Philadelphia
Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Philadelphia bicycle accidents are a growing problem. The bicycle accident lawyers at Meirowitz & Wasserburg, LLP can help you gain compensation after a Philadelphia bicycle accident leaves you with injuries and expenses.
Quick Links
- Bicycle Accidents in Philadelphia
- What can a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer do?
- What is the time limit for a Philadelphia bicycle accident claim?
- How much money can I receive for a Philadelphia bicycle accident?
- Who is liable for a bicycle accident in Philadelphia?
- When should I contact a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer?
- What is the cost of a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer?
- Why should I choose Meirowitz & Wasserburg, LLP?
- Sources
A bicycle accident is one of the most dangerous accidents a resident of Philadelphia can face. Bicycle accidents tend to be particularly devastating because a cyclist has little protection when impact occurs with a larger, heavier vehicle.
This type of accident frequently leads to death or severe injury. The Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at Meirowitz & Wasserburg, LLP fight for fair compensation on behalf of Philadelphia bicycle accident victims.
Bicycle Accidents in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is a city of bicyclists. In fact, the city has more cyclists per capita than the other 10 largest cities in the United States. Yet despite attempts to increase the safety of cyclists, fatal crashes continue to be a growing issue.
One study rated Philadelphia as one of the most dangerous cities for cyclists in the United States. In 2021 alone, there were eight fatal bicycle accidents on Philadelphia streets—the highest number of bicycle fatalities in 24 years.
The growing rate of bicycle crashes in Philadelphia has resulted in public concern for cyclist safety. Hopefully, changes will be coming to help reduce the rate of bicycle accidents in Philadelphia. But whenever bicycles share the streets with larger vehicles, accidents are bound to happen.
If you’re unfortunate enough to be involved in one, working with a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer is essential to protecting your rights and gaining the compensation you deserve.
What can a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer do?
A Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer will complete paperwork and communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf. Allowing a legal professional to represent you in communications with an insurance company protects you from making damaging statements that might disqualify you from a higher payout amount.
If an insurance company denies or doesn’t compensate you adequately, your attorney will submit a civil claim, thereby initiating court action.
What is the time limit for a Philadelphia bicycle accident claim?
The state of Pennsylvania places a two-year limit on taking action over a bicycle accident. This is true regardless of whether you wish to file a claim for personal injury or wrongful death. This time limit is formally known as the statute of limitations.
Although two years may sound like a long time, it doesn’t allow you much leeway to take action. It takes time for an attorney to build a case in your defense. In preparing to fight for compensation on your behalf, your lawyer may need to:
- Collect evidence and documentation
- Build an argument
- Establish a compensation goal
- Collect witness testimony
- Consult with accident reconstruction specialists
- Undergo negotiations with insurance companies
Once your lawyer has built a strong case, negotiation proceedings can be an extended process with multiple sessions. Ultimately, if negotiations are unsuccessful, your case will need to go to court.
If you wait to contact a lawyer after a Philadelphia bicycle accident, you risk not allowing the time needed to move through the steps of gaining compensation.
How much money can I receive for a Philadelphia bicycle accident?
As with any personal injury claim, compensation for a Philadelphia bicycle accident is intended to be commensurate with the extent of the damage.
The victim of a bicycle accident injury can seek compensatory damages to offset his or her losses. Compensatory damages can be economic or non-economic. You can seek compensation for expenses like the following:
- Medical bills
- Physical therapists
- Ambulance bills
- Medical devices
- Assisted care
- Lost wages and benefits
- Prescription medications
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of companionship
For any damages you seek, your Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer will need to build a strong case showing evidence of your claims. Ultimately, every case has a unique payout amount determined by the extent of the damage the accident caused.
Who is liable for a bicycle accident in Philadelphia?
Liability in an accident is a matter of negligence. If your lawyer can prove the other party acted negligently and their actions resulted in your injury, they can be held responsible for the damage.
Common examples of negligence in a bicycle accident include:
- Failure to share the road with a cyclist
- Failure to keep a safe distance
- Failure to yield at a crosswalk, driveway or intersection
- Driving under the influence
- Reckless driving
When assessing liability for an injury, Pennsylvania law recognizes comparative negligence. This means that if your actions contributed to the accident, both you and the other party will be assigned a percentage of fault. As long as your portion of the fault is 50 percent or less, you can still receive compensation from the other party.
However, the overall compensation awarded will then decline by the percentage of fault assigned to you. For example, imagine a court assigns you 30 percent fault and the driver of a motor vehicle 70 percent. If you are otherwise eligible for $1,000,000 in compensation, 30 percent will be deducted, leaving the settlement awarded to you at $700,000.
When should I contact a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer?
You should contact a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney protects your rights, and this job begins in the immediate aftermath of an accident.
When you involve an attorney from the time of the accident, he or she will help ensure that police follow proper procedures, evidence is gathered and preserved correctly and witness testimony is promptly collected.
Involving an attorney from the start allows your lawyer to oversee the entirety of your case. You’ll have knowledgeable legal representation looking out for your best interests and advising you on how to proceed every step of the way.
What is the cost of a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer?
Just as no two bicycle accidents are the same, neither are two bicycle accident claims. Many factors determine the overall cost of legal services, such as whether the case goes to trial, the number of parties involved and the complexity and duration of proceedings.
Meirowitz & Wasserburg, LLP understands that in the aftermath of a bicycle or car accident, your priorities are healing and juggling consequences like medical expenses and lost wages. We offer legal services on a contingency basis. You only pay if we win your case, and payment comes directly out of the settlement amount we procure for you.
Why should I choose Meirowitz & Wasserburg, LLP?
Choosing a lawyer to represent you after a Philadelphia bicycle accident is a big decision. The strength of the firm you choose will impact every aspect of your claim—especially your outcome. If you want to feel confident in your choice of a lawyer, look at a firm’s results and client reviews.
Meirowitz & Wasserburg, LLP is proud to share the words of our former clients. Our mantra is, “We represent people, not corporations.” Our client testimonials let us know that we are succeeding at our mission of fighting for justice on behalf of the injured.
Our case results further testify to our history of successful outcomes. We regularly secure six-figure settlement and verdict amounts for our clients. After 30 years, we know how to negotiate the settlement our client deserves—and we’re not afraid to go to trial to ensure justice is served.
If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident in Philadelphia, Meirowitz & Wasserburg, LLP may be able to help you recover compensation. Don’t risk waiting any longer—delaying action can hurt your chance of compensation. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer.
Sources
- https://bicyclecoalition.org/resources/commuting/
- https://www.phillyvoice.com/study-ranks-philly-among-most-dangerous-us-cities-cyclists/
- https://bicyclecoalition.org/trafficvictimsphl/
- Safety concerns after day of bike crashes in Philadelphia – 6abc Philadelphia
- Section 5524 – Title 42 – JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE (state.pa.us)
- Title 42 – PA General Assembly (state.pa.us)
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- Philadelphia Personal Injury
- Philadelphia Car Accidents
- Philadelphia Truck Accidents
- Philadelphia Motorcycle Accidents
- Philadelphia Pedestrian Accidents
- Philadelphia Bicycle Accidents
- Philadelphia Slip and Falls
- Philadelphia Brain Injuries
- Philadelphia Spinal Cord Injuries
- Philadelphia Wrongful Death
- Philadelphia Birth Injury
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- 1880 John F. Kennedy Blvd.Suite 1720Philadelphia, PA 19103
- (267) 507-9051
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