Three Situations in Which You May Be Entitled to Compensation for Your Bicycle Accident

If you are injured while riding your bicycle by something other than a vehicle, you may still be able to sue for compensation for your medical bills, loss of income, and perhaps pain and suffering. The key is in determining if there was negligence. The following are three situations when you may have a case.

You are injured due to a pothole

This is often a problem for motorcyclists, but those riding bicycles can also get hurt. Of course, the problem doesn't have to be a pothole, but any problem with the street that has been neglected and has caused you to be injured could mean that you have a case. In most cases, it will be a public road, and this means bringing an action against the city or county. You may be told that this is not possible, but it is best to consult with an attorney. Although it is often more difficult to sue a governmental institution than a private-sector company, this is still done frequently by personal-injury attorneys.

Falling objects from a vehicle

If you are riding your bicycle when an unsecured object strikes you, causing an injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Often this happens when something flies out of the back of a pickup truck, but injuries from open trailers are common, as well as stray trash from a garbage truck. If you are hit by an object and are seriously injured, you can only hope there are witnesses and that the driver stops. But for lesser injuries, you may still be entitled to compensation for your injury. You need to keep your composure, try to get the license-plate number of the vehicle, and then report the incident while making sure you get medical attention.

Dog bites

Yes, you can be bitten by a dog while riding your bike. Dogs love chasing bicycles as well as cars. The big difference is that you are not likely to escape a dog on a bike as you would a car. You are obviously more vulnerable to being bitten as well. Of course, if you are bitten, you need to seek medical help and find out who owns the dog. But you may also be entitled to compensation if this dog causes you to have an accident and thus causes your injury. For example, if in an attempt to elude the animal, you ride your bike into the curb and then fall to the ground, the pet owner may be held responsible for your injuries.

A bicycle rider is more vulnerable than a driver of a car, so there are many ways to get injured. If you have suffered from an injury that may be due to someone's negligence, you need to consult with a personal-injury attorney to find out if you are entitled to compensation.