Portland Bicycle Accident Attorney
Legal Guidance for Your Pursuit of Compensation
Need a bicycle accident lawyer in Oregon? If you or a loved one was struck by a negligent driver in a car or truck accident, you deserve full and fair compensation.
Bicyclists coming into contact with cars, stationary objects, or being involved in single-rider crashes because of unpaved roads or poor signage can face:
- High medical bills
- Costly repairs
- Loss of wages
When you work with our firm, you will be working with an experienced Portland bicycle accident attorney who understands the law and is dedicated to fighting for your best interest.
Understanding Oregon’s Bike Laws
Portland is an incredibly bicycle-friendly city. With well-defined bike lanes and bicycle events throughout the metropolitan area, many of the city’s residents commute via bicycle or ride recreationally throughout the week. The Oregon Revised Statutes pertaining to bicycles define very specific laws regarding sharing the road with cyclists and the responsibilities of bicyclists while riding in busy traffic areas. Even with bicycle-friendly roads and so many cyclists on the street, people still tend to get hurt while commuting.
Under Oregon Revised Statutes 814.400 – 814.489, bicyclists have to operate in safe conditions to ensure their safety as well as the safety of drivers and pedestrians. Most commonly, bicyclists are struck in intersections where negligent drivers turn and hit a passing rider or do not yield to cyclists. With little between the rider and the pavement save for a helmet, bicyclists can sustain extremely serious injuries. Spinal injuries, brain damage, road rash, and broken bones are not uncommon and, in tragic situations, riders can even be killed by reckless drivers.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
Bicycling is a popular pastime in Portland, and collisions between cyclists and drivers are unfortunately very common. A significant number of bicycle accidents are attributed to human error, whether it is due to inattention or reckless disregard of traffic laws.
The top causes of bicycle accidents include:
- Drivers making unsafe right turns into the bicycle lane (the “Right Hook”)
- Drivers opening doors and hitting cyclists (the “Door Prize”)
- Drivers pulling out of driveways or parking spots without checking (the “Right Cross”)
- Drivers rear-ending bicyclists
- Drivers making dangerous left turns (the “Left Cross”)
- Drivers failing to check their blind spots when turning or changing lanes
- Drivers speeding
- Driving under the influence
- Distracted drivers
Far too many cyclists are seriously injured or killed because of negligence. It is important that both drivers and bicyclists follow basic safety tips and abide by the rules of the road.
Determining Fault after a Bicycle Collision
If you were involved in a collision at the hands of a careless driver, or because of dangerous road conditions, it is likely that you have suffered some sort of injury. For this reason, you may be wondering who is going to pay for the cost of your medical treatment and time spent out of work. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, you may be able to pursue compensation. In order to do so, however, you must be able to prove that another party’s negligent actions had contributed to the cause of the collision.
Bicycle accidents can happen for a number of different reasons, but liability usually falls on one of the following parties:
- The Bicyclist – In some cases, it may be the injured bicyclist who has caused their own injuries. Many people assume that the motorist is always at fault in a vehicle-on-bicycle collision, since it is usually the bicyclist who ends up with a serious personal injury, but either party can be held accountable. If for example, the bicyclist had failed to follow the rules of the road at the time that they were struck, they would be at fault.
- The Motorist – When a motorist negligently causes an accident with a bicyclist, it is usually because they had been driving recklessly, they had failed to pay attention to their surroundings or they had violated traffic laws. Any of these circumstances could lead to a devastating collision, so if they are determined to be “at fault,” they would be liable for providing the victim with necessary compensation.
- The Local Government – In some cases, it may be the hazardous conditions of a road that has caused a bicycle accident. This may be the cause if the road was defectively designed, carelessly constructed or negligently maintained. Should a victim be injured under any of these circumstances, they would have the right to pursue compensation from the responsible party—which, in this case, would be the local government.
Were You Injured While Riding a Bicycle in Portland?
Our Portland personal injury attorney has more than 35 years of experience defending our clients and helping them receive the maximum amount of compensation that they deserve. To help our clients ensure that they receive quality representation without having to worry about traditional attorney fees, we operate on a contingency fee basis as well as provide free consultations to our clients.
If you have concerns regarding your particular situation or wish to speak with an attorney,
contact our firm today to schedule a free case evaluation.
