A cyclist can suffer significant injuries even when a vehicle is traveling at a relatively low speed. Questions about right of way, driver visibility, roadway conditions, and what happened in the seconds before impact often shape what comes next. In St. Louis, Missouri, the motor vehicle accident attorneys at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law represent people injured in bicycle collisions involving cars and other vehicles.
Founding Partner Dan Brown concentrates on personal injury and workers’ compensation matters and has handled several thousand cases since forming Brown & Brown with his brother in 1993. That experience can be valuable when a cyclist is facing serious injuries and an insurer disputes how the collision happened.
What Causes Bicycle Accidents?
Many bicycle crashes occur because a motorist does not notice a cyclist soon enough or fails to follow the rules of the road. Common situations include:
- Failing to yield at an intersection
- Turning across a bicycle lane or cyclist’s path
- Passing without enough space
- Opening a parked vehicle door into a cyclist
- Speeding
- Distracted or impaired driving
- Following a bicycle too closely
- Leaving the scene after a collision
A crash involving a driver who leaves the scene presents its own challenges. Our page about hit-and-run accidents explains some of the insurance and identification issues that can follow.
Missouri law generally gives cyclists using streets and highways the same rights and duties that apply to vehicle drivers, subject to bicycle-specific rules. Missouri Revised Statute 307.188 (opens in new tab) addresses those rights and responsibilities.
How Can Fault Be Determined?
A driver and cyclist may remember the same collision very differently. Photographs, vehicle and bicycle damage, police reports, witness accounts, traffic-camera footage, business surveillance video, and dashcam recordings can provide a clearer picture.
The roadway itself may also deserve attention. Potholes, damaged pavement, missing signs, or malfunctioning signals can contribute to a crash. Claims involving dangerous highways and roadways can raise additional questions about who controlled the property and what legal rules apply to that party.
The goal is not to assume who caused the collision. It is to piece together what occurred using the information that is available.
What Should You Do After a Bicycle Accident?
Medical care comes first, particularly if you hit your head, experience significant pain, or have difficulty moving after the crash. Some injuries may not be obvious at the scene.
If you are able, it can also help to:
- Report the collision to law enforcement
- Photograph the bicycle, vehicle, roadway, and visible injuries
- Obtain contact information from witnesses
- Keep the damaged bicycle, helmet, and other equipment
- Save medical bills and related paperwork
- Write down what you remember while the details are still fresh
Avoid repairing or discarding damaged bicycle equipment until you understand whether it could be important to the claim.
Serious Injuries Can Change the Scope of a Bicycle Claim
With little protection from the force of a vehicle, cyclists may suffer broken bones and internal injuries, head trauma, nerve damage, spinal injuries, or extensive cuts and abrasions.
When an injury requires surgery, rehabilitation, or time away from work, the financial impact may continue well after the collision. Compensation can account for medical expenses, lost earnings, damage to the bicycle and equipment, pain and suffering, disability, and other supported losses.
Why Choose Brown & Brown for a Bicycle Accident Case in St. Louis?
Bicycle crashes can be unfairly reduced to a simple disagreement between a driver and cyclist. Brown & Brown approaches these cases by looking at the roadway, physical damage, available video, medical records, and accounts from people who witnessed what occurred.
Dan Brown’s decades of personal injury work give the firm experience evaluating serious injuries and disputed liability. Our attorneys can also communicate with insurers and handle the legal side of the claim while you continue medical care.
Related Roadway Injury Results
Brown & Brown’s published results include a $1.95 million settlement for a motorcyclist who was struck by a vehicle and suffered a serious arm injury. The firm also obtained a $250,000 policy-limits settlement for another motorcyclist hit by an inattentive driver.
These are examples of Brown & Brown’s roadway injury work. They are not bicycle-accident-specific results.
Previous results do not guarantee future case outcomes. However, they show the results Brown & Brown has been able to obtain for clients. Each matter is evaluated individually.
Get Answers After a Bicycle Accident
A bicycle collision can leave you sorting through medical treatment, damaged equipment, insurance questions, and disagreements about fault at the same time. For a free case review in St. Louis, MO, call Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law at (314) 333-3333 or contact us. We can review the circumstances and help you understand what information may matter to your claim.
