Bicycle accidents are a major source of severe injuries in the Elgin area. Despite their high frequency, every accident is unique and requires a full investigation to protect the rights of affected individuals. In most situations, the accident involves another bike rider or a driver of a motor vehicle. If you can prove that this other party contributed the majority of the blame for the collision, you may be able to collect compensation for your losses.
An experienced attorney at the Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd. may be able to help you to prove these concepts. They can explain the common causes of bicycle accidents in Elgin and what applies to your specific situation. They could also gather evidence about the crash, determine how the event has impacted your life, and demand that at-fault parties and their insurance drivers provide appropriate payments.
Bike Accidents that Result from Carelessness
Most bike accidents that occur in Elgin are the result of a driver not paying attention to their surroundings. Even with bike lanes in many areas, a significant portion of drivers fail to check blind spots before changing lanes and making turns or drift into these designated bike areas.
Carelessness can also play a role when a driver takes their attention off their surroundings. Becoming distracted by a phone call, being deep in a conversation with a passenger, or even eating can all contribute to a person losing control of their vehicles. An attorney in Elgin could provide more information about bike crashes that are the result of carelessness. They could also gather the evidence needed to prove that another party was to blame for the incident.
Many Bike Collisions in Elgin Occur from Violations of Traffic Laws
Accidents that result from carelessness can be difficult to prove fault in settlements or trials. Many of these cases devolve into he said she said type arguments. In fact, 735 Illinois Compiled Statute 5/2-1116 says that defendants can attempt to shift blame for a crash onto an injured bike rider by alleging that the victim did not take appropriate steps to protect themselves. Thankfully, accidents where it is apparent that a driver was in violation of a rule of the road can be much simpler to prove.
A concept of law called negligence per se means that a court can presume a defendant was liable for an accident if they were violating a law at the time it happened. As applied to bike accident cases, this can include:
- Tailgating violations
- Speeding
- Failing to yield
- Texting while driving
- DUI
A proactive attorney with the Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd. could take the lead in investigating whether a driver received a ticket that would point to the cause of the bike collision. They also work to track that ticket through court to determine if that ticket may be evidence of fault for the collision.
An Elgin Attorney Could Help Identify the Common Causes of Bike Accidents
Every bike accident that occurs on Elgin’s roads is someone’s fault. This means that a driver may be entirely to blame for the incident, the biker may be at-fault, or a mix of the two. In every demand for compensation, you need to prove that a driver carried most of the blame. Determining the common causes of bicycle accidents in Elgin is a powerful first step in this process.
Most accidents are the product of simple carelessness. Here, an experienced attorney could help to gather evidence of how a driver’s distractedness led to a collision. Other accidents result from violations of the law. In these scenarios, a lawyer works to see if a traffic ticket may be evidence of fault for a crash. Reach out to an attorney at the Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd. now to examine some of the common causes of bike accidents in Elgin.