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With its beautiful greenways and designated bike lanes, San Antonio is becoming more and more known as a bike-friendly city. However, that doesn’t take away the risk of getting into an accident every time cyclists get on their bikes. Negligent motorists and poor road conditions still abound in the city, and this recklessness can always lead to a crash at any moment.
And the statistics don’t lie. In the last few years, San Antonio police have reported that about eight bicycle crashes take the lives of cyclists in the city each year. In our book, that’s eight wrongful deaths too many. It’s also very telling that 10% of all pedestrian and cyclist accidents that resulted in injuries and deaths in Texas happen in San Antonio. That’s very worrisome, given that the city comprises a mere 5% of the state’s total population.
Bicycle accident victims face more than just painful, life-altering injuries and piles of medical bills. There’s also the stress of negotiating insurance claims, dealing with lost wages, and the overwhelming course of taking legal action.
That’s where Thompson Law’s San Antonio bicycle accident lawyers step in. With our legal expertise, we can bring those accountable for your injuries to justice and get you the compensation you need to recover to the fullest. Start paving the path to justice today by booking a FREE CONSULTATION with us!
Bicycle collisions are much more dangerous than regular car accidents because cyclists lack the protection that drivers in cars, trucks, and buses do.
They don’t have airbags or seat belts and don’t have a vehicle frame to shield them from any sort of impact. When a cyclist gets into any kind of accident, they’re vulnerable to being thrown off their bikes, leading to serious injuries. Helmets help, sure, but the protection is minimal. So, even at the lowest speeds, cyclists are always more high-risk for personal injury cases, and severe, life-threatening injuries at that.
Bicycles are also smaller than other vehicles on the road. When motorists are distracted or suffering from fatigue, it’s easy for them to look over cyclists or not notice them at all, especially at intersections or blind spots. Not all areas in San Antonio have bike lanes either, so cyclists often have no choice but to share the road with bigger, faster vehicles.
According to the Texas Transportation Code Sec. 551.101, cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities any other motorist has on the road. But what other local laws and ordinances protect them in San Antonio? Check out these bicycle-focused laws designed to keep the city’s roads safe.
The city requires bicycles to have specific types of lights from dusk until dawn. In the front, the light should be white, while at the rear, bikes should have a red reflector or light. These lights should be visible to those 500 feet ahead or behind the bicycle.
This is called the Bike Light Ordinance, and it was designed to improve the visibility of bicycles on the road. The easier they are to spot, the less vulnerable they are to collisions with other vehicles.
In an effort to make San Antonio a bike-friendly city, the government has built bicycle lanes that are identified by painted lines on the rightmost part of the road. This helps reduce the risk of bike riders finding themselves in accidents with bigger vehicles on the main road.
The city plans to improve its overall bicycle network plan in the next 20 years to include anti-slip lanes, barrier-protected bike lanes, and other facilities to improve road safety for San Antonio cyclists.
Even with such well-thought-out laws and ordinances to keep cyclists safe, some accidents are unavoidable. In just one moment after an act of negligence by another party, cyclists can get hurt and sustain severe injuries that can lead to permanent disability and even death.
If you find yourself in a bicycle accident, it’s important to have a lawyer to represent you. Our experienced San Antonio bicycle accident lawyers are ready to be advocates for your rights and ensure you get the compensation you deserve after everything you’ve been through. Here are just some of the things we can do as your appointed legal counsel:
Our San Antonio bicycle accident lawyers know Texas traffic laws inside and out. We’ll apply our knowledge and experience when we build the strongest case for you so that you are treated fairly and given the monetary compensation you deserve. Want to know how else we can protect your rights as a cyclist? Book us now for a FREE CASE REVIEW.
It’s natural to feel overwhelmed when you get into a bicycle accident and need to recover from painful injuries. But remember, you are entitled to compensation from the at-fault party. Here are the three ways our lawyers at Thompson Law can assist in getting you the compensation you need:
We believe that cyclists and motorists should safely share the road. When a negligent driver doesn’t exercise their duty of care for someone riding a bicycle, it’s unacceptable, especially because cyclists are more vulnerable to accidents. If you’ve gotten hurt while on a bicycle, our team can help you fight for your rights and secure the compensation you need to recover physically, mentally, and financially.
Should you choose to sue the negligent party with our help, our team of lawyers can help obtain the following compensation for you:
These are just a small fraction of what we can help you secure as compensatory damages. There are many other types of damages we can work with, too, depending on the circumstances of your bicycle accident. Our promise is to fight tooth and nail to ensure that you recover from every expense you had to pay for an injury you didn’t deserve.
There are many situations on the road that can ultimately lead to a devastating bicycle crash. Here are just some of them that can put innocent cyclists at risk:
Even with safety gear like knee pads and helmets, many cyclists can still get very badly injured after a crash. Here are some of the most common injuries our lawyers have seen after bicycle accidents:
If you find yourself in a bicycle accident in San Antonio, don’t just freeze in fear. If you want to get to safety and build a solid case for yourself later, you need to take action in an instant. Here’s exactly what to do after collecting yourself if you’re in a bike accident, step by step:
If you call the Thompson Law team for a FREE CONSULTATION, we’ll immediately guide you through your next moves so that you can have the strongest case later on.
Seeking medical attention and help from law enforcement are always the first two things you should do after a road crash of any kind. But if you need more intensive care, it might be better to be transferred to a hospital or a police station for serious concerns after a bicycle accident.
If you sustained injuries that need immediate treatment at an acute care facility, get to a hospital as soon as you can. Here are the major ones in San Antonio:
Getting in contact with the police is also crucial after a bicycle accident. This allows the authorities to document what happened at the scene of the accident and talk to any witnesses about it. It also gives you the chance to file a police report, which your lawyers can later use as evidence when you file a claim against the negligent party. Here are the San Antonio police stations you can reach out to for that:
Yes, as with any sort of personal injury claim, there is a strict deadline for filing bicycle accident claims in Texas. The statute of limitations for these claims is two years after the accident happened. If you sustained injuries with delayed symptoms, the deadline is two years after the discovery of those injuries. If you file a lawsuit after those two years, you could lose your right to be awarded compensatory damages.
Does your claim involve the government, in this case, the City of San Antonio? If so, the statute of limitations then shrinks to six months after the date of the accident. So, if your accident was caused by poor road conditions and negligence on the part of the city, you need to act fast and take legal action as soon as possible.
Biking is supposed to be safer and friendlier to the environment. So, when innocent cyclists get hurt in unexpected accidents, it’s always tragic, and those responsible should be brought to justice.
But don’t worry; you don’t need to navigate the complexities of Texas traffic laws and insurance claims alone. Our San Antonio bicycle accident lawyers are here to lend a hand. Let’s turn your tragedy into a victory so you can get the justice you deserve and the compensation that comes with it. Reach out to us today for a FREE CONSULTATION.
Whoever is found liable for the bicycle accident that injured you is obligated to pay for the damages. That could be a negligent driver or a government entity if it’s proven that their negligent actions and poor maintenance of roads led to the accident.
The amount you receive, whether from insurance claims or compensatory damages in court, depends on the severity of your injuries. Factors like having to pay for medical bills or suffering from mental and emotional anguish can make your claim larger. In extreme cases where gross negligence, permanent disability, or a wrongful death occurs, the payment is even higher.
In the case of a hit-and-run bicycle accident, your personal insurance policy should be able to pay for your damages. The police can also help you track down the driver that caused the accident. Once they’ve been identified, you can file the claim against their motorist insurance or even choose to take legal action against them.
If the accident was caused specifically by poor road conditions (like uneven paving or potholes that were never fixed), you can file a claim against the City of San Antonio. Just make sure to file that claim within six months of the accident, which is the statute of limitations for action taken against government entities.
There’s still a chance that you can receive compensation even if you contributed in part to the bicycle accident you were involved in. Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule with a 50% bar. The rule states that you can still recover damages if you are less than 51% to blame for the accident. If more than half the fault is attributed to you, you lose your right to receive compensation.
But even if you do receive compensation, the total amount you recover from damages is later reduced according to your percentage of fault. For example, if you were found to be 25% at fault in a lawsuit that awards you $100,000, you will end up going home with only $75,000.
Thompson Law charges NO FEE unless we obtain a settlement for your case. We’ve put over $1.9 billion in cash settlements in our clients’ pockets. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your accident, get your questions answered, and understand your legal options.
State law limits the time you have to file a claim after an injury accident, so call today.
