ST. LOUIS BICYCLE ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
- Last Modified:
- March 25, 2024
You shouldn’t be left to deal with the consequences on your own when someone else is at fault. The experienced St. Louis bicycle accident lawyers at Brown & Crouppen will demand accountability and fight to get the compensation you deserve.
- What Should I Know About Bicycle Accidents In St. Louis?
- What Will A St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer Do For Me After My Bicycle Accident?
- Liability For Bicycle Accident Injuries In St. Louis
- Damages Available To Bicycle Accident Victims
- How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Bicycle Accident Lawyer?
- Statute Of Limitations For Bicycle Accident Lawsuits In St. Louis
- Arrange A Free Initial Consultation With Our St. Louis Bicycle Accident Attorneys
As a bicyclist, you’re vulnerable to severe and catastrophic injuries in a crash. Medical bills can add up quickly, and a sudden loss of income can make a difficult situation worse. The emotional trauma of being struck by a car can last a lifetime.
Since 1979, our top-rated personal injury law firm has been an advocate for accident victims and families in St. Louis, Missouri. We strive to make a difference in each and every client’s life. It’s why we’ve been able to recover more than $1 billion in settlements and verdicts for them.
Don’t just level the playing field against tough insurance companies and liable parties. Put yourself in the best possible position to win your case and maximize your financial recovery. Contact our St. Louis personal injury lawyers to arrange a free consultation to learn more today.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT BICYCLE ACCIDENTS IN ST. LOUIS?
St. Louis has an impressive, and ever-expanding, bicycle infrastructure system. It’s even recognized as a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Despite that, hundreds of bicyclists and pedestrians are involved in St. Louis traffic accidents every year. In fact, St. Louis is home to 18 percent of all bike and pedestrian accidents in the state of Missouri.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there were 326 reported pedestrian and bicycle accidents in St. Louis in 2020. These crashes resulted in at least 273 injuries and 20 deaths. This reflected a slight drop from the year prior, when there were 375 pedestrian and pedalcyclist crashes in St. Louis.
COMMON CAUSES OF BICYCLE ACCIDENTS IN ST. LOUIS
Bicycle accidents are, for the most part, entirely avoidable events. When they happen, it’s usually because someone is negligent.
Some of the most common examples of negligence that contributes to bicycle collisions in St. Louis include:
- Failing to yield the right of way to bicyclists, particularly at an intersection
- Failing to look for bicyclists before making a turn or changing lanes
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Dooring
- Speeding
- Improper and illegal turns
- Failing to leave enough room between a bicycle and vehicle while passing
- Following too closely
- Riding in a vehicle’s blind spot
Bad weather conditions, road construction, vehicle defects, limited visibility, and road defects are also factors that can contribute to bike crashes in St. Louis.
TYPES OF CATASTROPHIC INJURIES FROM BICYCLE ACCIDENTS
While wearing a bicycle helmet can help to prevent serious head injuries and death, they’re not mandatory for adults in St. Louis and surrounding counties.
Even when a cyclist is wearing a helmet, they can still sustain catastrophic injuries when they’re in a motor vehicle accident, such as:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken bones
- Crushing injury
- Road rash and burn injury
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord injury
- Back and neck injury
- Amputation
- Internal organ damage and bleeding
- Trauma to the face, including dental injuries, broken nose, and eye injuries
If you are struck by a car while riding your bike in St. Louis, it’s important to seek medical treatment immediately. The sooner you can get to the hospital, the less chance there is that you’ll experience complications. Plus, you’ll want an official record of your injuries as evidence to support a future negligence claim for damages.
WHAT WILL A ST. LOUIS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER DO FOR ME AFTER MY BICYCLE ACCIDENT?
Following your bike accident, the at-fault party’s insurance company isn’t going to make the process of getting compensation easy for you. They might try to pressure you into taking a lowball offer, claim that liability is unclear, or even blame you for the crash.
Hiring our experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyers to represent you is one of the best decisions you can make right now. Not only will it put an experienced advocate in your corner, but it will give you the opportunity you need to focus on recovering from the physical and emotional trauma you’ve experienced.
At Brown & Crouppen, we’ve spent decades going toe-to-toe with tough insurance companies and fighting to make things right for injured cyclists just like you.
While you rest and recover, our award-winning trial attorneys will invest the hard work, resources, and experience it’ll take to get you the results you deserve.
- Handle your bicycle injury claim from start to finish. We’ll keep you updated throughout the process and be there to help you make difficult decisions, such as whether to settle or push forward to trial. Additionally, an attorney will inform you of important legal considerations and governing Missouri bicycle accident laws that are relevant to your case.
- Gather critical pieces of evidence to support your claim. Our team will secure photographs and video footage, police reports, medical records, witness statements, and other important information.
- Consult with reputable bicycle accident and injury experts. Insurance companies will have experts working for them. You should, too. We have a vast network of specialists we can turn to for assistance, including accident reconstructionists, medical professionals, scientists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and more.
- Negotiate to get you the best possible terms in a settlement deal. We’ll enter negotiations with the insurance company and other parties ready to get you a settlement offer that reflects the full value of your injuries and suffering.
- Escalate your case to trial if the other side refuses to negotiate fairly. Our goal is to get our clients the best possible results. We’ll never sacrifice the quality of our representation or settle for less than is deserved. We prepare every case as if it’s going to trial so that we’re ready in the event we need to bring your case to a jury.
Contact our personal injury law firm in St. Louis, Missouri, to learn more. We offer a free case evaluation and are always available to provide the guidance you need — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
LIABILITY FOR BICYCLE ACCIDENT INJURIES IN ST. LOUIS
Under Missouri state law, anyone who directly or indirectly contributes to a bicycle crash can be on the hook for resulting harm.
After our law firm thoroughly investigates your traffic accident, it may be clear that one or more of the following parties are liable:
- Driver of a car, truck, motorcycle, or another motor vehicle
- Another bicyclist or a pedestrian
- Government agencies responsible for road design or maintenance
- Property owners
- Employers of negligent parties
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles, bicycles, or safety equipment
Our experienced litigators will aggressively pursue compensation from all parties who share responsibility for your bicycle accident injuries and the trauma you’ve suffered.
WHAT IF THE OTHER PARTY BLAMES ME FOR THE BICYCLE ACCIDENT?
Missouri is one of several states to follow a pure comparative negligence system. Under it, you can recover compensation if you share fault for a bicycle accident. You just can’t be entirely at fault for the auto accident.
While your financial recovery won’t be prohibited, it will be limited. Your damages will be adjusted to reflect your negligence. For example, if you’re assigned 15 percent fault for your St. Louis bicycle accident, the court will reduce your damages by 15 percent.
Be prepared for insurance companies to attempt to blame you for your crash. The more fault you share, the less money they’ll have to pay — and the less you’ll get. Our personal injury attorneys will be prepared for these tactics and ready to fight back to minimize your liability.
DAMAGES AVAILABLE TO BICYCLE ACCIDENT VICTIMS
If you’re hurt in a bicycle collision because someone else was negligent, you should be entitled to compensation for your financial losses and the pain and suffering you’ve experienced. These compensatory damages are known as economic damages and non-economic damages, respectively.
Compensatory damages include:
- Hospitalization and other present medical bills
- Follow-up medical care and future medical expenses
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages, income, and benefits
- Temporary or permanent disability
- Chronic physical pain
- Disfigurement
- Reduced quality of life
- Depression and anxiety
- Emotional distress
- Property damage
- Nursing care
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Missouri does allow punitive damages — damages intended to punish the at-fault party — in limited instances. However, it must be established by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted intentionally or displayed a flagrant disregard for your safety. This is typically most relevant in cases involving drunk drivers or extreme acts of road rage.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIRE A BICYCLE ACCIDENT LAWYER?
You might think you can’t afford to hire a lawyer after a bike accident. Brown & Crouppen doesn’t want money to stand between you and the legal representation you deserve. That’s why our St. Louis bicycle accident attorneys work on a contingent basis.
We assume the risks of taking your case and cover all of the costs upfront. You pay for our help only if we win your case. Our team recovers a predetermined percentage of your financial recovery.
Get started with a free consultation with one of our skilled Personal Injury Lawyers today.
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR BICYCLE ACCIDENT LAWSUITS IN ST. LOUIS
You’ll typically have up to five years from the date of your bicycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages.
There are some situations when a different statute of limitations will apply.
For instance, wrongful death cases involving a fatal bike accident are subject to a three-year limitation.
On the other hand, claims involving government negligence will adhere to a much shorter time frame. You can have a few short months, rather than years, to take action in those cases.
Don’t let too much time go by without filing your claim. You’ll lose the right to demand and secure compensation if you miss the deadline that applies to your bicycle injury case. The best way to protect yourself is by calling our experienced bicycle accident attorney in St. Louis as soon as you can after you get hurt.
ARRANGE A FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION WITH OUR ST. LOUIS BICYCLE ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
Have you or a loved one recently been hurt in a bicycle accident in St. Louis, Missouri? You may be entitled to a substantial monetary award to cover the costs of your injuries and compensate for your suffering. Our experienced St. Louis bicycle accident lawyers can help you maximize your financial recovery.
You have a limited period of time to file a lawsuit and demand accountability, so contact Brown & Crouppen to arrange a free, no-obligation case evaluation today. Our compassionate legal team is always available to provide the guidance you need.
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