Longmont Bicycle Accident Attorneys
Request Free ConsultationMany people in Longmont enjoy riding bicycles. Whether you’re traveling along the area’s scenic roads or the miles of mountain biking trails surrounding Longmont, you run the risk of a bicycle accident causing serious injuries.
Bicycles do not have enclosures that can protect you from a vehicle’s impact. Bicycles are also much smaller and lighter than motor vehicles, and even a relatively minor crash with a car can send you to the hospital. Additionally, a defective part on your bike can fail, causing you to crash. Bicycles are also more vulnerable to potholes, cracks in the street, and other road hazards.
If a negligent motorist caused a bicycle wreck that injures you, or if a defective bike component or road defect causes your bicycle accident and injuries, you can obtain compensation from those responsible. However, to secure compensation for your injuries you must undergo a complex legal process, and you will need an attorney for help.
The experienced Longmont bicycle accident attorneys at Fuicelli & Lee are here to get the compensation you deserve. We will thoroughly investigate your claim to determine the cause of your bicycle accident and hold the responsible parties liable. We will then fight hard to help you get the full and fair compensation you need to pay for your medical expenses and other related costs.
Contact our law firm today at (303) 444-4444 for your free consultation.
Why Choose Us as Your Longmont Bicycle Accident Attorneys?
You want an experienced attorney to help you with your Longmont bicycle accident claims to increase your chances of a successful outcome. Our lawyers at Fuicelli & Lee have about 150 years of cumulative legal experience, including extensive trial experience. We also handle only personal injury claims, so you can expect to receive unmatched representation.
Other items to consider about working with our law firm include:
- We have recovered more than $142 Million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.
- We will treat you with the same care and respect we would a member of our own family.
- We won’t back down from insurance companies and will fight to get the maximum financial recovery possible. We strive for full, fair, and complete compensation for every client, every time.
We built our law firm on integrity, honesty, and a commitment to delivering the highest level of advocacy for our clients. Our lawyers have earned stellar reputations in our region, and we have received numerous five-star reviews and testimonials from clients we have had the pleasure to serve. Many lawyers with promising but difficult cases refer their cases to us or hire us to serve as co-counsel alongside them. Our lawyers genuinely care about your needs, and we are here for you 24/7 to answer your questions and address your concerns.
You can count on the Longmont bicycle accident lawyers at Fuicelli & Lee to fight hard for you throughout all legal proceedings to help you get full and fair compensation. To begin, you can contact our law office at (303) 444-4444 or online for your free consultation.
Bicycle Laws in Colorado
Bicyclists in Colorado must adhere to state laws regarding operating a bicycle on roads and city streets. Colorado law defines a bicycle as a vehicle propelled by human power, using pedals, that a person can ride. A bicycle can have two tandem wheels (as is most often the case) or two wheels in the back and one in the front, where the wheels are more than 14 inches in diameter.
The law also defines specific guidelines for safely operating a bicycle that includes:
- How to share the road with other vehicles
- How to safely turn
- How to pass other vehicles on the road
- How to safely cross streets and yield to traffic and pedestrians
Despite your best efforts at staying safe on your bicycle, you can still become involved in an accident. Most often, bicycle accidents occur due to motor vehicle drivers not paying attention or acting carelessly or recklessly while driving. Additionally, defective bicycle parts can fail and cause you to crash, or you can crash because of poorly maintained roads.
No matter the reason, if the accident was not your fault, you could obtain compensation for your injuries and losses. The Longmont bicycle accident attorneys at Fuicelli & Lee can help hold all responsible parties accountable and assist in getting the compensation you need. Contact us today for a free case review.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
Bicycles offer almost no protection to riders and are much smaller and lighter than other vehicles. Therefore, you can suffer severe injuries in a bicycle accident if a vehicle strikes your bike.
The most common injuries we see bicyclists sustain during a bicycle accident include:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and shoulder injuries
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Severe road rash
- Deep lacerations
- Crushing injuries
- Organ damage and internal bleeding
- Amputation injuries
Tragically, many bicyclists sustain life-threatening injuries in bicycle accidents, and too many cyclists die each year in Colorado due to bicycle crashes. If a vehicle driver’s negligence or faulty component caused a bicycle crash that killed a close family member, you could obtain compensation through a wrongful death claim. The attorneys at Fuicelli & Lee can evaluate your case for free and advise you of your options.
What Types of Compensation Can I Get for Bicycle Accident Injuries?
Every bicycle accident injury case is different, and the types of compensation you can receive will depend on:
- The nature of the accident
- The severity of your injuries
- Who was at fault for the accident?
In most personal injury claims in Colorado, you can recover both economic and non-economic damages to help cover things like:
- Medical bills
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Prescriptions and co-pays
- Lost wages
- Costs to repair or replace your bicycle
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Disfigurement
In some cases, you can also pursue punitive damages from those responsible for your injuries if their egregious negligence, unlawfulness, or wanton recklessness caused your suffering. Insurance companies do not typically award punitive damages, so you will most likely need to take your case to trial to get them. Our attorneys can decide if you should pursue this option when they review your case. If they feel your case qualifies, your lawyer can advocate for you and petition the court to award punitive damages.
How Do I Pursue Compensation for My Bicycle Accident Injuries in Colorado?
To obtain compensation for your bicycle accident injuries, you must show another party caused them. Aside from bicyclists causing accidents through their own actions, most bicycle accidents in Colorado result from other vehicle drivers, defective bicycle components, and faulty road surfaces. Depending on your case, your lawyer will pursue compensation by alleging:
Negligence
Most personal injury claims rely on negligence.
Your attorney must show the following apply to the at-fault party:
- Duty of care. The other party had a responsibility to avoid harming others. All vehicle drivers inherently have a duty of care to others on the road.
- Breach of duty. The other party breached that duty by acting carelessly, recklessly, or violating the law.
- Causation. The breach caused the accident and your injuries.
- Damages. You suffered damages because of your injuries.
Colorado law also recognizes negligence per se. This legal theory considers a defendant negligent because they violated a specific law or regulation. Examples include a driver speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or driving aggressively and recklessly. If a vehicle driver gets a citation or police arrest them for their moving violations, your attorney can use this as evidence to claim negligence per se. However, you can still pursue compensation whether the vehicle driver incurs legal penalties or not.
Product Liability
If a defective part or component on your bicycle failed and caused your crash, you could hold the manufacturer responsible, along with others involved in bringing the product to market.
Some factors your lawyer can use to determine product liability include:
- Manufacturing defects
- Design defects
- Improper assembly or installation
- Failure to warn consumers of known safety issues or recall defective products
- Failure to provide proper use instructions
- Misleading advertising and marketing tactics
Proving product liability presents many challenges because your case may involve several defendants. They could include the product’s manufacturer as well as distributors, vendors, marketers, and even retailers who sold the product. Our attorneys can work diligently to identify all responsible parties and hold them accountable.
Vicarious Liability
If a vehicle driver hit you while they were performing their official duties, our lawyers may pursue compensation through vicarious liability. This allows you to pursue compensation from an employer based on their employee’s negligence.
To succeed in obtaining compensation, your attorney must show:
- The company employed the person who caused your injuries.
- The employee performed their duties within the scope of their employment when they caused the crash.
Parties you could pursue compensation through vicarious liability include entities that employ taxi and ride-share drivers, bus drivers, delivery drivers, and other commercial drivers.
Governments
If a damaged road surface or similar road hazard causes your bicycle accident in Longmont, you can file an injury claim with the city, county, or state government, depending on which entity failed to maintain the road. However, filing claims against governments involves short deadlines and a lot of red tape. You need an attorney’s help to pursue compensation from a government entity, so contact our lawyers immediately so you don’t miss important deadlines.
What’s the Injury Claims Process in Colorado?
In most cases, insurance covers bicycle accident injury claims in Colorado, particularly if another vehicle driver caused the crash. Therefore, your first step in pursuing compensation for your injuries is for your attorney to file an injury claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
When they submit your injury claim, your lawyer will include a demand letter that details your injuries and explains what makes the other party liable.
The insurance company will assign an adjuster to investigate your claim. The adjuster may determine the policy doesn’t cover your injuries and deny your claim. They may also only agree to pay you the minimum liability coverage, which may not cover all your costs and losses.
Your attorney may have to fight the insurance company to get them to honor all aspects of the policy. They may also need to negotiate with the insurance company to obtain the maximum compensation allowed by law.
If your attorney cannot get the insurance company to make good on the claim or pay you the total amount you deserve, they will need to file a lawsuit in civil court and sue the insurance company to hold them accountable.
Despite the time and stress, in some cases, a trial provides the only avenue to get the full compensation you deserve. Also, Colorado only allows you two years from your injury to file suit in civil court, or three years if the accident involved a motor vehicle. Consult an attorney right away to get started.
What Should I Do After a Bicycle Accident in Longmont?
To pursue compensation for the injuries someone else caused, you must:
Get Medical Treatment
Make your safety and well-being your top priority following a bicycle accident in Longmont. Get medical attention immediately after the crash, even if you don’t feel your injuries are serious. Some injuries do not present symptoms right away, and you need a complete medical evaluation to determine whether you suffered brain injuries or other internal damage that may cause problems later.
You also need documentation that you received medical treatment to obtain compensation. Insurance companies will look at how long you took to seek medical care, your diagnosis and prognosis, and what treatment plan your doctor orders. You must follow the treatment plan to the letter and provide copies of all related documentation to your lawyer. Any delays or discrepancies could result in the insurance company denying your claim.
Collect Evidence
Collect as much evidence as you can at the accident scene as to the cause of the crash, your injuries, bicycle or property damage, and eyewitness accounts. Take photos of the scene and your injuries, and get any surveillance video of the crash if possible. If you suffered serious injuries in the accident and could not gather evidence on your own, a trusted friend, family member, or an attorney can help you.
Contact Our Attorneys
Speak with a skilled Longmont bicycle accident lawyer at Fuicelli & Lee immediately after the incident. Our lawyers can gather evidence and establish liability. Our Longmont bicycle accident attorneys can also handle all communication with the insurance company and deal with them for you so you can focus on your physical recovery.
Although your attorney will gather evidence to support your claim, make copies and keep them in a safe location. Important documents include your medical statements and hospital bills, medical records and treatment plans, property damage estimates, communications with the insurance company, and proof of lost income.
Contact Our Longmont Bicycle Accident Lawyers
Keith Fuicelli Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Longmont
The Longmont bicycle accident lawyers at Fuicelli & Lee are here to help you pursue full and fair compensation for your injuries and losses. We will advise you of your options for free, and we will fight tirelessly to get you the maximum financial recovery possible.
Our attorneys also work on a contingency fee basis. You won’t have to pay us anything upfront to represent you, and we will only accept a fee if we recover compensation for you.
To request a free consultation concerning your Longmont bicycle accident injury claim, contact Fuicelli & Lee today at (303) 444-4444.
Fuicelli & Lee, PC – Denver Office
1731 Gilpin Street
Denver, CO 80218
PHONE: (303) 444-4444