Riding a bicycle can be a fun, healthy, cost-efficient, and environmentally-friendly way to get from place to place. Bicycling is quite popular in Gresham, which has been designated as a bicycle friendly community each year since 2009, moving from a bronze-level designation to a silver-level designation in 2014. Gresham has more than 116 miles of bike lanes and is considered the gateway to bike fun in the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood.  However, sharing the road with other larger vehicles is dangerous, mainly because you have very little protection in a crash. Sharing the road is also dangerous because other drivers do not always watch for bicycles or use the proper amount of caution. Cyclists who are injured because of a negligent driver can suffer life-altering or even fatal damage. If you were injured in a bicycle accident because of another driver’s reckless actions, you may be able to hold that driver accountable and may be entitled to compensation for your damages.

Our Gresham Bicycle accident lawyers at Rizk Law may be able to help you pursue the justice that you deserve for your avoidable accident. Our bike accident attorneys are committed to helping the injured and will guide you through every aspect of your case. Contact us today for a free, no obligation consultation to review your case. Contacting us is risk-free as we work on a contingency fee basis, which means that there are no lawyer fees unless we recover compensation for your claim. Main roads like Powell Blvd, Division Street and Burnside Road often see a heavy flow of traffic and may leave bicyclists more exposed to negligent drivers.

Call us today at 503.342.0783 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form.

Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Gresham, Oregon

In 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 840 bicyclists were killed in traffic accidents. That same year in Oregon there were 847 accidents involving bicycles. That was a more than 11 percent decrease, but it is still a lot of accidents, some of which probably could have been avoided if drivers had not been negligent.

Some common examples of driver negligence that lead to bicycle accidents include:

  • Tailgating a cyclist
  • Cutting off a bicyclist
  • Driving in bicycle lanes
  • Driving while distracted by a cellphone

Common types of crashes caused by these negligent acts include:

  • Left and right-turn accidents – A left-turn accident occurs when a driver is making a left turn and crashes into a cyclist who is approaching from the opposite direction. A right-turn crash occurs when a driver is turning right and crashes into a cyclist who is riding beside his or her vehicle.
  • Sideswipe accidents –These occur when a driver approaches a rider and miscalculates the space needed to move past him or her, causing the vehicle to sideswipe the cyclist, which could easily knock him or her off the bicycle.
  • Pull-in-front accidents – These types of accidents occur when a vehicle pulls out of a parking lot, driveway or side street and hits a bicyclist on the road or sidewalk who is trying to pass in front of the vehicle. Accidents caused by vehicles in Gresham, often occur because drivers do not look for bicyclists.

If you were injured in a bicycle accident, give us a call at Rizk Law today. Our personal injury attorneys in Gresham have helped many people seek justice for injuries caused by someone else’s recklessness. We have thorough knowledge of the law and how to apply it to your case to help you obtain the compensation you are owed.

Call us today at 503.342.0783 and let us get started on your case.

Common Bicycle Accident Injuries

Besides pedestrians, bicyclist are probably the most vulnerable people on the road. Their lack of protection puts them at high-risk of serious injury, which is why medical professionals strongly advise individuals to always wear a helmet on the road. When a cyclist rides a bike without wearing a helmet, he or she is in serious danger of suffering a traumatic brain injury in a crash.

Common injuries a bicyclist may suffer in an accident include:

  • Internal bleeding
  • Injuries to the jawbone and teeth
  • Disfigurement
  • Road rash
  • Leg injuries
  • Soft-tissue injuries

These injuries may leave you with permanent disabilities. If you are a victim of a bicycle accident, you should seek immediate medical attention to determine the severity of your injury. Visit one of Gresham’s local medical facilities such as Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center to get the medical care you need. Even if you feel that your injuries can heal on their own, it is important to get yourself checked out in case there is internal damage that you cannot detect. Sometimes injuries can be more serious than you think and it is best to be cautious. Also, having medical documentation can link your injuries to the accident and will be helpful if you decide to pursue a claim against the at-fault driver.

Contact our Gresham bicycle accident attorneys at Rizk Law today. We will closely examine your injuries and the cost of medical expenses you have or will incur to determine fair compensation. If you want to pursue compensation, we can manage the process on your behalf.

Contact us today to find out more about how we may be able to help you.

Compensation Commonly Awarded in a Bicycle Accident Case

The severe injuries a bicyclist may suffer from an accident could require long-term care and cause overwhelming medical bills. You may be entitled to insurance compensation after such a crash, but you should know that insurers may not offer fair compensation. They are often more interested in making a profit, which means they do not want to always pay out fair compensation.

This is why bicycle accident victims often decide to seek out legal representation so they have an attorney who can advocate for their rights versus the insurance company’s best interests. We will investigate every aspect of your accident to determine fault and the damages you suffered to help ensure you are compensated fairly. The Gresham bicycle accident attorneys at Rizk Law are also prepared to file a lawsuit if necessary.

Some of the damages that may be compensable in a personal injury claim in Oregon include:

Economic Loss

You may be awarded compensation for your economic losses which include the financial damages caused by the accident. Some examples of these losses include:

  • Loss of earnings from not being able to work during recovery
  • Medical expenses including present and future medical bills
  • Medical equipment
  • Property damage (damage to your bike and, or mobile phone)
  • Rehabilitation costs
  • Physical therapy

Noneconomic Loss

If your accident caused you to suffer physical and emotional damage, you may be able to recover the following types of compensation:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Depression
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Mental trauma or anguish
  • Loss of companionship

In Oregon, noneconomic damages are capped at $500,000 under state law. This means you cannot recover more than that for any of the damages from the list above.

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form to talk to a Gresham bicycle accident attorney.

When to Report a Bike Accident and File a Claim

By Oregon law, all traffic accidents involving vehicles, pedestrians or bicyclists that result in injury, death or property damage that exceeds $2,500 must be reported to the DMV within 72 hours of the accident. All involved parties must fill out an Accident & Insurance Report, even if the Gresham police have filed their own report.

Once a report is filed, you should file an insurance claim as soon as possible. Insurance companies often have deadlines for filing claims and if you miss the deadline you lose the right to insurance compensation. If you need to file a lawsuit to recover compensation, Oregon’s statute of limitations mandates that it must be filed within two years from the date of the accident that caused the injury. If you miss the deadline, you will no longer have the right to file a lawsuit to pursue compensation for your losses.

Contact our attorneys at Rizk Law right away to help us get your case filed in a timely manner.

Contact a Qualified Gresham Bicycle Accident Attorney at Rizk Law

Our lawyers at Rizk Law are dedicated to protecting your best interests throughout the legal process. We understand that you are dealing with a lot of stress right now because of your injuries and the financial damages you have suffered. We are prepared to handle all the tedious paperwork and communicating with other parties involved in your accident.  Contact us today and we will get started on your case right away. The consultation is entirely free and you will not owe us legal fees unless you are compensated first.

Call us at 503.342.0783 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation right now.