Gallup Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Gallup Bicycle Accident Attorney

Every year, thousands of Americans are injured in bicycle crashes due to no fault of their own. Because bikes lack the safety measures found in today’s automobiles, the consequences of these crashes can be dire. If you’ve been injured on your bike, you should call a Gallup bicycle accident lawyer right away.

The team here at Youngers Law has over 30 years of experience practicing personal injury law. In that time, we have helped many bicyclists receive just compensation for injuries sustained during accidents with motor vehicles. You can trust us to provide aggressive representation in negotiations and, if necessary, in the courtroom.

Why Hire a Bicycle Accident Lawyer?

The reasons to hire a bicycle accident lawyer following your crash are many. The days, weeks, and sometimes months immediately following an accident are often very stressful. You need to focus on healing from your injuries, not dealing with paperwork or trying to negotiate with insurance companies.

Some people make the mistake of taking compensation packages from the responsible driver’s insurance company as soon as they receive an offer. Remember that insurance companies don’t have your interests in mind. Their goal is always to maximize their own profits. You may be entitled to significantly more compensation.

A bicycle accident attorney can determine fault and gather evidence that will help you in negotiations or the courtroom. Our team can help with everything from gathering witness statements to filing paperwork, so you don’t have to worry about the details. Instead, you can focus on healing and moving forward.

Determine Whether You Have a Claim

New Mexico allows partial fault to be assigned following an accident, which means even if a driver was the primary cause of your crash, you could still be held partially at fault. If you’re found to be more than 50% at fault for the crash, you may not be able to recover damages. Even if you’re found to be less than 50% at fault, insurance companies could use that as an excuse to offer lower settlement amounts.

If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident on a major road like Route 66 or one of Gallup’s many backroads, you need a knowledgeable lawyer on your team. We can fight for your right to receive just compensation and prevent insurance companies from getting away with offering settlements that don’t pay for the full scope of your medical care, lost wages, and other damages.

Common Types of Bicycle Accident Injuries

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 49,989 cyclists were injured in 2023. Bike riders are at an increased risk of sustaining serious injuries during crashes because they don’t have anything to protect them from impact with the road. Common types of bicycle accident injuries include:

• Back injuries. Accident victims’ back injuries can include sprains, herniated discs, and other issues, some of which require surgery and long-term medical care.
• Traumatic brain injuries. A severe blow to the head can leave you with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It can take anywhere from 3 to 24 months to see real improvement following a severe TBI.
• Broken bones. Bike accidents most often lead to broken arms, legs, wrists, and ankles.
• Cuts and bruises. Known medically as lacerations and contusions, cuts and bruises are very common following even minor bicycle crashes. The good news is that they rarely require extensive treatment.
• Whiplash. Whiplash occurs when an accident victim’s neck is stretched too far in one direction. It usually heals within a few days or weeks and does not cause permanent injury.
• Spinal cord injuries. Bicycles account for 81% of spinal cord injuries incurred during sports. Severe spinal cord injuries can lead to paralysis.

FAQs

How Long After an Accident Do You Have to File a Claim in New Mexico?

After an accident, you have three years to file a personal injury claim in Gallup, New Mexico. There are, however, some exceptions. If the accident involved the municipality or another government entity, you may need to file your claim within just 90 days. Either way, there’s no sense in delaying the process of finding a qualified bicycle accident attorney.

What Is Bike Injury Compensation?

Bike injury compensation is the money that some accident victims receive from the responsible parties after their crashes. The term can refer to the often inadequate compensation packages offered by insurance companies or to more substantial benefits packages obtained during negotiations or following bicycle accident cases. To maximize your bike injury compensation, it’s crucial to work with a bicycle injury lawyer.

What Does an Accident Lawyer Do?

An accident lawyer, or a personal injury attorney, advocates for the rights of accident victims and helps them get the compensation they need and deserve to cover medical bills, make up for lost wages, and otherwise move forward with their lives. An accident lawyer is vital when pursuing a claim against a negligent party.

How Late After an Accident Can You File a Claim?

How late after an accident you can file a claim depends on who the other involved parties were. If you got into an accident with a motorist driving a private or company vehicle, the statute of limitations is three years. If, however, the accident involved issues concerning the municipality, like poor road conditions, the timeline may be as short as 90 days.

Call a Gallup Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, don’t wait to take action. Once you’ve received the medical care you need for any injuries you sustained during the crash, call a Gallup bicycle accident lawyer who can help you determine whether you’re eligible for compensation.

Youngers Law has been advocating for the rights of injured bicyclists for decades. We’re intimately familiar with bicycle accident laws and learned what it takes to get results. Whether you got a few broken bones during the crash or sustained a serious head injury, you deserve to have the resources you need to heal and move on. Contact us to schedule a consultation today.