Boston Bicycle Accident Lawyer

The bike accident lawyer at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers has experience and expertise in all types of bicycle injury cases, including accidents caused by motor vehicles, other cyclist, pedestrians, roadway defects, and more.

Our legal team will analyze the facts of your case, perform a thorough investigation to identify all parties potentially responsible for your injuries, and will determine what your case is worth. More importantly, our lawyers will handle your bicycle accident case with compassion and care.

Bicycle accidents are not only frightening, but they can be debilitating and deadly. Unprotected bicyclists simply can’t shield themselves from the weight and force of speeding motor vehicles.

That’s why car versus bicycle accident injuries are often serious and life-altering.

If you’ve been injured in a bike accident, you need to contact an experienced and knowledgeable bicycle accident attorney to make sure you receive the compensation and justice that you deserve.

Call the police and seek medical treatment, even if you feel okay. Collect contact information from drivers and any other at-fault parties, as well as any witnesses at the scene. Use your cellphone to take pictures of the accident scene, the damage to your bike and any injuries.

Preserve evidence of the accident such as your mangled bike, torn clothing and damaged helmet.

If the driver’s insurance company contacts you, don’t agree to give a written or recorded statement until you’ve spoken with an attorney. Insurance companies may ask deceptive questions that lead to answers that do not reflect what you mean. The information provided could be used against you later.

Refrain from signing a release until you speak with a Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer. Once you sign a settlement release, you can’t make any additional claims related to your bike accident.

Contact a bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights under the law and make sure you recover what you’re owed.

The bicycle accident attorneys at the Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers will evaluate your case on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no legal fees unless we obtain compensation on your behalf.

Other than at-fault motorists, other parties can be liable for your bike accident.

If your bike was defective and malfunctioned while you were riding, you might be able to sue the companies that manufactured the bike or its parts for your injuries.

Maybe your bike tire landed in a pothole and sent you flying over the handlebars. The property owner, nearby construction workers, or plowing companies could all possibly be responsible for maintaining the roadway and could be to blame.

Sometimes, a government entity could be held responsible for a poorly designed or improperly marked road that contributed to a bike accident.

An experienced personal injury attorney will help you pursue product liability and premises liability claims.

Some common causes of bike accidents include:

• Motor vehicle turning into the path of a bicyclist;
• Motor vehicle sideswiping a bicyclist;
• Car door opening and striking a bicyclist;
• Bicyclist rear-ended by a motorist;
• Defective roads or sidewalks;
• Distracted drivers;
• Drunk drivers;
• Dogs chasing bicyclists;
• Defective bicycles; and
• Negligent bike repairs.

According to the city of Boston, the most common car versus bike crashes in Cambridge are:

• Motorists entering a main street from a side street and hitting a cyclist;
• Motorists opening a car door in front of a bicyclist; and
• Motorists turning left in front of a straight-moving cyclist.

• Head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Damage to internal organs
• Loss of limbs
• Paralysis
• Spinal cord damage
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Often, an injury will appear to be minor in nature immediately after a bike accident. However, the true severity of an injury might not be discovered until weeks or even months after an accident.

Bicycle accident injuries are often serious and bike accident victims may require emergency medical treatment, surgeries, lengthy hospital stays, and months of rehabilitation. The costs can be devastating not only for the victim but also for the victim’s family.

If you’re injured in a bike accident, having a lawyer by your side can prove invaluable. A bike accident lawyer will help you through the process so you can focus on your recovery. They also will prevent the insurance company from pressuring you into prematurely settling your claim for less than you deserve. An attorney can use their experience and skills to fight for you to ensure you receive the maximum compensation for all of your injuries.

An attorney will attempt to recover:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Damages for pain and suffering
• Damages for loss of enjoyment of life

In addition, an attorney will help you navigate through the complex insurance industry to obtain all insurance claims available to you.

Massachusetts is a “no-fault” state, which means your auto insurer will pay a portion of your medical bills, regardless of who was at fault for the accident.

If you or members of your family are avid cyclers, it’s a good idea to check your automobile insurance policy to make sure you have adequate coverage. For example, you can purchase underinsured motorist coverage that will help cover any accidents caused by someone with a small insurance policy. Medical payment coverage can also be purchased to help defray the costs of an accident. Uninsured insurance can provide compensation for you when someone without insurance causes an accident. Make sure to discuss your insurance options with your agent, so you have protection when you need it most.

As for Massachusetts, there have been 32 fatal bicycle accidents in the state dating back to 2016, according to the Boston Transportation Department’s safety coalition, Vision Zero Boston.

In reviewing data gathered from 2015-2017, the group found that these locations were the top five bike injury crash intersections in:

• Massachusetts Avenue & Beacon Street
• Massachusetts Avenue & Commonwealth Avenue
• Massachusetts Avenue & Newbury Street
• Massachusetts Avenue & Melnea Cass Boulevard
• Columbus Avenue & Cedar Street

Under Massachusetts’s bicycle laws, bicycles on roadways are viewed as vehicles with the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles. This means that riders must stop at red lights and stop signs, yield to traffic when making left turns, and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks like motor vehicle drivers are required to do.

Bicyclists can ride on any public road, street, or bikeway, except for limited access or express state highways where signs specifically prohibiting bikes have been posted. In addition, bikers can ride on sidewalks outside business districts, unless local laws prohibit sidewalk riding. You can read more about Massachusetts law pertaining to the operation of bicycles at M.G.L. Chapter § 85, 11b.

Have you noticed a lot of bicycles on the roadways lately? That’s not just your imagination. Massachusetts has a large biking population, and Boston in particular has one of the highest rates of bicycle commuters in the country.

Take a look at this staggering statistic: The city of Boston counted an average of nearly 40,000 bike trips per day at 62 locations in the city in 2017. This number did not include all bike trips in the city.

Cambridge, another Massachusetts city, is home to many well known and robust universities, such as Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. With so many students, faculty, and staff going to class, coming home from work, or grabbing a bite to eat, Cambridge has one of Massachusetts’ largest cycling communities With so many bicyclists on the roads, bicycle accidents in Massachusetts are likely more common than you think and are bound to happen.

Here’s some good news: Although there are more bicyclists are on the roads these days than ever before, bike accidents overall are on the decline. Cities and towns across the country are implementing safety features such as bike lanes and protective medians, which significantly increase rider safety.

However, fatal bike crashes are on the rise. One major reason for fatal crashes is due, in part, to drivers failing to share the road with bicyclists. Some cities have also been slow to implement changes that promote bicycle safety.

In 2018, 857 bicyclists were killed in traffic accidents in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Here are some NHTSA statistics about bike accident fatalities:

• Bicyclist deaths most often occur between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Bicyclist deaths were more likely to occur in urban areas (75%) compared to rural areas (25%) in 2017.
• Bicyclist deaths were 8 times higher for males than females in 2017.
• Alcohol was involved in 37% of all fatal bicyclist crashes in 2017.

Here are some safety tips that can help prevent bike accidents:

• Wear a helmet. More importantly, wear a helmet that fits properly. Massachusetts law requires bikers age 16 and younger to wear helmets.
• Ride a bike that fits you and is in good working condition.
• Wear protective gear such as bright colors and reflective gear.
• Carry items in a backpack or on the back of your bike.
• Choose routes with less traffic and slower speeds.
• Drive with the flow of traffic.
• Obey street signs, signals and markings.

Motorized bicycles, mopeds and scooters are becoming more popular and prevalent.

If you’re operating a motorized bicycle in Massachusetts, you must follow all traffic laws and regulations. You can’t drive faster than 25 m.p.h. You must be at least 16 years old, have a valid driver's license or learner's permit and wear an approved safety helmet.

Motorized bicycles must be registered with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. You must have a valid registration sticker on the bike.

You can use any public way, but you aren’t allowed on limited access or express state highways where bicycles are prohibited. You can use bike lanes on the street, but you can’t ride on off-street recreational bike paths.

You can read more at M.G.L. Chapter 90 §1B-E.