understanding Damages
Compensation in personal injury cases, including bicycle accidents, can cover various kinds of harm. The main two categories of damages are economic and non-economic damages—the former includes objective financial losses like medical bills, lost wages, and the cost of repairing or replacing damaged property, while the latter covers intangible losses such as pain and suffering, loss of consortium with a spouse, and loss of enjoyment of life.
However, some cases also include punitive damages, which may be awarded at the court’s discretion to the injured person as a form of punishing the defendant for egregious behavior or for acting with willful disregard for the safety of others. A Manchester attorney could advise an individual plaintiff on what types of damages may be available following a bicycle accident.
Fault in Bicycle Accident Claims
As per General Statutes of Connecticut §52-572h(b), bike crash cases in Manchester adhere to a modified comparative negligence standard. This means that an injured person can still seek compensation from the opposing party as long as they are not over 50 percent responsible for the accident that caused their injury.
In cases where the bicyclist is also partially responsible for the accident, the total compensation they may receive would be reduced proportionately based on the percentage of fault they bear. For example, a bicyclist who is 20 percent responsible for an accident would have any damage award they received reduced by 20 percent. By having an experienced Manchester bike wreck attorney on their side, an injured bicyclist may be able to reduce the amount of blame apportioned to them and increase the total compensation they can pursue.
There are several ways in which a bicyclist could be considered partially at fault for an accident in which they are injured. For example, Connecticut law requires that bicyclists under the age of 16 wear a safety helmet when operating their bike. If a bicyclist gets in an accident someone else caused but suffers head injuries that are partially attributable to them not wearing a helmet, the court could deem them partially responsible for those injuries.
Consult with a Manchester Bicycle Accident Attorney Today
If you are injured in a bicycle accident, the first thing you should do after seeking medical attention is contact a Manchester bicycle accident lawyer. With help from a dedicated attorney, you could work to gather evidence of your damages, reduce the amount of fault attributed to you, and possibly increase the compensation you may be entitled to recover. Call today to get started on your case.